Appropriations Requests for : Tejara

1. Cosponsoring legislators:

No Cosponsors

Recipient Information

2. Intended legislatively directed spending item recipient:

Tejara

3. Physical address of legislatively directed spending item recipient and the intended location of the project or activity:

4921 Schafer Rd. Dearborn MI

4. The recipient's employer identification number:

200564063

Funding Details

5. Requested amount of the legislatively directed spending item:

$1,500,000.00

6. What is the purpose and how does the legislatively directed spending item provide a public benefit that is an appropriate use of taxpayer money?

Requested funds will be used to sustain and expand Tejara's core programming and operational capacity as the only small business support hub in Outer Wayne County — a region that has long lacked dedicated entrepreneurial infrastructure and remains significantly underserved relative to other parts of Michigan. Tejara's programming encompasses business development workshops, one-on-one advising sessions, access to capital navigation, and startup ecosystem integration, all designed to meet entrepreneurs where they are and move them toward sustainable growth. Funds will support the staffing, facilities, and resources necessary to deliver this programming consistently and at scale. Beyond direct service delivery, a meaningful portion of resources will be directed toward Tejara's coalition-building work — cultivating and maintaining partnerships across banking, government, higher education, and the nonprofit sector to create a unified network of cross-sector support for small businesses. These partnerships are not incidental to Tejara's model; they are central to it, ensuring that clients have a pathway to every resource they need, whether or not Tejara provides it directly. Tejara has already demonstrated its capacity to deliver results — connecting businesses to capital, contracting opportunities, and the broader Michigan startup ecosystem — and these funds will allow that momentum to continue and grow. Investing in Tejara is an investment in a proven, community-rooted model that fills a genuine gap in the state's small business support landscape.

7. Has the legislatively directed spending item previously received or been awarded any of the following types of funding in the past 5 years?

✓ Yes: State Funding

Amount received: $1,900,000.00

8. Estimated time frame for completion of the legislatively directed spending item project:

FY

Additional Information For Nonprofit Corporations

9. Is the recipient a nonprofit corporation?

Yes

4. Officers and active members on the board of directors:

Non Profit Board Members: Ahmad Chebbani – Chairman & Co-Founder, Omnex Accounting & Tax Ali Dagher – Treasurer & Co-Founder, Law Offices of Ali H. Dagher James Berry – 2nd Vice Chair, Wayne County Treasurer's Office Fouad Ashkar – Secretary, Consultant Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi – President, Stockbridge Enterprises, Inc. Amal Berry – Senior Manager, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Ford Motor Company Ahmed Boomrod – CEO, GDI Integrated Facility Services Zenna Elhasan – General Counsel, Kresge Foundation Ghida Dagher – Executive Director, New American Leaders Mohamad Hammoud – Senior Vice President, Bank of America Ramzi Hassoun – Business Banking Area Manager, JP Morgan Chase Bank Mohamad Issa – Global Educational Excellence Ibrahim Osta – Adjunct Professor of Management, George Washington University School of Business Jessica Pellegrino – President, Pellegrino Consulting, Inc. Carl Rashid, Jr. – Attorney, Dykema Jerome Ervin Record Jr. – Government Affairs Manager, Comcast Dr. Ali M. Safiedine – CEO, DocShop Pro LLC Meghan Storey – Senior Vice President & Michigan Director of Small Business, Comerica Bank Mary Zatina – General Manager, WDET Public Radio

Certification By Sponsoring Legislator

• "I certify that my immediate family members, legislative staff members, and I have no direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the requested legislatively directed spending item."
• "I certify that the intended recipient of this legislatively directed spending item is not a for-profit entity."
• "I certify that the information in this form is true to the best of my knowledge."

Senator Sylvia A Santana