Business News & Updates

Lake Street Council is planning a vibrant season of activating our corridor’s community spaces this year, and we need your help! We received some small grant funding to support pop-up programming and smaller community events this spring, summer, and fall. We’re looking for proposals to do the following:

As we emerge from so many months of hardship, the Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival wants to provide an opportunity for businesses that need help getting back on their feet.

The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCRA) is making approximately $2 million available in the form of grants between $3,000 and $10,000 to help businesses that were impacted by the surge overcome short-term financial hurdles, enabling them to remain in business in their communities and prevent widespread blight in Hennepin County.

Our business community is still recovering from the economic impacts of the recent federal ICE operations in Minneapolis. Operation Metro Surge caused significant losses in revenue, disrupted the lives of workers, students, and families, and traumatized communities of color and cultural corridors. But Lake Street rises again! Efforts are underway to encourage state leaders to allocate funds to help our small businesses recover. You can be a part of this campaign.

If you're behind on payments or concerned about future obligations, you have options.

Join Elevate Hennepin on Wednesday, March 11, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Mercado Central, 1515 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407, for an in-person advising pop-up that brings expert business support directly to impacted business owners.

African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS) is administering emergency relief funds to support small businesses that have experienced economic hardship due to recent immigration-related activity in Minnesota.

To apply for the Minneapolis Foundation Economic Response Fund and/or Salt Cure Fund, one must have an account with the Minneapolis Foundation.

Attend a Paid Family and Medical Leave Workshop hosted by our partners, Longfellow Business Association (LBA), on Thursday, February 26, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Legacy Building, 4024 E 46th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

The Lake Street Council held another Get Together with LSC | Juntándose con LSC on February 19, 2026, online to discuss emergency response during the current federal immigration activity impacting the Lake Street corridor and state.