MARQUETTE -- A small business lending organization in Marquette is getting some help from the Kellogg Foundation to keep their efforts moving.

Kellogg is providing the Northern Initiatives with a one million dollar grant to support the launch and growth of family-owned businesses. Northern Initiatives will use the three-year grant toward capital along with training and technical assistance for both new business owners and growing businesses.

"The grant is allowing us to continue to do evaluation work so to look at our loan customers and understand their family situation," said NI President Dennis West. "The foundation cares a lot about children and their well being, so the evaluation is helping us to understand family dynamics and how children are benefiting from their parents becoming entrepreneurs."

Last year, the organization raised about $4.5 million in capital for small business loans.