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FRANKLIN — Main Street Franklin was recently awarded the Spirit of Main Street Grant, a partnership between Genisys Credit Union and Main Street Oakland County. A check for $2,300 was presented at the village of Franklin regular council meeting Feb. 9.
This grant is designed for businesses less than five years old or a local main street program — which is the case of Main Street Franklin, which applied at the end of 2025 for the Spirit of Main Street grant program.
“It’s matching, so that means the local applicant is also putting in an equal amount of funds or more to launch the program,” said John Bry, administrator of local business development and program coordinator for Main Street Oakland County.
Main Street Franklin will match the funds and use the grant money to develop a rental assistance program for downtown businesses.
“They were one of a few of the Main Street communities to be selected for the grant,” Bry said in the meeting.
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Genisys Credit Union Theresa Doan said in the meeting that they’re looking for “an application that we can see the future with whatever they’re presenting. … With this application, this one is helping new businesses move into Franklin. So we know that this one is going to help.”
In reference to the $2,300 from the grant, plus matching from Main Street Franklin, Doan said, “That could be a small amount that’s going to go to somebody that’s going to be moving in, but that small amount could be the difference between their business actually taking off.”
For more information on Main Street Franklin, visit mainstreetfranklinmi.com.
