• Funding will provide capital for community-focused real estate developers, expanding training and technical support for Detroit-based businesses.
  • Black Leaders Detroit will receive $2.1 million and Michigan Black Business Alliance will receive $2 million in grant funding.

DETROIT (Aug. 21, 2025) – Gilbert Family Foundation today announced more than $4 million in new grants supporting Black Leaders Detroit (BLD) and the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA). The investments are announced during National Black Business Month, an annual observance of the important impact of Black-owned businesses in the United States. The funding spans a wide range of programs for Detroit business owners, including expanded access to capital, technical assistance, business coaching and more.

“Detroit’s continued growth hinges on a strong small business community throughout the city,” said Darnell Adams, Vice President of Detroit Community Initiatives, Gilbert Family Foundation. “These investments will ensure Detroit developers, entrepreneurs and small businesses have the resources and opportunities needed to shape the future of our city and state.”

Gilbert Family Foundation’s $2.1 million investment with BLD will support The Building Fund, a no-interest loan program providing up to $150,000 to real estate developers working on residential projects in Detroit. The program is designed to provide help for those who have been impacted by long-standing barriers to traditional financing and boost community-based developers who are bringing much-needed, quality housing to city neighborhoods. Funds will be distributed in phases tied to construction milestones, with payments deferred for three months post-closing.

BLD will also expand its no-interest loan and capacity building program for businesses, as well as its emergency loan program – which provides support for unexpected expenses. Finally, this investment will support a special business symposium in October 2025 which will include business development workshops, panels, mentorship sessions and networking opportunities for participants.

“The Building Fund is a game-changer for Detroit,” said Sharea Ayers, Chief Operating Officer of Black Leaders Detroit. “By providing no-interest loans to developers of African descent, we’re not just financing projects—we’re building generational wealth, strengthening neighborhoods, and ensuring that Detroit’s growth includes people who have always called it home.”

Gilbert Family Foundation’s $2 million investment will support several MBBA programs. This includes an expansion of MBBA’s Global Growth Accelerator, which aims to help at least 40 second-stage businesses scale their operations beyond the start-up phase; its Capital Connect program, which increases access to capital for business owners at any stage of growth; and BizWiz, which delivers culturally competent one-on-one business coaching and technical assistance to participants.

“This generous grant from Gilbert Family Foundation is more than just funding; it’s a belief in the ingenuity and resilience of our entrepreneurs, said Charity Dean, President and CEO, Michigan Black Business Alliance  “From the very beginning,  Gilbert Family Foundation has been a pillar of support for the Michigan Black Business Alliance, walking with us as we’ve built programs and removed barriers for Black businesses across the state. This investment will be the spark that helps business owners—especially our second-stage entrepreneurs—turn their dreams into sustainable, thriving realities. These are the entrepreneurs who are ready to scale, hire, and expand their impact, and with this support, they will. We couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey together.”

Gilbert Family Foundation’s new commitment builds on existing partnerships with both BLD and MBBA, including more than $1 million invested in 2023.

Both investments are a part of Gilbert Family Foundation’s $500 million, 10-year commitment –shared with Rocket Community Fund – to build opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods. From the time the investment was announced in 2021 to the end of 2024, Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund have deployed or committed to approximately $232 million of the funding.

To learn more about Black Leaders Detroit, visit www.blackleadersdetroit.org. To learn more about the Michigan Black Business Alliance, visit www.michiganblackbusinessalliance.org.

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About Gilbert Family Foundation

Gilbert Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and build economic opportunity and equity in the city of Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of eradicating NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body. Additionally, the Foundation supports the economic stability and mobility of residents in Detroit by investing in wealth-building opportunities and breaking down systemic barriers.

For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit gilbertfamilyfoundation.org.

 

About Black Leaders Detroit

Established in 2019, Black Leaders Detroit’s mission is to provide financial support for diverse social and community impact projects originated and led by Detroiters of African descent.

 

About Michigan Black Business Alliance

The Michigan Black Business Alliance is dedicated to helping close the racial wealth gap by developing programs and advocating for policies that result in profitable and sustainable Black-owned businesses that are connected to public and private economic opportunities, while building trusted relationships.