The latest round of Motor City Match cash prize winners is the first to receive a major funding boost thanks to the allocation of federal aid to the Small Business Support Program.
Twenty current and aspiring business owners received a $1 million share in Round 20 of the program on Tuesday, doubling the grant pool and increasing funding from $500,000 each quarter to $1 million . The awards were an increase from $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds approved by the Detroit City Council.
“This round is an especially special round,” said Motor City Match Director Drew Lucco. “Thanks to (City Council), we’re able to award $1 million in grants every quarter.”
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, on hand Tuesday for the announcement, earlier this year pushed for increased funding to help fuel the revitalization of the city’s neighborhood commercial corridors.
Round 20 winners, which include a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, clothing retailers and a farm and cider mill that will be Michigan’s first black-owned cider mill, received grants of $30,000 to $80,000 each.
The big winner is a company that works to bring fun and entertainment to Detroit residents.
Bouncing Around the Motor City received $80,000. The business, which offers party decorations and bounce houses for rent, is based in the Bethune neighborhood on the city’s west side.
Bouncing Around the Motor City owner Cathyrn Coleman, who plans to move into a vacant building at 13238 Fenkell St. previously slated for demolition, he said receiving the award was a dream come true.
“I’ve literally been bouncing around the Motor City. I’ve done TechTown Detroit, the Build Institute, ProsperUs Detroit,” Coleman said. “I told him (Duggan) at an event that I was going to do great things. I told him my vision and he came to life. I’m very excited. I’m taking over a space that’s been vacant for 30 years. It was on the list of demos and I said we can’t do it. It has potential.”
Detroit Farm & Cider owner Leandra King won a $40,000 prize as she works to add a cider mill to a 4.9-acre farm at 1600 Lawrence St. in the city’s Dexter-Linwood neighborhood. King has hosted events such as dinners to raise funds for the cider mill, recognized as the state’s first black-owned cider mill.
“I’m thankful that Motor City Match is a program that helps marginalized groups and not one that exploits them like other groups in Detroit,” King said.
Cesha Brintley, owner of Community Laundromat LLC, won $75,000 Tuesday to help with her business at 15429 Schaefer. The award, he said, goes beyond helping single entrepreneurs.
“This is a resource that helps us create jobs and show people what we can do when we have some support,” Brintley said.
