Motor City Match

Geographic Scope: City of Detroit, Michigan

Program Focus:
Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program helps Detroit entrepreneurs plan, formalize, and launch their business.

Eligibility

• New businesses and existing businesses in Detroit
• Minority-owned businesses (81% of Round 25 recipients)
• Women-owned businesses (71% of Round 25 recipients)
• Detroit resident-owned businesses (68% of Round 25 recipients)

Program Offerings

Motor City Match offers business owners assistance in five tracks:

• Plan Track: Business planning classes and site-selection assistance
• Develop Track: Financial planning and legal aid
• Design Track: Design services and architectural assistance
• Cash Track: Direct grants for business launch and improvements
• Restore Track: Grants for physical improvements to existing spaces

Additional support includes:

• Business services
• Training
• One-on-one advising

Award Amounts

• Cash grants up to $85,000 for new businesses
• Restore grants up to $25,000 for improvements to existing spaces
• Additional awards for businesses in Plan, Develop, and Design tracks

Impact (as of latest data)

• Total businesses served: 2,019
• Total brick-and-mortar businesses open: 165
• Total businesses under construction: 93
• Total cash grants awarded: $17.1 million
• Total leveraged investment: $98 million

Funding Source

Funded through partnership of community development financial institutions and corporations including Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Significantly expanded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding since August 2022, enabling doubling of quarterly grant awards to $1 million per round.

Application Process

Motor City Match applications are available quarterly through the website www.MotorCityMatch.com

Application Tracks:

1. Plan Track - For businesses in planning stage
2. Develop Track - For businesses further along in development
3. Design Track - For businesses needing design services
4. Cash Track - For eligible businesses ready for grant funding
5. Restore Track - For existing businesses making improvements

Specific application requirements and narratives questions are available on the Motor City Match website.