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Goodwill Industries of Greater
Detroit |
When compared to state and national statistics, Detroit's unemployment rate is exceptionally high. Therefore, the Foundation strives to identify and encourage creative new approaches for the economic development of the City of Detroit, with emphasis on expanding employment opportunities for Detroiters. A large portion of the Foundation’s recent work has been in supporting training and placement programs that prepare chronically unemployed Detroiters for long-term employment. The Foundation also is interested in business retention, creation, and attraction within the City. Efforts to build the capacity of Detroit's economic development agencies and to better coordinate the work of these agencies are also supported.
With the addition of the
15:15 Strategy to the Foundation’s agenda in 2008, the Foundation’s Economic
Development mission has become more focused upon Greater Downtown and upon those
efforts that will support economic development targeted for a young, talented
population. The Foundation is particularly interested in those activities that
support jobs and business opportunities for the next generation of Detroiters.
As a component of the Strategy, the Foundation is interested in creating new
employment opportunities for existing Detroit residents.
In 2007, the Foundation made a five-year $5 million dollar commitment to the
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan for the
New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan (NEI). Ten funders joined this effort and pledged a total of $100 million for the eight-year project designed to speed the transition of the regional economy to be more innovation-based. Working with other partners in the region and in the state, the initiative works to:
1. Prepare, attract and retain skilled workers in Southeast Michigan
2. Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in new and existing enterprises in the region
3. Change the region’s culture to embrace learning, work and innovation
Other 2006-2007 Grant Highlights:
$350,000 for
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit to operate the Reducing Chronic Unemployment Initiative (RCUI) program and to work with the State of Michigan to inform public funding sources of the conditions necessary to expand the success of workforce training programs.
$50,000 for the
Detroit Regional Chamber’s Open Innovation Initiative, a “matchmaking” program between businesses that will increase the number of local jobs by increasing local product exports and improving opportunities for the location of new international businesses in the Detroit region.
$100,000 to
Detroit Renaissance, in partnership with the
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, for a new business attraction program. | 
