USDA RD Leadership Means Jobs for Rural Michigan: Small Businesses Supported Through USDA Rural Development
The past year has been a labor of reward as well as challenge for Donald Mulson III, a resident of Tawas on the east side of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. He is Program Director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development where he oversees 20 rural business programs throughout Michigan. He provides leadership for a team of five, downsized from a staff of ten during 2025 when many federally funded programs were reduced. He currently has part-time family leave status with Rural Development, helping care for his nine-month-old infant son. He coaches hockey and likes to fish, hunt, travel and complete a wide variety of projects at home.
“My goal is to see that we are being the very best stewards of taxpayer dollars in supporting rural communities throughout Michigan,” Mulson said. “Whether it is a startup business using our capital to attain their financial projections or an agricultural business with new products or new markets, we are a source of an amazing number and variety of programs and services – all zeroed in on the success of small rural businesses.”
Programs under the leadership of Mulson include:
An Intermediary Relending Program, where organizations like Venture North serve as an intermediary to provide low-cost loans to small businesses.
Value Added Producer Grants that help agricultural producers create new products, expand marketing opportunities and increase revenues.
Business & Industry Guaranteed Loans that offer loan guarantees to lenders for their loans to rural businesses.
“We also oversee the Rural Business Development (RBDG) Program for the State,” Mulson said. “The RBDG is a flexible program with typical grant funds around $100,000 to help new initiatives that provide technical assistance, training and other forms of help to small businesses. This fund is often used to help incubate highly successful and innovative programs and services for businesses located in rural areas.”
“It’s all about quality leadership supported by federal funding to accomplish great things – Rural Development is an incredible partner,” said Laura Galbraith President of Venture North, a nonprofit provider of low-cost loans and no-cost consulting to small businesses in northern Michigan. “They have provided over 75 percent of the funds we use for our loans to support the prosperity of small businesses, including retention and creation of jobs. And we have used their RBDG program to develop ways to expand our services to more businesses, particularly in underserved markets.”
Galbraith reports that USDA RD’s leadership is particularly crucial because of the rapid growth of Venture North in helping small businesses with the total dollar value of loans projected to increase from about $1.7 million in 2025 to over $3.0 million by 2027.
“We are counting on sustained leadership such as that provided by Donald to enable our growth that translates into prosperity for businesses,” she said. “Because we are a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we place priority on dedicating our services to businesses and individuals in rural areas that cannot readily access other sources of help. Our growth is essential to fostering success and job creation for businesses not supported by others.”
Examples of businesses receiving Venture North loans ranging in size from $5,250 to $100,000 include:
Action Glow, Traverse City
Coastline Cycles, Frankfort
Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, Empire
Jessica Horness Counseling and Psychotherapy, Traverse City
MI Beach Properties, Manistee
Scutes and Scales, Cadillac
Other Venture North loan clients having benefitted from USAD RD funding: The Lively Farm (Empire); Hearth Sauna (Traverse City); Art’s Tavern (Glen Arbor) and TC Floral Co. (Traverse City)
“Venture North continues to be a high growth partner,” said Mulson. “We have a great relationship with them supported by their high level of expertise in deploying low-cost loans and no-cost technical assistance to small businesses.”
“We are fortunate and proud to be a partner with Donald and his RD team,” said Galbraith. “We have a shared commitment to help rural businesses succeed. We join small business owners and communities throughout northern Michigan in expressing our gratitude to them.”
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
Mission: To improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. RD acts as a partner to rural communities by providing loans, grants and technical assistance to foster economic prosperity. RD partners with Venture North to provide services to small businesses in northern Michigan.
For more information about Rural Development Services, contact:
Donald Mulson III, Business Programs Director
Michigan State Director’s Office
Phone: 517-249-0108 — Email: donald.mulson3@usda.gov
For More Information:
Contact: Tim Ervin - Ph: 231-794-0089 - Email: timervinassoc@gmail.com
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