Sustainable Business and Great Lakes Stewardship Focus of June Grants Cycle
On May 25, 2021December 21, 2021
3

Sustainable Business and Great Lakes Stewardship Focus of June Grants Cycle

InGrant Announcement
Today we announced $6.5 million in new and ongoing grants during our June grant cycle. In total, 26 new grants were made. See the complete grants list here.

 

In addition to supporting efforts that advance an environmentally healthy and culturally vibrant metro Detroit and a flourishing Great Lakes ecosystem, we directed support to sustainable business projects during the June grant cycle. This is in conjunction with our recent announcement of the Sustainable Business Network of Detroit (SBN). SBN is a partner network that will mobilize businesses and organizations of all sizes and galvanize bold action to make Southeast Michigan a global leader in sustainability.

 

To accelerate sustainable business in Detroit two grants were made:
  • Inforum received $157,000 to organize a series of SBN Detroit events that provide education and connections among people with an interest or expertise in sustainable business practices
  • TechTown Detroit received $257,000 to strengthen collaboration among regional universities through a business plan competition that prepares the next generation of talent committed to sustainability
The following Great Lakes grants will increase stewardship and binational collaboration, and improve water quality:
  • University of Maryland received $474,000 to co-develop socio-environmental report cards in the Clinton, Detroit, Huron, River Raisin, and Rouge rivers
  • Detroit Public Television received $750,000 for continued support of Great Lakes Now’s in-depth coverage of news, issues, events, and developments affecting the Great Lakes region
  • Freshwater Future received $250,000 for continued support of the Great Lakes Network, a bi-national collaboration that works to protect and restore water in the Great Lakes region
  • Wayne State University received $450,000 for support of research, applications, and engagement with watershed organizations focused on emerging contaminants
  • National Fish & Wildlife Foundation received $600,000 for the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, a public-private partnership that increases the resilience of communities and natural resources
Environmental health grants will support new research and collaboration to help reduce blood lead levels in children:
  • Detroit Future City received $70,000 to conduct and publish research about single-family rental housing in Detroit for use in increasing compliance with the City’s ordinance
  • Michigan Organizing Project received $20,000 for research on private insurance policies regarding coverage of lead testing and treatment
  • Southeastern Michigan Health Association received $310,000 to form and support the “Get the Lead Out Detroit” coalition and $183,000 to provide outreach, education, testing, and resources to reduce lead exposure to families in target zip codes
Five new grants of $65,000 each will provide support for jazz education programs at the following organizations:
The Foundation also provided $1 million to the Cranbrook Project, established by Christ Church Cranbrook, to ameliorate the economic, racial, religious, artistic, and educational divides in metro Detroit through programming and collaborations in the areas of music, art, and education.