PMBC COVID-19 Emergency Access & Retooling Grants

Twelve small businesses and nonprofits around Michigan have been awarded a total of $1 million through the Pure Michigan Business Connect COVID-19 Emergency Access and Retooling Grants program. The program provided funds to small manufacturers looking to retool and produce critical health and human service supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Awarded small businesses include: 

• York Project
• Outerwears
• Commonwealth Sewing Co
• Detroit Sewn, Inc.
• Vandergen LLC
• TentCraft, Inc
• Freeman Manufacturing
• Oxus America, Inc.
• TD Industrial Coverings, Inc.
• Genemarkers
• ISAIC
• Trims Unlimited

The PMBC COVID-19 Emergency Access and Retooling Grants program was announced on April 1, with grants of $25,000 to $150,000 being awarded to companies who were retooling quickly to manufacture critical health and human service supplies. A total of 313 companies requesting more than $30 million applied for the grants. In order to be considered, applicants needed to demonstrate an ability to execute project; need for financial assistance; timeliness; product need in market; and economic impact. All of the available funds have been disbursed with today’s grants.

For more information on the grant program and the companies selected, read the full press release.

Eligibility

Michigan companies had to meet the following criteria to qualify for PMBC Emergency Access & Retooling Grants:

1. Be in accordance with Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards or be an established non-profit entity
2. Be in good standing with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
3. Provide an EIN number linked to a Michigan address
4. Ability to begin manufacturing product within 30 days of award
5. Be a registered State of Michigan SIGMA vendor. Please refer to https://sigma.michigan.gov/webapp/PRDVSS2X1/AltSelfService if you need to complete registration

Eligible Use of Funds

1. Procuring necessary equipment to manufacture critical supplies
2. Logistics/Shipping costs of procuring necessary equipment
3. Technological upgrades
4. Other costs related to operationalizing new production lines

Grant Award

Eligible applications were reviewed by the panel within 48 hours, based on the following scoring criteria:

• Ability to Execute Project
• Need for Financial Assistance
• Timeliness
• Product Need in Market
• Economic Impact

Funding level was determined at the discretion of the review panel based on the entity’s submission and overall availability of funds.