How MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative helps Michigan Communities Heal and Grow (09-13-25)

WYCE's Community Closeup (*conversations concerning issues of importance in West Michigan)

In this episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower welcomes Stefanie Pohl, Senior Content Specialist · Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

In July, a unique Crowdfunding Campaign called "Northeast Grand Rapids: A City of Healing" was launched with a $50,000 goal to win a matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative.

This project was powered by donations through the success of a crowdfunding campaign led by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the nonprofit Lions and Rabbits Center for the Arts (LRCFA), which was powered by donations through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

We're pleased to add that after this program was recorded, the Grand Rapids City of Healing project met its required match of $50,000 on August 23, 2025, triggering the MEDC match of $50,000 to complete the project.

Because of the successful funding and the match from the MEDC, a new series of public art installations and murals will be completed throughout Northeast Grand Rapids to improve public health and community connection.

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC.

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan.

As of July 7, 2025, MEDC has provided more than $14.3 million in matching grants.