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A group of foundations is seeking proposals for projects aimed at accelerating metro Detroit’s transition of to an innovation-based economy. And they have committed to invest $100 million to make those projects a reality.
The New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan (NEI) this week began accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations for projects intended to support three main goals: preparing, attracting and retaining talented workers; encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship; and changing the region’s culture to embrace learning, work and innovation.
“We’re asking people to come to us with their best ideas,” said Carol Goss (pictured), president and CEO of the Detroit-based Skillman Foundation, one of the 10 foundations participating in the eight-year initiative.
NEI will support the efforts of nonprofit organizations across the region and public agencies with grants of up to $1 million – or more if the foundations find worthwhile projects that require it.
Goss said NEI also will consider making small grants to local community organizations, particularly those willing to partner with other groups around a common agenda.
Goss said the projects could involve just about any kind of good idea that supports the initiative's main goals. That could include job training initiatives, nonprofit loan funds to assist start-ups, community entrepreneurship programs and things nobody has thought of yet.
“We really aren’t limiting it at this point,” Goss said about the kinds of projects NEI is looking for.
Measuring success
Goss said the initiative has developed a series of measurements to evaluate its success. Some of the key metrics include rate of change in:
- Per-capita income, both overall and by race/ethnicity
- Percent of population ages 24-35 with college degrees, overall and by race/ethnicity
- Percent of population with high-wage jobs, overall and by race/ethnicity
- Percent of population who have confidence in the future of the region.
Individual projects, Goss said, will be measured against their own, specialized benchmarks, which will be created with NEI’s main goals in mind.
Contact information
Goss said NEI encourages just about anyone with a good idea to contact it. She said the staff is more than willing to work with promising applicants to help them refine their proposals to meet the NEI’s needs. The first grants are expected to be made in the spring.
Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to review the initiative's Web site, www.neweconomyinitiative.org, for information on submitting a proposal.
The 10 participating foundations are: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit; Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Southfield; Ford Foundation, New York; Hudson-Webber Foundation, Detroit; W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami; The Kresge Foundation, Troy; McGregor Fund, Detroit; C.S. Mott Foundation, Flint; and the Skillman Foundation, Detroit. |
