A $30 million small business grant program buried in Michigan's budget bill could fund your salon's growth—but most owners don't know it exists.
Most salon and personal care business owners in Michigan have no idea that a $30 million small business development program just became available to them. It's tucked into SB0878, the state's omnibus appropriations bill, and it represents the single largest direct-dollar program in the legislation explicitly targeting small businesses like yours.
Under Section 1007(1) of Article 9 (Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity), Michigan is appropriating $30 million for small business development grants, loans, investments, and technical assistance. This isn't a loan you have to repay—it's grant money designed to help businesses grow and revitalize.
The eligible uses are broad and practical:
For salon owners, this could mean funding to expand your location, upgrade equipment, hire and train staff, or get professional help with business strategy and growth planning.
The money flows through intermediaries—community development organizations, incubators, CDFIs, and business development centers—rather than directly to individual businesses. This means you won't apply to the state directly. Instead, you'll work with local economic development organizations, nonprofit lenders, or small business development centers in your region that receive these grants and then distribute them to eligible small businesses.
If you're not sure which organizations in your area participate, start by contacting your local chamber of commerce or economic development office. They can point you to the right programs.
The appropriation is effective July 21, 2026, and covers the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. This means the money should begin flowing to intermediary organizations soon, though the exact timeline for when individual businesses can apply will depend on how quickly those organizations set up their programs and begin accepting applications.
Small business funding is competitive and often hard to find. A $30 million program specifically designed for small business development is significant. Whether you're planning to open a second location, invest in new services, upgrade your technology, or strengthen your business management, this program could offset some of those costs.
The key is knowing it exists and understanding that you don't apply to the state directly—you work through local intermediaries. Starting conversations with your local economic development partners now, before applications open, positions you to move quickly when the program launches.
Source: Michigan SB0878, Section 1007(1), Article 9, Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, One-Time Appropriations. Effective July 21, 2026, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027.