Grand Rapids, MI

GRAND RAPIDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

EIN 38-2886028

Community & Economic Development Small Business & Entrepreneurship Women & girls Low-income

Mission

Promote economic development and expand opportunity by providing training, counseling, mentoring, and responsible lending to entrepreneurs and small businesses in West Michigan.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

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About GRAND RAPIDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (commonly branded as Grow) is a Grand Rapids, MI–based nonprofit community development financial institution and SBA Women’s Business Center that provides business training, one-on-one advising, mentoring, and microloans to entrepreneurs across West Michigan. The organization was founded in 1989 and has evolved into a lender and resource hub serving entrepreneurs who lack access to traditional bank financing.

Under current leadership, Grow has emphasized expanding its microlending capacity, technical assistance, and partnerships with local and federal funders to increase access to capital for underserved entrepreneurs. In recent years the organization has rebranded to “Grow,” participated in national microloan capacity-building programs, and increased its loan deployment and grant funding to support small business resilience and growth in the region.

Notable achievements

Organizational rebrand and expansion

Rebranded from Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women to Grow (announced 2022) and explicitly expanded its mission and services to serve entrepreneurs of all genders across multiple West Michigan counties while maintaining a focus on women and underserved communities.

Participation in national microloan capacity building

Selected to participate in the Aspen Institute Microloan Accelerator, undertaking strategic planning and operational improvements to scale equitable lending and borrower support.

Significant loan deployment growth

Scaled lending activity in the early 2020s, deploying six-figure and later $1M+ levels of small business loans in recent years and securing federal and state CDFI fund awards to expand its microloan capital.

At a glance

Total assets: $3.4M
Annual revenue: $1.4M
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 38-2886028
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Website: growbusiness.org
On Mahalo since: May 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and certified SBA Women’s Business Center, reflecting its role as both a microlender and provider of business training and counseling.

Recipient of federal/state CDFI technical assistance and financial awards in the mid-2020s that increased Grow’s lending capital and capacity to serve more entrepreneurs.

Local recognition as a community economic development leader, including honors from regional business and Hispanic business organizations for its contributions to small-business growth and equity.

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