With just one day left in the week, Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer got in just under the wire in issuing a proclamation today marking May 2nd through the 8th as Small Business Week in Michigan.
The governor says today, “Michigan is home to thousands of small businesses that are the backbone of our communities,” and adds, “Small businesses support the economy, add vibrancy to our communities, and provide hundreds of thousands of jobs across Michigan. They have been so resilient through the pandemic and I am committed to getting them the support they need as we build our economy back better.”
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist adds, “Small businesses, and the people with the ideas and tenacity to start them, are the lifeblood of communities here in Michigan,” noting, “I’m incredibly thankful and inspired by the contributions of small businesses to Michigan’s culture and economic recovery. During these unprecedented times, as we continue to protect public health, small business owners and employees continue to show resolve and ingenuity. Governor Whitmer and I are committed to supporting small businesses to help them launch and stay afloat to help rebuild our economy.”
Lorri Rishar, a small business owner and Chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan Board of Directors says, “Michigan small businesses are anything but small when we consider their critical impact on our state economy,” and adds, “Every day, workers and communities across our state appreciate the sweat and tears that go into being a small business owner. Even in the midst of the pandemic, we showed up, worked tirelessly and got the job done.”
According the most recent data from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business made up more than 99.6-percent of Michigan’s businesses employing approximately 1.9 million individuals, or 49-percent of the private workforce. In 2019, 92-percent of net new jobs in the state were created by businesses with fewer than 20 employees, while businesses with 20-99 employees had the largest share of small business employment in the state.
In the past year, more than $240 million in direct relief has gone to 25,000 small businesses across all 83 counties in Michigan through the efforts of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. That relief helped to retain 200,000 jobs for Michiganders while also supporting retooling efforts to produce 2.5 million units of Personal Protective Equipment and generate $27 million in new revenue for small and mid-size manufacturers and non-profits.
Governor Whitmer says that support for small businesses continues to be a priority of the MI COVID Recovery Plan and funding coming to Michigan through the American Rescue Plan. The Administration continues to encourage small businesses in Michigan to access additional federal relief programs, including the Restaurant Relief Initiative. Applications for the relief through the U.S. Small Business Administration is now open. For more information on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, visit http://sba.gov/restaurants or in Spanish at sba.gov/restaurantes.
You can view the governor’s full proclamation here:
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90639-558350–,00.html
