Economic Equity Dashboard Announced
at DFC Equity Forum
More than 600 community stakeholders registered for the Second Annual Equity Forum and more than 200 turned out to hear from Dr. Darrick Hamilton and Dr. Andre Perry on June 24th. Both speakers discussed the importance of economic equity and the various strategies they had observed nationally to support a more equitable economic community.
At the event, Detroit Future City formally launched its Detroit Economic Equity Dashboard. This online tool, available through www.detroitfuturecity.com, provides the latest data on economic equity indicators for the community, initially described in The State of Economic Equity in Detroit report. A community forum to introduce the various ways someone can utilize the dashboard is being planned now and anticipated to occur later this year.
Sponsors for this event included Cinnaire, Bank of America, DTE Energy, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
For the past four years, the Land + Water Works Coalition has been working to foster sustainable land and water stewardship in Detroit. Recently, this community change effort released a pair of new resources designed to foster increased engagement and further facilitate a green culture shift.
The coalition officially launched a new website this spring at www.landwaterworks.com. This site shares news and information about the many ways in which land and water stewardship are taking hold around Detroit, as well as information about how you can learn more and get involved with the work.
At the same time, the coalition published a new Impact Report, which describes its work over the past four years. The report discusses how the work of the coalition has the potential to mitigate the impacts of climate change, especially through the creative application of open space and the adoption of green stormwater infrastructure.
Land + Water WORKS Now Offering Free Green Stormwater
Infrastructure (GSI) Technical Assistant! Are you a small business or faith-based institution interested in Green Stormwater Infrastructure to help lower your Detroit Water and Sewage Department drainage fee but don’t know where to start? The experts of the Land + Water WORKS are here to help. To sign up for a free consultation appointment and learn more about this service please click the button below.
New Report Envisions Equitable
Rental Housing Market
The Detroit Neighborhood Housing Compact is working to strengthen and stabilize Detroit’s housing marketplace. On behalf of the Compact, Detroit Future City recently wrote and published a new research report, entitled, “Renting Home: Considerations for Developing an Equitable Single-Family Housing Market In Detroit.”
In this publication, DFC takes a closer look into the state of Detroit’s rental housing market. The report seeks to establish a baseline understanding of the market, identify significant challenges to its development, and offer strategies on how to direct change towards a more equitable marketplace.
United Way Ramps Up Community Voice
with Help from DFC
In February 2020, the United Way for Southeast Michigan engaged Detroit Future City to develop a blueprint that would support philanthropic initiatives with ways to help better incorporate more community voice and lived experience into its decision-making and program offerings. One pandemic later, Detroit Future City has released the “Center Community Voice Toolkit” to help it do just that.
This 56-page resource provides United Way with guiding principles for centering lived experience in their programming. It also includes assessments and tools to help them guide their program development process to incorporate more lived experience.
These tools have been shared with The National Fund for Workforce Solutions Network, a group of national funders seeking to improve their grant-making process, funded this project and shared this resource with its national network of funders. This research project remains in the evaluation phase. Local philanthropic organizations now provide feedback on how they might use the report’s findings to incorporate more community voice into their work.
DFC is receiving $140,000 in the form of two grants to support a study of lead abatement and Detroit rental properties and landlords. The money is coming from the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation and the Rocket Community Fund. Each is granting $70,000 to pay for half of the study. DFC is conducting the study in partnership with the City of Detroit and Data Driven Detroit. The report will be used to help the city and local stakeholders develop new policies and practices that encourage higher quality rental housing regulation and maintenance and reduce risks of exposure to lead-based paint.
Huntington national bank has made a $15,000 grant to DFC in support of the Rebuilding Home Together capacity building program. This program is providing capacity building support to a group of local nonprofit housing redevelopment partners.
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DFC is participating in the Target Circle program! You can vote for DFC and help direct Target’s giving to the organization. This program allows people who shop at Target to earn votes that they can use to support local charities from July 1 through September 30, 2021.
Here is how you can vote for DFC:
Earning Votes In-Store: At check out, give your phone number or scan your Target Circle barcode by tapping “Redeem saved offers” or in Wallet in the Target App. Or, enter receipt numbers within 7 days to collect earnings from eligible in-store purchases.
Casting Votes: Open target.com/circle and go to Community Support. Or open the Target App, go to your Circle benefits and Vote For Nonprofits. Nonprofits will display in a list with their name, logo, mission, and website link.
Organizational News
Congratulations to our CEO, Anika Goss on being recognized by Crain’s Detroit as a Notable Executive in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion!
DFC Summer Interns Are Making Change
Tanner Terwilliger, MSU MPA Funded by MSU MPA program
Tanner will be working in the Development Department on program design and grant writing.
Nazar Kovalenko Professional Fellow ProgramNazar is a Spatial Planner from Vinnytsia, Ukraine. He is joining DFC as a member of the Professional Fellow Program funded by the state department. Nazar is supporting the Land Use and Sustainability Department.
Rebeka Rooks Masters of Urban & Regional Planning at MichiganRebeka is a graduate student at the University of Michigan. She is joining DFC through the Brademas Fellowship program. She is supporting the Land Use and Development Department.
Kelli Bowers Masters of Public PolicyKelli is a first-year graduate student at Michigan State University. She is supporting the Center for Equity Engagement and Research.
Doug Ortiz Masters of Public PolicyDoug is a graduate student at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He is supporting the Center for Equity, Engagement and Research.
