Posted on December 9, 2011

Ford Foundation Awards $1.5 Million to University of Detroit Mercy to Design Civic Engagement Process

The Detroit Collaborative Design Center at University of Detroit Mercy has announced a $1.5 million grant from the Ford Foundation to design and implement a collaborative civic engagement process focused on the city's long-term economic revitalization and growth.

Together with the Detroit Works Project, DCDC will use the grant to design, organize, and implement a year-long process that yields a land-use vision for the city. Designed to complement local projects focused on revitalization, the initiative will engage community residents, businesses, and nonprofit organizations and include a storefront location where community members can meet and offer input on various projects.

Established in 1994 in UDM's School of Architecture, DCDC has worked with more than eighty nonprofit organizations to create design solutions for urban spaces.

"Ensuring that every resident has a say in the future of the city isn't just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do," said Ford Foundation senior program officer Don Chen. "By capturing the ideas and aspirations of residents, businesses, community organizations, and others, this effort can help advance revitalization in Detroit and begin to build a model for other communities across the country."