Partners

As the New Economy Initiative works to build an inclusive and effective network of support for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Wayne County, we work with partners that align with our mission.

New Economy Initiative and Invest Detroit Partnership

The Business Support Network Office, a partnership between the New Economy Initiative and Invest Detroit, is a critical part of NEI’s aim to strengthen inclusive support of Wayne County small businesses through a network of Business Support Organizations (BSOs). The Network Office is responsible for collecting data about small business needs and BSO offerings, building relationships with BSOs, and fostering cross-organization collaborations. This helps ensure that under-served small business owners have the tools they need to succeed including connections to resources, access to capital, practical assistance, and information.

The partnership with Invest Detroit, supported by NEI’s Small Business Support Network Fund, works with BSOs to target underserved small businesses in Wayne County that are owned by people of color and have less than 50 employees. While the partnership does not fund small businesses directly, the network of nonprofit BSOs collaborate to provide inclusive access to small business resources.

The activities of network coordination and gap identification inform the strategies of NEI’s grantmaking. Funding recommendations are made and BSOs apply for funding by invitation from NEI. Resources then reach the small businesses through the BSO programs that are funded, in part, by NEI.

Who Our Partnership Funds

Mission Based Lenders	Technical Assistance Providers	Trusted Connectors
ProsperUs Detroit	TechTown	Osborn Neighborhood Alliance
Michigan Women Forward	U-M Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project	Central Detroit Christian CDC
Detroit Development Fund	Eastern Market Corporation	ACCESS
Great Lakes Women’s Business Council	Centrepolis Accelerator	Southwest Detroit Business Association
Black Leaders Detroit	Design Core Detroit	Midtown Detroit, Inc.
Opportunity Resource Fund	Build Institute	Jefferson East, Inc.
Detroit Community Wealth Fund	Accounting Aid Society	Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation
Fair Food Network/ MI Good Food Fund	SCORE Foundation	Global Detroit
	Fair Food Network	East Warren Development Corporation
	Detroit Economic Growth Corporation	Michigan Black Business Alliance
	Michigan: SBDC	Eastside Community Network
	Endeavor Detroit	Arab American Women’s Business Council
	ISAIC	Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation
	Right to Start	Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber
	Grace in Action Collectives	Michigan Hispanic Fund
	BasBlue	Live6 Alliance
	Zaman International

Through support of the BSO network, we will assist approximately 12,000 businesses per year, 50% of which are led by owners of color, and we will improve capital and loan readiness.

The Team

Paul Jones is currently the Director of the Business Support Network Office. Lily Hamburger is the Associate Director of the Network Office. Jones has accepted the role as the CEO of ProsperUs Detroit, which will take effect in mid-January 2024. Hamburger will then assume the role of Director.

Networking and Education Events

The network convenes at our collaborative Worktable bi-weekly for a one-hour virtual session that includes announcements and news from BSOs, and a topic of conversation or discussion. Quarterly, we convene in-person for a longer Worktable session and deep-dive into how our ecosystem of inclusive small business support is evolving.

Our network members, staff of BSOs, volunteer their time and expertise to advance our collective work through subcommittees known as Action Groups.

Partners

New Economy Initiative and Invest Detroit Partnership

Who Our Partnership Funds

The Team

Networking and Education Events

Small Business Support Network Funders