Northern Initiatives - Battle Creek

06/19/2026

06/17/2026

We had a trivia party this week and one of the questions was "What does 'CDFI' stand for?" Read this and be amazed at all the things CDFIs do!

Rural communities often experience a lack of capital access due to bank mergers, or community banks leaving their areas. CDFIs step in to bridge the gap by providing crucial capital, workshops, and referrals to rural communities — funding affordable housing, high-quality education, and community d...

06/12/2026

¡Gran oportunidad para nuestros emprendedores que hablan español del sector alimentario! Estos talleres se llevan a cabo en Battle Creek, pero están abiertos a cualquier persona en Michigan.

Great opportunity for our Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs of the food sector! These workshops are being held in Battle Creek, but they are open to anyone in Michigan.

Regístrese aquí: https://r5i9x.share.hsforms.com/2EgSZkKjGSWq7_l44vEb_qw

Preguntas?
Favor de comunicarse con José Aste por correo electrónico: [email protected] o por teléfono en (305) 815-5731

06/10/2026

Are you at Opportunity Finance Network's Small Business Finance Forum in Austin? Yahoo! We have excellent sessions for you to attend, plus our Initiate booth! Business Coach Mary Bickel will talk about the powerful assessment tools in our learning portal - and how those tools lead to action. Development Manager Natasha Koss is presenting a capitalization solution we're really excited about, and you will be too! (You have to choose though, because both sessions are 9 a.m. Friday.) Meanwhile, stop by our Initiate booth to get a demo that will astound you!

06/05/2026

This is one of our most inspirational businesses - Uproot Market & Eatery! First of all, it's in an historic downtown building that sat vacant for 50 years and has now been beautifully restored and enlivened. Second of all, it is a DELICIOUS store! The Battle Creek region has mastered the art of growing food, and Uproot seizes on all of it! Manager Stacy Niemann says this is the job she's always dreamed of. The ways the entrepreneurs and businesses in downtown Battle Creek support each other is the most inspirational thing of all.

06/03/2026

Next Cycle Michigan is hosting its Summer Showcase in Traverse City on June 24 and you can attend! There will be 16 businesses pitching their reuse, recycling, recovery, and recycled-content projects to potential investors and partners - and also competing for money. We'll be rooting for Northern Michigan University and Partridge Creek Compost, both of whom are ready to do more in community compost. The event is free; registration is required. https://ow.ly/wQas50Z1Ipt

06/01/2026

Look at this! Mitts 2 Pits Catering LLC has a brand-new location, right in the thick of things on Michigan Ave. in Battle Creek! The ribbon-cutting is at 10 a.m., and the food is already cooking! Celebrate these wonderful chef-entrepreneurs at their bright new shop!

05/28/2026

Happy Graduation Day to our Business Plan Cohort in Battle Creek. That means it's Pitch Night, too, so good luck everyone! You've got this. We're already taking applications for the cohort that starts in August, so if you're a Battle Creek entrepreneur, check it out! https://northerninitiatives.org/getconnected/

05/26/2026

EXCITING news! Three of our beloved customers won American Express Main Street America grants! Congratulations Sleepy Dog Books in Mount Pleasant, J.bird Provisions in Charlevoix, and Common Threads Workshop Deva by Cammy in Manistee!

Remember the Small Business Saturday giving pledge? That's where the money comes from, plus a huge infusion from American Express because they know the power of small businesses! These three have wonderful, community-minded plans for responsible growth - and now they have the capital. We are so excited to see what happens next.

05/20/2026

Nicole Hart's journey to entrepreneurship started rather terrifyingly, with a life-threatening health condition. She found healing - and passion and purposed - in broccoli microgreens. “God told me, ‘I gave you the tools to heal, and now it’s time to share those with others,” she told Second Wave Media She got a nudge to sell her microgreens, which led to Sprout, the Michigan SBDC, the MSU Product Center - and Northern Initiatives! Hart graduated from our Business Plan Cohort and there's no stopping her now. Read the story here: https://ow.ly/5GWu50YZuFo