February 22, 2023 | Announcing the GM on Main Street Grant Program Awardees |
The GM on Main Street Grant Program has awarded six $25,000 grants to nonprofit organizations and municipal government entities to implement innovative placemaking initiatives in their local districts.
Made possible by General Motors, this grant program prioritized applications that were place-making focused, innovative, inclusive, feasible, and replicable or easily scalable for other Main Street programs.
“General Motors is proud to have collaborated with Main Street America to support nonprofits and municipal government entities as they introduce place-making projects in their local communities,” said Terry Rhadigan, GM Vice President of Corporate Giving. “We look forward to seeing these inclusive, innovative projects come to life over the coming months for each of these communities to enjoy.”
The grantees are:
The Foodie Commons project in Genesee County, Michigan will be led by Communities First, Inc. The project will activate an empty lot into a food truck park along with a flexible green space and outdoor seating. Located in downtown Flint a few blocks west from the main commercial corridor, the now underutilized lot will transform into a vibrant community destination. The overall goal for Foodie Commons is to address residents’ need for safe outdoor food and recreation while offering a menu of innovative programming. In addition to providing a space for day-to-day dining and recreation, the space will be used for a free outdoor movie series and other seasonal activities like corn hole, horseshoe, and ping pong. Outside of the scope of the grant, there is also a plan to rehabilitate a nearby art deco building into a commercial kitchen with a dining area that opens to publicly accessible outdoor seating which would provide affordable commercial space and education, training, and resources for aspiring food entrepreneurs.
The Alley Project: Broadway’s Back Door will be led by FireFish Arts, Inc. in Lorain County, Ohio. Drawing from previous successful pop-up events, the project will create a permanent art alley space with regular programming, art installations, and a walkway/bikeway. The Alley Project will include a mural designed by a local artist with AR/VR elements created in collaboration with students at the local community college, the installation of 10 herb and vegetable garden pots incorporating local art, and the creation of several temporary murals designed by local artists and at-risk youth, as well as on-going regular programming which will include performances, markets, and more.
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