Knight Foundation grants $7M to city initiatives

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has granted nearly $7 million to eight Detroit initiatives. "These grants are supporting the city’s efforts to become the Next Detroit. We are supporting the city plan for neighborhood revitalization while partnering with other foundations and local leaders in order to move the city forward," said Brenda Price, Knight Foundation’s program director for Detroit, in a statement.

The monies have been allocated to the following programs, which cupport Detroit neighborhoods and its arts community:

• $3 million to Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC), to support its Neighborhoods NOW Initiative.


• $1.25 million to the Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, which will be used to implement land-use strategies for more than 4,400 properties in the Northend neighborhood. It will also help transfer land to private developers.


• $250,000 to Detroit Renaissance to develop an asset map of Southeast Michigan's creative sector.
  


• $200,000 to the Arts League of Michigan to launch the Design Detroit Initiative which will work to attract 1,000 creative professionals to the city.
  


• $100,000 to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to conduct a feasibility study on a summer home on the riverfront for the orchestra.


• $250,000 to the Detroit Institute of Arts to support the museum's pilot project of providing visitors hand-held informational devices.

• $1.3 million to Holy Cross Children's Services to stimulate employment for African-American males in the Northend neighborhood.


• $200,000 to the Child Care Coordinating Council to increase Internet access in Northend and provide computer training to residents.


• $240,000 to City Connect to help the numerous Northend grantees communicate and work together.

Source: The Knight Foundation
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh