DETROIT – The Quicken Loans Community Fund has partnered with the City of Detroit and Rebrand Cities to provide a digital accelerator to 100 Detroit small businesses.

The four-week virtual course will provide all the resources and instruction necessary for small businesses to build out a functioning website with an e-commerce shop that they will be able to edit and manage upon completion of the course. 

The Quicken Loans Community Fund is providing the $25,000 of startup capital for Rebrand Cities to launch their program in Detroit after proving success in seven other cities across the country. Applications open Monday, April, 27 to all small businesses in Detroit. The program will start for the 100 selected businesses on Monday, May 11th. 

“Small businesses across America are seeking help,” said Hajj Flemings, founder of Rebrand Cities. “Many do not have the resources needed to transition completely to online. COVID-19 may be testing these strong entrepreneurs and their businesses, but we’re here to help them succeed.” 

Small businesses are a critical part of Michigan’s economy, accounting for nearly half of the state’s employees and 99.6% of Michigan businesses overall. Small businesses are also uniquely vulnerable to economic downturns, as the average small business only has 27 days of cash reserves.

“This investment will support Detroit-based businesses to both survive this pandemic and thrive in a world where virtual sales are increasingly important,” said Laura Grannemann, Vice President of the Quicken Loans Community Fund. “By building an online platform, our community can continue to support the brands we love, and Detroit’s entrepreneurs can showcase their product to the world.”

As part of the Quicken Loans Community Fund’s mission to support diversity in the local entrepreneurial community, each business selected to participate in the accelerator will aim to be Detroit-based, female-owned or minority-owned. 

To apply for the accelerator, visit https://digitaldetroit.city