MID-MICHIGAN (WNEM) – Two local businesses have been awarded $20,000 each in Elevate Small Business grants, thanks to United Bay Community Credit Union (UBAY), a Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) member of Indianapolis.
The two winning businesses were Petit 4 Bakery in Essexville and Michigan Cream & Sugar Ice Cream Company in Bay City.
Petit 4 Bakery will use the grant money to upgrade the condensing units in its walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
“The application process was easy and there were plenty of materials to help us with our application and answers to any questions we may have,” said Rachel Cattell, owner of Petit 4 Bakery. “Receiving the grant will allow us to spend less time and money on our current aging storefront and focus on other upgrades like a new point of sale system and website to increase sales and reach more customers online.”
Michigan Cream & Sugar Ice Cream Company will use the grant to cover an investment of more than $200,000 in upgrades needed to expand their production facility. “Participating in the Elevate Grant program was a positive experience. The application process was very detailed and encouraged us to self-evaluate our plans to ensure we were on the right track,” said Pete Shaheen, president and owner of Michigan Cream & Sugar. “This grant will have a significant impact on our new production facility, which will increase our ice cream shop count, ice cream production, jobs and impact on our community.”
Rebecca Emory, UBAY’s business division manager, said they are proud to assist businesses with their grant applications. “At UBAY, we love working with local small businesses because it allows us to build meaningful relationships and directly contribute to the success of our local economy,” Emory said. “Helping these businesses grow and watching our communities thrive together is incredibly rewarding.”
FHLBank Indianapolis Elevate grants are available to all Indiana and Michigan for-profit businesses with annual revenues under $1 million. For more information about Elevate Small Business grants, click here.
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