A Piece of Cleveland, a local start up business that “upcycles” salvaged lumber into home and office furnishings, was awarded $5,000 as a capital investment to help purchase equipment that would make their manufacturing process more efficient and enhance their profitability.
City Wheels was awarded $1,000 for grant-writing assistance to support this innovative Northeast Ohio car sharing service designed to provide a creative cooperative transportation alternative to car ownership.
CityWheels was a family-owned business offering Ohio's first car-sharing service.
Yellowcake, Inc., was awarded $1,000 towards the ongoing development of her Cleveland-based fashion design business and boutique. Valerie, recently seen on Lifetime’s Project Runway, hires local tailors to assist in the creation of her innovative designs and donates 5% of her profits to non-profit organizations each month.
Joy Machines Bike Shop, a community-focused startup bicycle retail and repair shop, was awarded $1000 to purchase key equipment for the shop opening in the summer of 2011 in Ohio City’s Market Square District. Joy Machines Bike Shop will provide innovative transportation solutions for Clevelanders who are interested in making bikes a more integral part of their lives.
Nicole McGee’s Plenty Underfoot was awarded $1500 to help move her home-grown business out of her living room and into a nearby studio space. After a number of years of making jewelry, art, and other projects from reused materials at home, moving into a new space is an important next step that will improve efficiency and organization, and allow for more social interaction and participation in creative reuse, including building a new revenue stream through workshops and small events.
Erie’s Edge Farm was awarded $2500 to help expand their business by creating and selling prepared food from locally grown produce and educating the community about the benefits of adopting a local, seasonal diet and lifestyle. In order to make farming a viable occupation, it is critical to expand both products and distribution. This includes developing a line of commercially-prepared foods and selling them at the Tremont Farmers Market and through a community-supported agriculture program.
