Gilbert Family Foundation

"I see the way in which people perceive and support the role of arts and culture evolving significantly. I am excited for the narrative about arts and culture to shift from being just “nice to have” and “enjoyable” to also include “tools for social change” and “indicators for community vitality.” I am looking forward to the ways in which people think about cultural ecosystems to expand. I think more and more people are seeing the impact of arts and culture as a driver of community development, economic mobility and social connectivity and belonging." Learn more about our new Director of Arts & Culture, Akua Hill, and her insightful perspective about the role the arts play in building more resilient communities. Read the full interview: https://bit.ly/3A0GYVi

Thank you to Joe Rashid, MCD of?E. Warren Development Corp, Kamryn Gardner of?Green Living Science, and Daniel A. Washington of?NW Goldberg Cares for joining our panel at?the High Line Network Symposium in Detroit. The panel, titled "The Partnership Puzzle: How Philanthropy and Nonprofits Collaborate for Impact," discussed how to build effective partnerships and the deep importance of incorporating community voice into program design. Thanks also to?JJ Vélez, Director of Public Spaces for Gilbert Family Foundation,?for sharing his insights from the funder perspective and Jeremy Allen of the?Michigan Chronicle?for moderating the discussion. It's been a pleasure to host the?#HighLineNetwork?in?#Detroit?the past three days and to show off our incredible city to public space and infrastructure re-use experts from across the country. Friends of the High Line

Exciting news: Our Executive Director, Laura Grannemann, has been recognized as one of Crain's Detroit Business 40 Under 40! This honor celebrates Laura's outstanding philanthropic efforts and commitment to making a lasting impact in our communities. Laura has been a driving force in our mission to create access to opportunity in #Detroit. Her leadership of both the Gilbert Family Foundation and the Rocket Community Fund have helped us advance our shared vision to build more equitable communities. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and look forward to seeing how her leadership will further transform our neighborhoods in the years to come. Congratulations again, Laura! Your leadership and vision inspire us all. Here’s to many more milestones to celebrate! https://bit.ly/4gOXoRj

“The Strategic Neighborhood Fund’s success spurring inclusive economic growth shows the transformative impact that can come from taking a highly-targeted and collaborative approach to neighborhood investment. We are proud to be the lead sponsor of phase three and encourage others in the philanthropic and corporate community to join the effort and help us ensure that prosperity reaches every corner of our city.” - Laura Grannemann, Executive Director, Gilbert Family Foundation It was a pleasure to join the City of Detroit, Invest Detroit and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to celebrate continued progress on Phase 3 of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF). Gilbert Family Foundation announced its lead support for SNF 3.0 in May with a $15 million grant. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3Y9PaM1.

"Eastern Market After Dark is a special event because it brings together people from across generations, neighborhoods and identities to celebrate the cultural and creative vibrancy of our city." --Akua Hill, Director, Arts & Culture, Gilbert Family Foundation Eastern Market After Dark was a tremendous success this year! ?? The event beautifully showcased the incredible talent of local artists and celebrated the vibrant culture that makes Detroit so unique. It’s inspiring to see our community come together to honor creativity and innovation, and as Kiana Wenzell, Co-Director of Design Core Detroit said, it "creates a direct link between the city’s design heritage and its current creative landscape.” Thank you to everyone who attended, participated, and supported our local artists and vendors. Let’s continue to uplift and celebrate Detroit’s rich cultural tapestry! Learn More: ?https://bit.ly/3BtHQ5g

Due to an increased number of applications received by the Board of Review for property tax exemptions, we've joined forces with City of Detroit and the Detroit Housing Network to remind #Detroit homeowners that the deadline to apply for the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption (HOPE) program has been moved up to November 1st. The HOPE program is a critical resource to avoid property tax foreclosure, which occurs after three consecutive years of delinquency. More information: https://bit.ly/4dmmVOH

“When artists are well-supported, they bring inspiring possibilities to light that benefit communities in countless ways. It is exciting to collaborate on a project that prioritizes the sustainability of Detroit artists.” --Judilee Reed, CEO, United States Artists In celebration of Detroit Month of Design, we’re proud to highlight our partnership with United States Artists and the creation of Seed and Bloom: Detroit. This initiative is dedicated to supporting Detroit-based BIPOC artists, providing them with essential resources to thrive and elevate their art practices. By empowering these talented individuals, we aim to foster creativity that resonates within their neighborhoods and strengthens our community as a whole. Together, we can help cultivate a vibrant artistic landscape in Detroit! Join us in supporting local artists and their invaluable contributions to our city! More: https://bit.ly/3Lssqjd #DetroitMonthofDesign #SeedAndBloom #SupportLocalArt

Yesterday we were proud to join our partners CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN CDC, 360 DETROIT, and the City of Detroit at the groundbreaking for construction on the “West Euclid Gateway,” a new multifamily affordable housing project that exemplifies our commitment to strengthening communities and providing safe, affordable homes for Detroiters. This project was made possible through the Detroit Housing for the Future (DHFF) in partnership with LISC Detroit. Alongside LISC and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), the Gilbert Family Foundation is proud to support this innovative affordable housing project. Together, we aim to make a lasting impact on the housing landscape in our city. A special thank you to Darnell Adams, Vice President of Detroit Community Initiatives, for your unwavering support and leadership in driving this project forward. We look forward to seeing this vision come to life and helping families find their new homes! Highlights: ??Creation of 20 affordable housing units ?? Targeted to families at or below 60% AMI ??The 20 renovation units that will be guaranteed at affordable rates for the next 11 years Read the full release: https://bit.ly/3MRuZfx

"Retaining talent is super important, so Rocket Companies has created a pipeline of internships from Apple Developer Academy | MSU into Rocket." --Brandi McNoriell-Brown, Program Manager, Economic Mobility, Gilbert Family Foundation Meet Maverick Brazill, Apple Developer Academy Graduate, Renaissance Program participant, and two-time intern at Rocket! Maverick honed his skills in app development and coding, which led to a paid internship with Rocket Mortgage and now Rocket Homes. Thanks to a concerted collaboration between the Gilbert Family Foundation the Rocket Community Fund and our friends on the Talent Acquisition team, we're creating access to new opportunity in lucrative fields for Detroiters, while elevating Detroit's tech ecosystem. A very special thank you to Brandi Brown, who is passionate about "tying threads" and identifying new opportunities to support Detroit talent. Learn More: https://bit.ly/4etfaaQ

Today is a big day for an even bigger milestone. We are so excited to see this project come to life!