DETROIT – As part of the partnership between Invest Detroit, New Economy Initiative (NEI), and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Lily Hamburger has been named as the next Small Business Network Director to advance the partnership’s mission to strengthen an inclusive small business support network of nonprofit business organizations (BSOs) in Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, and other Wayne County communities. Hamburger has served as Associate Director of the program since joining Invest Detroit in May of 2022 and will now take over as Director.
The Small Business Network Director role leads and manages the stewardship and coordination of the BSO network—a group of local nonprofits and financial institutions dedicated to providing comprehensive and inclusive small business support. As Small Business Network Director, Hamburger will serve as a convener, identify needs or support gaps in existing programs, mobilize the network for quick execution, and engage with business owners to ensure the network of support is known and relevant to their needs. NEI and the Community Foundation will continue as the grantmaker, and Hamburger and Invest Detroit will work with NEI leadership to ensure the BSOs and the small businesses they serve are equipped to meet their needs.
The partnership was created in 2021 with a $19.5M fund that provides small businesses with inclusive access to capital, practical assistance, information, and trusted connections to business resources. The fund is a part of NEI’s focus on existing and new small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Contributors include the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Ford Foundation, Hudson-Webber Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, William Davidson Foundation, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Since its launch in 2021, the Small Business Network and NEI have awarded more than $12 million from the Inclusive Small Business Support Network Fund with the goal of helping underserved, and underrepresented entrepreneurs launch, grow, and scale their small businesses.
Prior to joining Invest Detroit, Hamburger worked for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, where she created programs for business owners, managed a citywide retail opportunity study, and directed the District Business Liaisons. She has an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and a BA from Middlebury College.
“Lily is uniquely qualified to take on this critical role” said Dave Blaskiewicz, President & CEO of Invest Detroit. “She has extensive experience working with small businesses throughout Detroit and has shown a particular understanding of the challenges they face. With Lily in this role, we can ensure that our programs continue to match support services with the actual needs of our entrepreneurs.”
“Lily will be an integral part of the team as we work together to support small businesses,” said Wafa Dinaro, Executive Director at New Economy Initiative. “Our small businesses deserve a strong, inclusive, networked set of supports, so the local economy and neighborhoods continue to grow and prosper, and those who experience traditional barriers to business growth opportunities are included in that growth,”
“I am excited and honored to lead this work and continue building the small business community in Detroit,” said Lily Hamburger. “Finding solutions and building supports to overcome many of the systemic challenges faced by our small businesses is at the core of my work, and I look forward to helping them position themselves for long term success and the success of our community.”
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About Invest Detroit
Invest Detroit is a nonprofit lender, investor, and partner that supports business and real estate projects that will ignite economic growth in Detroit and the region. Their goal is to increase density and job opportunities in a way that is strategic and inclusive. Learn more at www.InvestDetroit.com.
About the New Economy InitiativeThe New Economy Initiative is a philanthropic collaboration and initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan that is working to build a regional network of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Its mission is to grow an inclusive culture of entrepreneurship in southeast Michigan that benefits all residents and strengthens the regional economy. Learn more at https://neweconomyinitiative.org/.
About the Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganThe Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a full-service philanthropic organization leading the way to positive change in our region. As a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations, the Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development, and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.3 billion through more than 80,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair, and Livingston counties. For more information, visit www.cfsem.org
