Questions and Answers

Applicants must meet the following criteria for their social enterprise (or proposed social enterprise) 

• Based in Michigan 

• For profit or non-profit organization 

• Have a social or environmental mission 

• Operate under a self-sustaining business model by selling a product or service 

Applications close August 7, 2025 at 11:59pm 

For the purpose of this grant, a social enterprise is defined as a for-profit or non-profit organization that has a social and/or environmental mission and operates as a self-sustaining business selling a product and/or service.

Social enterprise can be divided into 3 core reasons of why they exist.

• They exist to provide support for one or more nonprofits that address certain unmet needs. Example: Newman’s Own - They sell food and beverages but 100% of their profits go to charity. They exist to “nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity.”

• They exist to make products or deliver services that create social or environmental impact. Example: Seventh Generation - They sell home care and cleaning products that are bio-based and good for the environment. They exist to “Transform the world into a healthy, sustainable and equitable place for the next seven generations - and beyond.”

• They exist to employ people who face barriers to mainstream employment. Example:  John’s Crazy Socks - They sell socks. They exist “To create jobs for people with differing abilities.”

The Training and Technical Assistance is specifically designed for Social Enterprises in operation 0-5 years. However, if a Social Enterprise has been in operation longer than 5 years, they are still eligible to apply if they believe that they would benefit from the identified Training and Technical Assistance. 

The Training and Technical Assistance is specifically designed for Social Enterprises in operation 0-5 years. However, if a Social Enterprise has been in operation longer than 5 years, they are still eligible to apply if they believe that they would benefit from the identified Training and Technical Assistance. 

No, there is no limit to the number of grantees per region of the state. 

No

Yes, Social Enterprises that are part of a parent organization are eligible to apply. However, the Social Enterprise must operate under a self-sustaining business model. 

Yes, planned social enterprises in the early stages of development are eligible to apply if they meet the eligibility requirements. 

The grant application will require you to describe some details about your Social Enterprise. If you are unable to answer the application questions, it is likely your application will not be accepted.

Sample Application Questions 

1. Which stage would best describe your social enterprise?  

• Vision - Social enterprise is at the ideation stage, where the primary focus is on identifying a social issue and brainstorming solutions, but no concrete impact and business model of strategy has been established yet.  

• Validation - Social enterprise has launched but is still developing the impact and business model.  

• Development - Social enterprise is still establishing its financial and business stability, and making sure that its revenue model and social impact are intertwined.  

• Growth - Social enterprise is financially sustainable and growing with a viable business model, focused on scale and replication, while also making a significant social impact.  

• Established - Social enterprise is commercially viable and financially sustainable, leveraging a proven business model to generate optimal social impact and sufficient profit for growth 

2. Which best describes your social enterprise? 

• Certified B Corporation  

• One for One or Donate Portion of Proceeds Model  

• Awareness Brand (selling products designed to engage community and bring awareness to a social issue without the organization's primary activities directly addressing the root cause of the social problem they’re bringing awareness to) 

• Entrepreneurial Nonprofit (tax exempt entity operating on earned revenue through sale of products or services)  

• For Profit with a Social Mission of benefiting community, employees or environment 

• Other (Please explain) 

3. Describe the mission of your social enterprise. 

4. How does your social enterprise empower disenfranchised Michigan residents, including people with disabilities and individuals facing other significant barriers to employment, by creating innovative pathways to workforce integration? 

5. Does your social enterprise directly employ any of the following populations (select all that apply): 

• Individuals with disabilities 

• Returning citizens 

• Other individuals facing other significant barriers to employment 

• None 

6. What is the core purpose of why your Social Enterprise exists" 

• We exist to provide support for one or more nonprofits that address certain unmet needs  

• We exist to make products or deliver services that create social or environmental impact 

• We exist to employ people who face barriers to mainstream employment 

• We do not exist for one of these reasons  

7. If you could address just ONE of the problems currently facing your social enterprise, what might you address? 

8. How would you define "success" as a participant of the Social Enterprise Collaborative pilot? 

Yes, planned social enterprises in the early stages of development are eligible to apply if they meet the eligibility requirements. 

Yes, the social enterprise can be selling a service. Eligible organizations must operate under a self-sustaining business model by selling a product or service. 

No, additional grant funding is only available to organizations accepted into the Social Enterprise Collective that participate in training and technical assistance. 

Grantees must participate in the Kickoff event and at least one Virtual Workshop in order to be eligible for reimbursement through the additional grant funds. 

Application submissions are limited to one applicant. In the event that multiple applications are submitted by the same entity, only the first application will be reviewed for consideration.

The focus of these grants is on small businesses and nonprofit organizations that seek to establish or expand a social enterprise with an emphasis on employing individuals who are marginalized or economically disadvantaged.

Submissions should have a clear explanation of the social enterprise, it’s mission, and how your social enterprise will empower previously disenfranchised residents, including people with disabilities, returning citizens, and individuals facing other significant barriers to employment, by creating innovative pathways to workforce integration.

The grant application will require you to describe some details about your Social Enterprise. If you are unable to answer the application questions, it is likely your application will not be accepted.

Sample Application Questions 

1. Which stage would best describe your social enterprise?  

• Vision - Social enterprise is at the ideation stage, where the primary focus is on identifying a social issue and brainstorming solutions, but no concrete impact and business model of strategy has been established yet.  

• Validation - Social enterprise has launched but is still developing the impact and business model.  

• Development - Social enterprise is still establishing its financial and business stability, and making sure that its revenue model and social impact are intertwined.  

• Growth - Social enterprise is financially sustainable and growing with a viable business model, focused on scale and replication, while also making a significant social impact.  

• Established - Social enterprise is commercially viable and financially sustainable, leveraging a proven business model to generate optimal social impact and sufficient profit for growth 

2. Which best describes your social enterprise? 

• Certified B Corporation  

• One for One or Donate Portion of Proceeds Model  

• Awareness Brand (selling products designed to engage community and bring awareness to a social issue without the organization's primary activities directly addressing the root cause of the social problem they’re bringing awareness to) 

• Entrepreneurial Nonprofit (tax exempt entity operating on earned revenue through sale of products or services)  

• For Profit with a Social Mission of benefiting community, employees or environment 

• Other (Please explain) 

3. Describe the mission of your social enterprise. 

4. How does your social enterprise empower disenfranchised Michigan residents, including people with disabilities and individuals facing other significant barriers to employment, by creating innovative pathways to workforce integration? 

5. Does your social enterprise directly employ any of the following populations (select all that apply): 

• Individuals with disabilities 

• Returning citizens 

• Other individuals facing other significant barriers to employment 

• None 

6. What is the core purpose of why your Social Enterprise exists" 

• We exist to provide support for one or more nonprofits that address certain unmet needs  

• We exist to make products or deliver services that create social or environmental impact 

• We exist to employ people who face barriers to mainstream employment 

• We do not exist for one of these reasons  

7. If you could address just ONE of the problems currently facing your social enterprise, what might you address? 

8. How would you define "success" as a participant of the Social Enterprise Collaborative pilot? 

The questions on the application are specific to individual organizations. Each entity would require a unique application.

The application also requires the individual submitting the grant to attest to the following: "I am authorized to make this application on behalf of the social enterprise named in the application, and I have the legal authority to represent and act on behalf of the social enterprise." If this statement is true, the applicant may submit an application.