$100,000 Consumers Energy Foundation Grant supports CEDAM’s Economic Inclusion Work
As tax season kicks off, this grant is supporting meaningful initiatives to help more than 100,000 Michiganders build wealth. Lansing, MI – The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) has received a $100,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation supporting CEDAM’s economic inclusion initiatives across Michigan. As tax season kicks off, CEDAM’s multi-pronged approach […]
Kicking Off 2023: NFL Player Shows Support for M&M Area Community Foundation’s Future Fund
What does an Upper Peninsula foundation and Green Bay Packers all-time leading scorer Mason Crosby have in common? Well, for one, both are supporters of Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs). Earlier this month, the M&M Area Community Foundation (MMACF), one of the Michigan CSA Network’s members, released a video shoutout from Green Bay Packers kicker Mason […]
Fellow Feature: First annual Cultivating Community series celebrates Coldwater’s diversity
Written by Katie Higgs, CEDAM Community Development Fellow I moved to Coldwater from Chicago, landing my position as a community development fellow in 2021. As part of my orientation, I read documents and met with community leaders to truly get acclimated with the town. I was alerted to a recurring theme as part of past […]
Battle Creek Community Foundation Soft-Launches Area’s First Children’s Savings Account Program
The eve of launch day for a new Children’s Savings Account (CSA) program feels a little bit like the night before a holiday. The handouts are prepped, the partnerships have been established, and countless hours of planning led to this point. Now, all there is to do is translate that preparation into action. For the […]
Manistee’s Commitment to Housing: Former Fellow Lissette Reyes Discusses Their Journey
By Dominic Cippola, CEDAM In order for a community development project to succeed, a lot must happen behind the scenes. In the case of Manistee, Lissette Reyes shares what it was like to be one of the drivers behind the advancement of the city’s housing awareness efforts. I virtually sat down with Reyes, a member […]
What Economic Security Should Mean in an American Context
This post was originally published by the University of Michigan Center Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion. Guest Author: Professor William Elliott, University of Michigan Economic security requires both income (enough to live by) and assets (something to live for). However, discussions about economic security in America can never seem to get beyond income policies. […]
Get to Know the Building Michigan Together Plan: The Housing and Community Development Fund
In March 2022, the Michigan legislature passed the Building Michigan Together Plan (Senate Bill 565): a $4.6 billion bipartisan bill that will offer substantial investments in the state’s infrastructure, including water, housing, roads, internet access, and parks. This is a historic accomplishment and will pose the opportunity for organizations across the state to advance equity-driven […]
Using Children’s Savings Accounts for Economic Inclusion: A Q&A with Bonnie Gettys, Rep. Julie Calley and Jessica AcMoody
At CEDAM, one of our current policy priorities is to secure statewide funding for Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs), which are community-led programs that automatically enroll students in interest-bearing accounts that will grow until they graduate from high school. These programs are designed to improve family financial literacy, boost educational attainment for low-income children, promote post-secondary […]