Manthei Wood Products Lands State Grant to Expand Employee Transportation
A Petoskey employer is getting creative about workforce transportation, and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of the story.
Great things happen when businesses and economic development organizations work together.
Manthei Wood Products, based in Petoskey, has been awarded $20,000 through the State of Michigan’s Reliable Rides Incentive Grant Pilot Program. The competitive award is one of only three selected statewide, and Northern Lakes Economic Alliance is proud to have worked alongside MWP to develop the proposal for this initiative.
A Simple but Powerful Idea
Getting to work shouldn’t be a daily obstacle, but for many employees in northern Michigan, it is. With limited public transit options, workers without reliable vehicles can find themselves shut out of good jobs, and employers are left dealing with turnover and absenteeism that’s tough to solve.
Manthei Wood Products has a straightforward answer: expand their vanpooling program. With this grant funding, they’ll add a passenger vehicle to get more employees to and from work consistently, with room to grow the program.
“We are so thankful for this grant,” said Abe Manthei, Director of Missional Initiatives at Manthei Group. “This presents an amazing opportunity for us to provide transportation to work to our employees who don’t have vehicles.”
We couldn’t agree more, Abe.
This Is What NLEA Is Here For
One of the most important things we do at NLEA is help northern Michigan businesses find and access funding opportunities they might not have the time or bandwidth to pursue on their own. Grant and loan applications can be time-consuming, and the competition can be tough. This is why we’re glad we could roll up our sleeves and help Manthei Wood Products put their best foot forward.
This is just one example of how NLEA works every day to strengthen the businesses and workforce that make our region such a special place to live and work.
Want Help Finding Funding for Your Business?
If you’re an employer in our region seeking support to overcome a challenge or seize a strategic opportunity for growth, we’d love to talk. NLEA is here as a partner and resource, and we’re always looking for ways to connect local businesses with the support they need. Reach out to NLEA today and let’s start a conversation.
