August 29, 2025
While some cities known for their wealth of Black-owned business have struggled to stay afloat, Detroit has pushed through — even amid President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI policies.
The Gilbert Family Foundation is living up to its mission of having “belief that major change is possible when we work together” by investing over $4 million in Detroit-area Black-owned businesses through a grant partnership with Black Leaders Detroit (BLD) and the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA), AfroTech reports.
To celebrate National Black Business Month, the grants will assist numerous businesses with diverse backgrounds in efforts to expand access to capital, technical assistance, and business coaching. The Foundation’s investment will provide a $2.1 million grant to BLD to help develop a no-interest lending program, similar to The Building Fund, which provides up to $150,000 to Black real estate developers involved in residential projects in the city.
The Foundation’s Vice President of Detroit Community Initiatives, Darnell Adams, says moves like this keep the Motor City’s small business community moving. “Detroit’s continued growth hinges on a strong small business community throughout the city,” Adams said. “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.”
While some cities known for their wealth of Black-owned businesses have struggled to stay afloat, Detroit has pushed through — even amid President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI policies. And it’s because of groups like MBBA. Since its inception, the organization has been dedicated to helping businesses grow in a positive direction, with nearly 50,000 Black-owned businesses calling the Great Lakes area home.
By working with the Gilbert Family, they can keep that dedication alive. “It’s a belief in the ingenuity and resilience of our entrepreneurs. This investment will be the spark that helps business owners, especially our second-stage entrepreneurs, turn their dreams into sustainable, thriving realities,” MBBA President and CEO Charity Dean said, according to Crain’s Detroit Business.
“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.”
Dean labels the Gilbert Family Foundation as “a pillar of support” that has been in place for a few years. The new investment surpasses the $1 million invested by the Foundation in 2023 as part of a wider 10-year pledge of $500 million with the Rocket Community Fund, aimed at strengthening Detroit neighborhoods.
To date, roughly $232 million has been committed.
Before that, in 2021, the Foundation assisted in the launch of Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy, a 10-month program created in partnership with tech conglomerate Apple and Michigan State University, at no cost. Recently, the program graduated over 125 students, equipping them with the real-world skills to excel in careers such as Swift coding, AI, UX design, marketing, and project management.
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