(WXYZ) — The Gilbert Family Foundation is investing $1.2 million for a new program to help Detroit-based contractors who are in the early stages of the business.
The program will be called Ignite Detroit Contractors and aims to address barriers to growth in a variety of ways, including through technical assistance and coaching, connections, education sessions and more.
“The Ignite program is tailored to help early-stage contractors grow their vital businesses with confidence,” Gilbert Family Foundation Executive Director Laura Grannemann said in a statement. “As Detroit’s neighborhoods and commercial corridors continue to grow, the need for skilled, small-scale contractors has never been greater. These contractors will create the spaces where the next generation of Detroiters shop, work, play and live. We are helping build the city’s future today.”
It expands on existing Gilbert Family Foundation initiatives, including the Motor City Contractor Fund, which provides resources for experienced Detroit contractors.
The foundation collaborated with The Ownership Initiative, LifeLine Global Consulting and Michigan Women Forward for the program. LifeLine will serve as the program administrator and The Ownership Initiative designed the program and will provide support.
“Detroit’s future depends on creating real, lasting pathways to economic opportunity, and that starts by investing in the people who are ready to build it,” said Carolyn Cassin, the president and CEO of Michigan Women Forward. “Ignite will help hundreds of Detroit-based contractors move from surviving to scaling – growing their businesses, hiring locally, and creating long-term personal and generational wealth. We’re proud to join this effort to ensure more Detroiters have the support and funds they need to succeed.”
“We are thrilled to launch the Ignite Detroit Contractors program to equip local contractors with the tools, resources, and networks they need to scale sustainably,” said Dr. Nicole Parker, the CEO of LifeLine Global Consulting. “Detroit’s contractors are the backbone of our city’s economic future, and this program is designed to remove barriers, build capacity, and accelerate their growth so they can continue transforming neighborhoods while building generational wealth.”
“Many talented Detroit contractors are stuck in the startup phase,” said Krysta Pate, the founder & CEO of The Ownership Initiative. “Ignite builds a community of learning and connection –offering connectivity to lending opportunities and a structured, four-level curriculum that helps contractors grow their businesses and take on a larger share of work in Detroit today.” To learn more or apply to the program, visit www.ignitedetroitcontractors.org.
Participants can enroll in Ignite on a rolling basis and complete the program at their own pace for 6-12 months. Enrollment is available at www.ignitedetroitcontractors.org.
To be eligible, the contractors must be based in Detroit, have operated as a registered business for at least one year, have completed two or more projects in the last nine months and more.
