Save the date for the 4th Annual Small Business Resource & Financing Fair
The Small Business Resource fair provides the opportunity to connect with organizations and financial institutions, all under one roof. These experts can assist you with everything from funding options to market research, business planning to networking, and so much more. Our goal is to provide you (the time-limited entrepreneur) with direct access to the people and resources crucial for your success.
Thursday, May 7, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Goei Center
818 Butterworth St SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
60+ Support Organizations
We are grateful to all 63 of our Entrepreneurial Support Organizations and local Financing institutions who participated in this year’s Resource and Financing Fair. Collectively, we were able to serve over 160+ local entrepreneurs and look forward to hosting our next fair in 2026!
Mini-Workshops That Made a Big Impact
Three fast-paced, content-packed 30-minute workshops helped attendees walk away with actionable insights on key topics. Hosted in SpringGR’s space, these sessions filled quickly—here’s what we covered:
Contracting with the Locals | West Michigan Apex Accelerator
How to land contracts with schools, cities, and other public entities.
View Presentation Slides
Life’s a Pitch! | Michigan SBDC
Ten proven strategies to succeed in pitch competitions.
View Presentation Slides
Sell! Sell! Sell! | Spring GR
Tactics to boost your revenue by refining your sales approach.
Real Talk About Business Financing
Two live Money Talks Panel Discussions featured lenders from the West Michigan CRA Association sharing insider advice on what it really takes to secure funding. Topics included loan packaging, underwriting, common pitfalls, and how to build stronger banking relationships. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions, making these sessions highly interactive and practical.
On-the-Spot Business Guidance
Our on-site Consulting Corner gave attendees a chance to talk one-on-one with business consultants, coaches, and mentors to receive real-time help on whatever challenge they were facing, from business structure to scaling strategies
Thank you, 2025 Sponsors!
Premier Sponsor:
Bronze Sponsors:
Friend Sponsors:
Workshop Sponsor:
The Michigan Small Business Development Center is a statewide network funded in part through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Regional Hosts. The statewide host of the network is Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. The Michigan SBDC is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact sbdc@gvsu.edu or 616.331.7370 to make a request.