Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship

The Apprenticeship Funding Program was created for the purpose of providing financial assistance to Connecticut manufacturing companies to support the addition and utilization of Registered Apprenticeships to train and fill critical positions required for stability, continuity, and growth of manufacturing companies. Registered Manufacturing Employers may seek a wage subsidy for their registered apprentices and pre-apprentices. A single Employer Sponsor can apply for reimbursement for up to four (4) apprentices per year and (3) pre-apprentices per year (7 total per year). Reimbursement may be requested as often as every 6-months. An employer who has at least four registered apprentices and three registered pre-apprentices may request a maximum of $26,250 every six months ( 7 x $3,750) or a maximum of $52,500/year (7 x $7,500). The maximum reimbursement that will be made for any one-named apprentice or pre-apprentice is $15,000 over the course of their entire apprenticeship program regardless of the number of years that they remain in an "apprenticeship" status. There is presently no lifetime maximum that any one registered employer may receive from this program, only an annual maximum of $52,500.

The Start Garden 100 is Michigan's largest open business competition, awarding a total of up to $500,000 in combined grant, loan, and startup capital across 100 finalists and 10 grand prize winners. Administered by Start Garden — a Grand Rapids-based accelerator focused on equitable entrepreneur-driven economic development — the competition is open to anyone in Michigan with a business idea, including aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses exploring a new opportunity. Applicants submit a 100-second video pitch to enter, and 100 finalists are selected to each receive a $1,000 no-strings-attached cash grant to begin preparing for the program's Demo Day event in downtown Grand Rapids. At Demo Day, ten grand prize winners are each awarded an additional $20,000 cash grant from Start Garden, and through a partnership with Northern Initiatives — a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has supported Michigan small businesses for over 30 years — each of those ten winners is also offered an optional pre-approved $20,000 loan, bringing the maximum potential capital per winner to $40,000. While the specific blend of grant, loan, and additional capital partner funding varies depending on each winner's business and chosen pathway, the overall program represents one of the most significant pools of accessible startup funding available in the state. A separate high school category for students under 18 awards $1,000 each to five selected finalists, with an additional $5,000 going to a high school winner chosen on Demo Day. Beyond funding, finalists receive two months of mentorship and refinement support from Start Garden's leadership team and partners, along with visibility through the Demo Day platform and ongoing connections within Michigan's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The City of Chicago provides financial assistance for job training through the Workforce Solutions program. The program subsidizes training for incumbent workers and new hires for qualified Chicago businesses. Reimbursement grants up to $250,000 may fund up to 100% of eligible expenses for businesses seeking to train current employees and/or new hires. Grants do not have to be repaid. Workforce Solutions grants cover qualified trainings, including on-the-job (OJT) training, leadership development, technology skills, workplace safety and more. The primary funding source for the program is derived from qualifying Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts and/or proceeds from the City's Housing and Economic Development (HED) Bond.

Purpose: The Underground Storage Tank (UST) Cleanup Fund's mission is to (1) establish a mechanism to meet Financial Responsibility requirements for owners and operators of petroleum USTs, and (2) reimburse eligible corrective action costs incurred in the cleanup of contamination resulting from the unauthorized release of petroleum from USTs. Description: The UST Cleanup Fund provides a means for petroleum UST owners and operators to meet the federal and state requirements of maintaining financial responsibility to pay for damages arising from unauthorized releases from their petroleum USTs. The Fund assists a large number of small businesses and individuals by providing reimbursement for expenses associated with the cleanup of leaking USTs.

The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant awards $10,000 grants to small businesses across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Run by Verizon in partnership with LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), a national nonprofit that serves as the program's grant administrator, the program selects 10 small businesses each month from June through December to receive funding. To unlock the grant application, applicants must first register on the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform — a free resource hub that offers business courses, virtual events, and in-person workshops — and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events. Once submitted, an application remains under consideration for the rest of the year, so applicants only need to apply once to be considered for every monthly selection cycle.