MARQUETTE -- There's a new small business initiative in town, and its philosophy is home grown.  It's called "economic gardening."

"If you really relate it to growing vegetables in a garden, there's certain things you need to do to have your garden grow," said Amy Clickner with the Lake Superior Community Partnership. "That's really where the name came from is there's certain tools and resources and things that a business needs to grow."

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has contracted with the Edward Lowe non-profit foundation to do just that.  According to the LSCP, the MEDC will select some 54 "second stage" companies they want to help take to the next level with their pilot program.

"This is technical assistance--this may be someone working with you on exporting or doing a better job of marketing or research and development--so what it will do is it will take each company and really define what they need to take that next step and provide them the technical assistance at no charge to get over that hump," Clickner said.

The partnership hopes U.P.-based businesses get a piece of the developmental pie.  They've recommended eight U.P. businesses for the opportunity, including Loadmaster in Norway and Argonics in Gwinn.  Argonics says if they're selected, they'll seek expertise in international marketing.

"We've been looking for expertise outside our company in marketing, so if the state has a program or the Lowe Foundation selects us or whatever, we'll be very eager to take advantage of it," said Dave Puskala, Chief Operating Officer of Argonics.

Companies that are selected to be part of the program will be notified October 19, but as I had mentioned earlier, this is a pilot program, so those companies that aren't nominated could be nominated if the program takes hold in the future.