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GROW

Engage with the West Michigan Woman Community!
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GROW (Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women) has been working with thousands of entrepreneurs since in 1989; all with dreams of becoming economically independent. GROW's entrepreneurial training, business counseling, networking opportunities, and financial resources provide the tools needed to start, run, sustain, and expand the businesses in our community. Whether the topic is finance, management, marketing, or strategic planning, GROW offers professional, high quality training and business counseling. GROW is an SBA certified Women's Business Center and receives a portion of their funding from the Small Business Administration (SMA). The remainder of their funding comes from local foundations, corporation, and individuals. The funds provided are to support our local organization's operational costs as well as helping to underwrite our trainings to further serve our economic disadvantaged markets.

Since 2010, GROW has served 3,068 clients with a result of 167 new businesses opening their doors and an addition of 324 jobs to our community. In 2012, GROW served 93% women, 32% minorities, 47% extremely low to moderate households and 11% single mother households. In addition, GROW provided the following: 983 attendees took advantage of 208 hours of entrepreneurial training and 546 sessions of free business counseling were conducted in 630 total hours. All of that adds up to huge local impact for Grand Rapids!

From this issue

/Just%20the%20Two%20of%20Us:%20Romantic%20Escapes
Whether it's celebrating Valentine's Day, raising a glass to a milestone anniversary, or simply getting away to spend one-on-one time together, a romantic escape with your partner is always a good idea. But you may be at a loss when it comes to planning your next getaway. Keep reading for some of our favorite options!
/Getting%20to%20Know%20Yourself:%20Building%20Confidence%20in%20Your%20Identity%20at%20Any%20Age
When I was asked to write on the topic of identity, I thought I had gone through enough self-exploration that I could probably call on my personal experiences alone.
/Migraine%20in%20Women:%20Triggers,%20Symptoms,%20Treatment%20Options%20and%20More
Many women know just how debilitating a migraine attack can be. Aside from the pain, they make functioning in our day to day lives feel close to impossible. And did you know women are much more susceptible to this delightful type of headache?
/Fresh%20Finds%20for%20Arts%20and%20Culture%20Lovers
Looking for something different to do this holiday season and beyond? There are plenty of options in greater West Michigan that may not be on your radar. Here, we've gathered some lesser-known attractions for you to explore—from galleries to performance venues to shops.