Past Economic Prosperity Grants
December 2011
- South West Area Neigbors, Area Specific Plan, received $10,000 for area specific planning along Fulton Street and Seward Avenue corridors.
- Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, Inc. received $100,000 to help former prisoners transition into their new lives first with workplace training and a meaningful paid work experience; and ultimately with job placement and follow up.
- West Michigan Sports Commission received $150,000 to construct a high quality, 12-field youth baseball and softball complex that will open the door to hundreds of youth and amateur competitions in the coming years.
October 2011
- Grand Action Foundation, Grand Rapids Urban Market, received $500,000 to support construction of the Grand Rapids Urban Market.
- Steepletown Neighborhood Services, Plaza Comunitaria, received $20,000 To enable Spanish-speaking adults to complete their academic credentials and increase their opportunities for employment.
August 2011
- Guiding Light Ministries, Workforce Development Manager for Heartside, received $5,000 to hire a Workforce Development Manager for the Heartside area.
July 2011
- West Michigan Strategic Alliance, Nonprofit Internship Initiative, received $10,000 for targeted outreach to nonprofit organizations in West Michigan to assist them in the development of internship programs and opportunities.
June 2011
- Grand Valley State University, Hispanic Business Service Initiative, received $85,500 to bring a full spectrum of business resources to the under-served Hispanic business community in West Michigan.
- Project C.O.O.L., Summer Internship Program for Youth, received $75,000 to provide young people with job training experiences to develop skills in selecting and maintaining a career.
May 2011
- Other Way Ministries, Youth Employment Service (Y.E.S.) Program, received $3,000 to support the employment of 12 teens and 1 teen assistant supervisor over the summer, and provide them with valuable work experience as well as life-skills training empowering them for a brighter future.
April 2011
- Midtown Neighborhood Association received $150,000 to improve and expand the infrastructure of the Fulton Street Farmer's Market, a major source of fresh, locally-produced and -sourced food in a low-moderate income neighborhood in the center of Grand Rapids.
December 2010
- Disability Advocates of Kent County, Best-Highest-Use, received $100,000 for "Best-Highest-Use", a new program designed to support people with disabilities in obtaining employment that utilizes their full potential and skill set and to meet employer needs for candidates with these skills.
- Grand Valley State University, Community Research Institute, received $350,000 to support community-base research and data driven decisions by non-profit organizations in Kent County.
August 2010
- Women's Resource Center, Fresh Start Program, received $58,150 to provide career and life skill development, improve access to education, health care, and community-based services for unemployed and underemployed women.
- Literacy Center of West Michigan, Blueprint for Literacy, received $25,000 to increase the number of students served, offer technology based curriculum, provide more community topical literacy workshops and classes.
- The SOURCE, Health Field Collaborative, received $30,000 to create a collaborative relationship with health care employers that focuses on retention, training, and career advancement for lower-wage employees and family members.
June 2010
- Grand Rapids Community College Foundation, Health Careers Facility, received $375,000 to assist with the renovation of Cook Hall on the Grand Rapids Community College main campus to increase the number of students proficient in work skills related to health careers.
- Grand Action, Grand Rapids Urban Market Pre-development, received $150,000 to support pre-development activities for the Grand Rapids Urban Market, including architecture and engineering services, tax credit planning and syndication, legal fees, and project management.
- Kent County, South Division Green Redevelopment Plan, received $50,000 to create a green redevelopment plan along the proposed South Division Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor and to leverage federal resources available to area business owners in order to create new capital for businesses, building improvements and employment of sustainable business practices.
April 2010
- Local First Educational Foundation, Building Regional Hub Capacity, received $10,000 to increase organizational capacity to serve as a local and regional hub for support of local businesses.
February 2010
- Midtown Neighborhood Association, Fulton Street Farmers Market Design, received $35,000 towards fees associated with design improvements to the Fulton Street Farmers Market layout.
December 2009
- Grand Valley State University, SBTDC's Grand Rapids FastTrac Initiative, received $75,000 for an initiative that provides an opportunity for dislocated workers and others to obtain the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills needed to launch a successful small business.
- Kent County Department of Human Services, Earned Income Tax Credit, received $2,268 to extend access to DHS customers for tax guidance with a goal of leveraging Earned Income Tax Credit dollars for eligible Kent County residents.
- Project C.O.O.L., Youth Internship Job Program, received $75,000 to support a summer internship program for area youth in the Greater Grand Rapids Area.
June 2009
- Hope Network received $75,000 to prepare and place disabled high school students in competitive employment where they will retain their jobs for at least one year.
April 2009
- Brown-Hutcherson Ministries, Project COOL, received $75,000 to provide young people with job training experiences to develop skills in selecting and maintaining a career.
February 2009
- The Literacy Center of West Michigan received $50,000 to increase the number of students served, offer technology based curriculum, provide more community workshops and leadership to the literacy agenda of the community.
October 2008
- Disability Advocates of Kent County received $75,000 to expand the community's knowledge and support for public transportation options.
- The Right Place received $500,000 to accelerate the commercialization of products, processes and services in West Michigan.
June 2008
- Brown-Hutcherson Ministries received $25,000 for a summer intern program for inner city youth.
April 2008
- Reentry Roundtable of Kent County, MI received $100,000 to continue the work of aligning employer expectations with the skills of ex-offenders using an employer designed certification.
February 2008
- Humanity for Africa, Inc. received $25,000 for technical assistance and to expand and intensify the current English as a Second Language classes for women.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) received $90,000 to implement revitalization work plans in the Creston Business District and Madison Avenue corridor.