We are proud to announce the recipients of CEDAM’s Children’s Savings Account (CSA) Innovative Project Grants! In partnership with the Michigan Poverty Task Force, CEDAM has awarded four Michigan CSA programs up to $50,000 each to implement projects that will enhance program impact and advance the state’s CSA field.  All projects were required to relate […]

Recently, CEDAM undertook a strategic planning process that asked us to identify our values and behaviors. We examined our work and ways of being through the lens of dismantling white supremacy culture. We identified practices that would help us lead in the community economic development field. One that rose to the top was modeling rest […]

CONTACT: Brian Rakovitis517.485.3588 (ext. 1942)rakovitis@cedamichigan.org LANSING, MI — The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) today announced the recipients of its 2023 Children’s Savings Account (CSA) Innovative Project Grants. In partnership with the Michigan Poverty Task Force, CEDAM has awarded four Michigan CSA programs up to $50,000 each to implement projects that will enhance […]

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 […]

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 […]

Lapeer County Children’s Savings Account Program Puts Dreams on Display with Student Art Exhibit “What do you want to be when you grow up?” A new art exhibit led by the Lapeer County Educational Attainment Fund (LEAF), a Michigan Children’s Savings Account Network program, puts the answer to that age-old question on display. As a […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

CEDAM’s 15-month Community Development Fellowship places individuals in communities across Michigan engaged or certified in the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program. The fellows assist with a wide range of projects with the goal of expanding organizational capacity and boosting collaboration in communities across the state. The program is made possible through support from the Michigan […]

One of CEDAM’s newest team members, Magdalena “Maggi” Rivera (she/ella) joins us as our economic inclusion program coordinator. We sat down with Maggi to learn more about her past experiences and what she’s most excited about in this new role! Can you give me a brief overview of your professional background and how it led […]

One of CEDAM’s newest team members, Rebekah Cathey joins us as our executive assistant. We sat down with Rebekah to learn more about her past experiences and what she’s most excited about in this new role! Can you give me a brief overview of your professional background?  Prior to CEDAM, I worked for a media […]

One of our newest team members, Choiceé Ford,  joins CEDAM as the communications specialist. We sat down with Choiceé  to learn more about his past experiences and what he’s most excited about in this new role! Can you give me a brief overview of your professional background? My first job in the nonprofit sector was […]

One of CEDAM’s newest team members, Shate’ja Curry,  joins us as our AmeriCorps and fellowship program coordinator. We sat down with Shate’ja to learn more about her past experiences and what she’s most excited about in this new role! General Questions Can you give me a brief overview of your professional background? I worked for […]

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 […]

CEDAM’s AmeriCorps applications are now open! This year, we’re looking for 25 AmeriCorps members to serve at nonprofit organizations statewide. For those interested in nonprofits and community development, this is an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience, make a difference, and serve. Here are some of the top things to know about the program:  You’ll […]

CEDAM’s Policy Priorities Receive Massive Funding from the State. Senate Bill 565, a bipartisan infrastructure bill of $4.7 billion, was passed by the Michigan Legislature. It moves to the Governor’s desk.

In the community development space, our work is never done. There is always more we could do: more projects we could take on, more groups with which we could collaborate, more residents, families, and communities we could uplift. And yet, our resources are limited. But a CEDAM AmeriCorps member can help, and we’ve expanded our […]

Authors: Brian Rakovitis & Madeleine March-Meenagh Today marks the 16th annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) awareness day. On this day, the IRS calls upon organizations across the country to raise awareness about this crucial federal tax credit. As we bring attention to the federal EITC, we want to raise awareness about Michigan’s own state […]

The grant will help CEDAM connect Michiganders to critical financial resources and services 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 programs. By engaging a diverse coalition of community organizations, CEDAM will work to connect all Michiganders with […]

One of CEDAM’s newest team members is Shaniqua Gibson, who joins us as a program coordinator. We sat down with Shaniqua to learn more about her past experience and what’s she’s most excited about in this new role! As CEDAM’s program coordinator what are you looking forward to most? As CEDAM’s program coordinator, I am […]

One of CEDAM’s newest team members is Andrea Villanueva, who joins us as an AmeriCorps program manager. We sat down with Andrea to learn more about her past experience and what’s she’s most excited about in this new role. As CEDAM’s program manager, what are you looking forward to most? I am really excited about […]

On September 22, 2021, the Michigan legislature passed the almost $70 billion 2021-22 state budget with bipartisan support. Among community development resources for community revitalization, placemaking, and workforce development, CEDAM is especially excited for the State’s $2 million investment in Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs). This first-of-its-kind investment into Michigan’s growing CSA field provides $1 million […]

CEDAM knows Michigan cannot achieve a prosperous, equitable economy without investments in core assets like housing and broadband. As we work to recover from the COVID-19 global pandemic, significant investments in our people and in our infrastructure are more critical than ever to create vibrant communities.  That’s why we were thrilled to be a part […]

