Ford Awarding $250K in Community Grants to Detroit Nonprofits
Photo: Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company has announced that it is awarding a quarter-million dollars to nonprofits that work to preserve the culture and history of neighborhoods in Corktown. The $250,000 in grants are being split among groups that operate near Michigan Central Station, which Ford is in the process of restoring as part of its plan to make the former train depot the headquarters of a new Detroit campus.
The four winning groups were selected in May by a voting process that included special judges, residents, and community leaders. The top-earning project is S.A.Y. Detroit/Capturing Belief, which earned $85,000 for a program that will mentor young creatives in the fields of photography and creative writing to help create a visual history of their community.
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Heritage Works, which seeks to fill community spaces, green spaces, schools, and non-traditional venues with music and performance arts, won $75,000. The Matrix Theatre Company collected $55,000 for their project — collecting first-person testimonies and oral histories from residents from a variety of walks. Earning the final $35,000 was Motor City Street Dance Academy, which uses hip-hop and the Spreading the Elements Everywhere in Detroit Program to engage with the community.
S.A.Y. Detroit/Capturing Belief 
Matrix Theatre Company 
Heritage Works
“We want to thank everyone who submitted creative and thoughtful ideas for celebrating the vibrant culture of our neighborhoods,” said Pamela Alexander, director, Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “With help from the community, we determined these four proposals represent a diversity of talent and topics. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in the neighborhoods surrounding Michigan Central Station for years to come.”
The projects are expected to be completed in 2020, and future projects Ford is considering for additional grants include streetscapes, beautification, job creation, and mobility.
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