An advocate and supporter of small businesses in southeastern Michigan, the New Economy Initiative (NEI)—housed within the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan—is working to help business owners navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

A collaborative of 13 foundations (12 of which are CMF members), NEI reinvigorates entrepreneurship in metro Detroit through funds and resources for small businesses and start-ups. With the COVID-19 outbreak, its mission has not changed but tactics and methods have shifted.

“Philanthropy has been an unsung hero in this entrepreneurial development space,” Pamela