Small business owners across all 15 Upper Peninsula counties will gain access to free coaching, workshops and direct grants starting Oct. 1, after three regional organizations secured $850,000 in state funding.

MTEC SmartZone, Headwaters North and the Lake Superior Community Partnership will split the award from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Small Business Support Hubs 2.0 program, the Keweenaw Report reported Aug. 7. The Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved the selections July 28 as part of a nearly $11.3 million statewide investment.

The three organizations will divide the peninsula into zones. MTEC SmartZone, a nonprofit business incubator based in Houghton, serves as the regional hub lead and covers the western UP. The Lake Superior Community Partnership in Marquette handles the central counties. Headwaters North, led by CEO Nikki Storey in Sault Ste. Marie, covers Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties plus Bay Mills Indian Community and Sault Tribe. Headwaters North's confirmed share is $255,000; the split between MTEC and LSCP has not been disclosed.

The program is one of 11 regional hubs the MEDC selected from 115 applications statewide. A 24-member Joint Evaluation Committee reviewed 33 complete, eligible proposals before choosing the final cohort. Grant amounts across the state range from $615,000 to more than $2.5 million; the UP's $850,000 award reflects the region's smaller population.

SBSH 2.0 replaces the original Small Business Support Hub, a pandemic-era program funded by roughly $73 million in federal American Rescue Plan dollars. The new version shifts from COVID recovery to growth, measuring success through revenue increases, job creation, capital accessed and technology adoption. It runs 15 months through Dec. 31, 2027, with possible extensions into 2028 and 2029 pending performance reviews.

Services will include one-on-one guidance from a local business liaison, free virtual workshops, direct grants for qualifying businesses, expert connections in marketing, human resources and operations, and peer networking.

Amy Rencher, senior vice president of small business at the MEDC, said in the July 28 announcement that the strong applicant response shows significant demand for accessible, high-quality business support across Michigan's communities. Eleven organizations will now help entrepreneurs access capital, technical assistance and connections to grow and scale, she said.

Under the earlier SBSH 1.0 program, Headwaters North distributed more than $215,000 in direct grants to 46 eastern UP businesses. MTEC SmartZone says on its LinkedIn page it has helped grow 106 companies since 2012, generating $180 million in sales and 757 job opportunities in the western UP.

The program launches Oct. 1. Businesses interested in services can contact MTEC SmartZone in Houghton, the Lake Superior Community Partnership in Marquette or Headwaters North in Sault Ste. Marie. Application details for direct grants have not yet been finalized.