The Gene Kuthy Award honors an exemplary board member serving at a community development organization in Michigan September 14, 2021—The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) is pleased to announce our 2021 Gene Kuthy Award winner, Robert (Bob) Donohue Jr. Bob serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA). “Like […]

The Leader of the Year Award honors an exemplary CEDAM member engaged in innovative and impactful programming  September 15, 2021—The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) is pleased to announce our 2021 Leader of the Year winner, Chanell Scott Contreras. Chanell serves as the executive director of ProsperUS, one of the first Black-led Community […]

With an extreme shortage of affordable housing across Michigan, CEDAM AmeriCorps members are playing a vital role for host organizations like Community Housing Network (CHN). CHN serves Oakland and Macomb counties by helping residents find and maintain stable housing. Our first AmeriCorps member joined CHN in the fall of 2011 to serve their community in […]

Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her proposal to allocate $100 million for the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund (MHCDF). These funds would be used for rental housing, rehabs, home ownership projects, and downtown development initiatives to alleviate affordable housing needs in Michigan. On a broader scale, this funding would have ripples of impact across […]

When it comes to building strong communities, every person has potential to make a big difference. CEDAM’s Community Development Fellowship places individuals in communities across Michigan that are engaged or certified in Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC). These fellows serve for 15 months across a wide range of projects. The program is managed with support from the […]

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 […]

In our first Summer of CEDAM webinar, we had the opportunity to discuss how community economic development can be used to uplift Michigan communities as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. At CEDAM, we believe that economic growth begins with access and equity – and that’s why we placed special emphasis on community economic development […]

Over the past few years, Children’s Savings Accounts (CSA) programs have been increasing in popularity across Michigan. These initiatives have been proven to strengthen inter-generational financial stability and increase the likelihood that a student will continue education after high school. But what are they, exactly, and how are they helping Michigan students and communities?  In […]

The organization’s July 12 webinar will host a state representative and foundation leader to discuss firsthand experience with Children’s Savings Account programs in Michigan. LANSING — The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) will highlight a groundbreaking savings program to close the wealth gap on July 12 as part of their Summer of CEDAM […]

At the end of the day, community economic development (CED) is about equity.  The idea of “community” goes far beyond the residential block — communities set the stage for residents, families, and countless generations to grow and thrive. They encompass a cohesive, nuanced system of all things in our environment that impact our well-being: businesses, […]

Bevertone Anyonga has been CEDAM’s program coordinator for just over a year. His journey into the community economic development field, however, started around six years ago in Kenya. For our latest staff feature, CEDAM’s Emily Reyst sat down with Bevertone to discuss why he cares so much about this work, and why he chose to […]

This blog is part two of a mini-series on program evaluation. Read part one. Good intentions and reasonable approaches can’t guarantee an effective program, but systematic evaluation can help us get closer to achieving our objectives. Program evaluation is the process of investigating the effectiveness of programs in ways that are adapted to their specific […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 20, 2021 Contact: Madeleine March-Meenagh Interim Program Manager, CEDAM madeleine@cedamichigan.org 517.485.3588 ext. 1943 Fellows will expand organizational capacity, increase local collaboration, and remove barriers to development.  Lansing, MI— The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) is excited to announce the ten communities chosen to host a community development fellow for […]

Like many things in life, Suzanne Fenske found AmeriCorps when she wasn’t looking for it. She first learned about the program after attending financial education events and classes. The presenter, who was the AmeriCorps manager where she currently serves, told her about the AmeriCorps opportunity — and the rest is history.  Suzanne, who was looking […]

1 in 5 Michigan households aren’t claiming tax credits they’ve earned — but we can do something about it Authors: Brian Rakovitis and Madeleine March-Meenagh State and Federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) are important anti-poverty programs that provide financial relief to hard-working, low-income Michigan households. At an average EITC value of $2,461 per federal […]

When it comes to building strong communities, every person has potential to make a big difference. CEDAM’s Community Development Fellowship places individuals in communities across Michigan that are engaged or certified in Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC). These fellows serve for 15 months across a wide range of projects. The program is managed with support from […]

By Luke Forrest As we emerge from a pandemic that hit low-income workers and children inordinately hard, your community will soon deal with an injection of money that could have unprecedented impacts on eliminating poverty. As the head of a nonprofit that has worked on anti-poverty issues since 1998, I can’t state strongly enough that […]

More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Michigan, we have seen every industry impacted in one way or another — but the crisis’s unwavering ripple effect was especially evident in the area of community economic development. Eviction posed a rising threat, many people in need were not receiving federal stimulus checks, […]

What is the community you are working in and what makes it unique? I’m working in Oscoda Township. It’s unique because it is in the northeast part of the state and there are so many challenges that come with being removed from freeways and being a little off the beaten path. We also think of […]