Today the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation announced $3 million in new and ongoing grants during its December grant cycle.

One of our desired outcomes is to reduce elevated blood lead levels in children in Detroit and Wayne County by reducing lead exposure in housing, soil, and water. To achieve that outcome, we support efforts that incentivize landlords to reduce lead exposure, increase public demand for action by the private sector and government, and design effective policies and policy enforcement.

We approved two new grants under this framework, one for Lakeshore Legal Aid ($70,000) and another for Southwest Detroit Business Association ($165,000 over three years). Southwest Detroit Business Association is working on lead abatement training for Detroit-based contractors so they can eliminate lead hazards in homes. A grant to EcoWorks ($145,000) supports phase two of a research project investigating the use of soil amendments (materials added to the soil to improve its physical properties) as a cost-effective way to reduce exposure to lead in soil.

Grantee Highlights:

• Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Council of the Great Lakes Region to educate new federal legislators about socioeconomic and environmental strategies, policies and solutions for the Great Lakes basin’s long-term success
• Delta Institute to develop policies that provide financial incentives for sustainable farming practices
• Michigan Association of Conservation Districts to maintain a peer-to-peer farmer education network
• Midtown Detroit, Inc. to incorporate sustainability into the Midtown Cultural Campus Plan
• Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings to support the continuation of JazzEd Detroit’s innovative educational programs and to plan next steps for collaborative jazz education in Detroit by Erb grantees