St. Clair County small businesses can apply for coaching and up to $3,500 in support services, but the deadline is Nov. 23

PORT HURON, Mich. — Small-business owners in St. Clair County and the Thumb have less than a month to get in line for a new round of business coaching. The Eastern Michigan Small Business Network is taking applications through Nov. 23 for its 2027 Small Business Cohort, which will give up to 50 existing businesses personalized coaching, mentoring and up to $3,500 in support services, the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County announced.

The program is open to businesses in Genesee, Shiawassee, Lapeer, Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac and St. Clair counties. Applications opened Oct. 23, the businesses chosen will be announced in mid-December, and the first cohort starts Jan. 5, 2027, according to the alliance.

Who qualifies. The cohort is for existing small businesses that already bring in revenue and operate in the seven-county region, the alliance said. It is not a startup program. Participants get technical help, business advising and access to professional services aimed at strengthening operations and growth.

How to apply. The application starts with the network’s intake form, the alliance said:

• Go to the Eastern Michigan Small Business Network website.
• Click the Client Intake Form button.
• Answer every question.
• When asked “Are you interested in joining the 2027 Cohort Program?” choose “Yes, I’d like to apply.”
• Click Complete. The full cohort application will be emailed to you within one business day.

Who runs it. The Port Huron SmartZone and its affiliate, The Propeller business incubator, serve as the Small Business Support Hub for the region, and the hub’s programs run under the network’s name, according to the alliance.

Where the money comes from. The cohort is part of an $880,000 Small Business Support Hubs grant the Michigan Economic Development Corporation awarded to the network, the alliance said. That makes it a taxpayer-backed program. The network’s earlier 2026 grant round, which offered awards of up to $20,000 for equipment and training, also came from a state hub award that used part of Michigan’s federal American Rescue Plan money, according to the network. That round is closed.

Before you apply. Have a clear sense of what you want help with, whether it is bookkeeping, marketing, hiring or expansion, and set aside time for the sessions; coaching only works if you show up. The application window closes Monday, Nov. 23, three days before Thanksgiving.

Sources:
Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, “Applications Open on October 23rd for 2027 Eastern Michigan Small Business Cohort,” Oct. 20, 2026 (counties, up to 50 businesses, coaching and up to $3,500, dates, $880,000 MEDC grant, eligibility, application steps, Port Huron SmartZone and The Propeller), https://edascc.com/news/article/applications-open-on-october-23rd-for-2027-eastern-michigan-small-business-cohort
WGRT, “St. Clair County Small Businesses,” Oct. 2026, https://wgrt.com/st-clair-county-small-businesses/
Eastern Michigan Small Business Network home page (client intake form), https://www.easternmichigansmallbusinessnetwork.com/
Eastern Michigan Small Business Network, “2026 Small Business Grant” (closed round, up to $20,000, ARPA funding), https://www.easternmichigansmallbusinessnetwork.com/2026grant
Photo: Tim Kiser, “Port Huron Office Center in Port Huron, Michigan · 2024-10-26-8555.jpg,” Oct. 26, 2024, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Port_Huron_Office_Center_in_Port_Huron,_Michigan_%C2%B7_2024-10-26-8555.jpg

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Tags: Blue Water Area · Port Huron · St. Clair County · Small Business · Thumb Coast · Economic Development