Kent County Sees Job Growth Thanks to Infrastructure Investments

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County is seeing an influx of investments and the jobs that come with it thanks to investments made over the past four years. These investments are part of the “Making it in Michigan” initiative of Governor Gretchen Whitmer. These investments build on the historic investments made by the Biden-Harris administration that has led to thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in infrastructure investments.

State Representative John Fitzgerald helped to bring hundreds of jobs and hundreds of housing units to his district. The following list was released by the Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

• Business Development Program (BDP)
  • Schreiber Foods – $198,000, 32 jobs
• CDFI Fund Program
  • Bloom Credit Union – $331,642
• Michigan’s State Trade Expansion Program (MI-STEP)
  • FY23 – 4 businesses – $58,470
  • FY24 – 1 business – $25,000
• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0
  • Capital Access – 6 businesses – $32,145
  • Collateral Support – 2 businesses – $594,810
  • Loan Guarantee – 4 businesses – $236,320
• Transformation Brownfield Plan
  • Factory Yards Transformation Brownfield Project
    • Revitalization of 611,340 square feet on 15.61 acres, 226 new jobs and 467 new residential units.
    • The project is anticipated to generate a total capital investment of $146.7 million.
• Small Business Support Hub
  • West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – $2.5M

In addition to Representative Fitzgerald, State Representative Carol Glanville has worked to bring investments to her Kent County district as well. Also from the Office of the Governor:

• • Build MI Communities
    • The Chaplow Collection (839 Butterworth St SW Redevelopment) – $250,000
  • Business Development Program (BDP)
    • FALK Panel Expansion – $270,000
    • Jireh Metal Products Expansion – $200,000
    • Payload CMS Expansion – $302,500
  • Community Revitalization Program (CRP)
    • 644 Bridge Street Mixed-Use – $146,571
  • Jobs Ready Michigan
    • Axis Automation Expansion – $500,000
  • Match on Main
    • City of Grand Rapids DDA – Fashion Has Heart – $25,000
  • Michigan Community Development Financial Institution Fund Grants
    • Allegan Credit Union – $331,642
    • Rende Progress Capital – $166,476

• Michigan’s State Trade Expansion Program (MI-STEP)

• • • FY23 – 7 businesses – $72,042
    • FY24 – 7 businesses – $26,239
  • Public Spaces Community Places
    • City of Grand Rapids – Lions and Rabbits Public Placemaking Initiatives – $50,000

• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0

• • Capital Access – 3 businesses – $46,402
  • Collateral Support – 2 businesses – $5,249,500
  • Loan Guarantee – 3 businesses – $230,000
• Revitalization and Placemaking 2.0 (RAP) Grants –
  • The Right Place subgrant – Sullivan Field Restoration and Revitalization
  • The Right Place subgrant – Canal Park
• Small Business Support Hub
  • Start Garden – $3,426,316
• SmartZones
  • City of Grand Rapids Business Incubator – $100,000