Sharon Hanks
The Grand Rapids Urban Market was selected to receive a $150,000 grant from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation in its latest round of funding for 10 organizations that totals $1.5 million.
Proposed by the Grand Action group, the urban market would provide market space for vendors to sell food and other locally made goods at a renovated 3.5-acre complex at 435 Ionia Ave. SW. To kick-start the proposed urban market, the foundation gave the grant to conduct architectural and engineering work, tax credit planning and syndication, legal work and project management.
Roberta King, the foundation's vice president of public relations and marketing, says it's not unusual for the foundation to invest in predevelopment work, a sometimes "less glamorous thing" but critical part in launching a new endeavor.
In other awards:
• Kent County was granted $50,000 for its South Division Green Redevelopment Plan.
• Grand Rapids Community College Foundation received $375,000 to increase the number of students preparing for health careers including nursing, through renovations to Cook Academic Hall on its main campus.
• First Steps was awarded $250,000 to expand its Children's Healthcare Access Program to improve the health outcomes of low-income children.
• Spectrum Health Foundation received $75,000 to continue its school-based programming that empowers youth to choose a tobacco-free lifestyle.
• Community Rebuilders for its Housing Services Center was awarded $200,000 for its new center to be located at 1120 Monroe Ave. NW to improve access for people facing a housing crisis.
•The Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids received $140,000 for phase two of its "What's Your Art Grand Rapids?" campaign to further raise awareness of the rich arts and cultural offerings in Grand Rapids and to help the arts and cultural organizations increase earned income.
• Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids was awarded $150,000 for its Wealthy Heights Revitalization Project to rehabilitate up to five homes and construct six new homes in the Wealthy Heights residential area (officially part of the East hills neighborhood).
• The Fair Housing Center of West Michigan received $55,000 to continue its work to connect residents with community resources and advocate for change to stop foreclosures in Kent County.
• The Salvation Army, serving as the fiduciary for the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness, was awarded $100,000 to continue efforts to prevent and end systemic homelessness in Kent County by 2014.
Source: Roberta King, Grand Rapids Community Foundation's vice president of public relations and marketing, Grand Rapids
Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.
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