SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority

About the Board

The SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) supports high-technology entrepreneurs and businesses. The SmartZone captures increased property tax dollars and reinvests that money back into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Grand Rapids.

Board Members

There are 11 members of the SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority.

Name	Term Ends On
Rosalynn Bliss	6/30/30
Al Vanderberg	12/31/28
Keith Brophy	6/30/30
Jerry Callahan	12/31/27
Todd Hurley	12/31/27
Andria Romkema	6/30/30
Mark Washington	6/30/30
Craig Wieschhorster	6/30/30
VACANCY	6/30/30
Brandy Mitchell	6/30/30
Milinda Ysasi	12/31/27

Budgets

Contracts

Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The MEDC gives us the authority to operate the Grand Rapids SmartZone LDFA. See the full text of this contract here.

Incubation Services with Spartan Innovations and Start Garden, Inc.

We partner with Start Garden and Spartan Innovations to provide a variety of services to high-tech entrepreneurs and businesses, including incubation, ecosystem development, 5x5 Night, and The 100.

Holland SmartZone LDFA - Satellite District

We partner with the Holland SmartZone LDFA and Lakeshore Advantage on regional initiatives.

Conquer Accelerator

We partner with the MSU Foundation to support the Conquer Accelerator.

Spartan Innovations

We partner with Spartan Innovations to provide gateway services, including the Business Accelerator Fund (BAF) program, under a grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Michigan House Creative

We partner with Michigan House to help market the Grand Rapids entrepreneurial ecosystem at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference.

The Right Place

We partner with The Right Place to support Tech Week Grand Rapids, an annual event that celebrates and facilitates conversations surrounding the tech industry in Grand Rapids.

Meeting Notices