Our Grantees

The purpose of this section of the NEI website is to share with you the tremendous stories and impact of NEI grantees to date. For a full list of grantees to date, please click here. However, we encourage you to look through the detailed information below about each of the specific grants.

Entrepreneurial Eco-System

  • Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship (ACE 2011)
    The NEI funds supported the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship (ACE 11) to promote the development of the region’s high-growth technology business ventures, while providing education and networking.
  • Argonaut Project
    The NEI funds supported the Argonaut Project to provide infrastructural support for the renovation of the Argonaut Building, which had been donated by General Motors.
  • Bizdom U
    The NEI funds supported Bizdom U to provide management support for the expanded enrollment of the entrepreneur training program for the 2008 and 2009 graduating classes.
  • Blackstone LaunchPad
    The NEI funds supported Launch Pad to implement programs at Walsh College, Wayne State University, and Automation Alley.
  • Business Accelerator Network
    The  New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan (www.neweconomyinitiative.org ), an innovative philanthropic effort to accelerate the transition of metro Detroit to an innovation-based economy, today announces a $3 million grant over three...
  • Creative Corridor Center Studio
    The NEI funds supported the launch of the Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3) Studio as a tool to accelerate the growth of creative sector businesses. The funds were used for program support and the building of office and studio space.
  • Creative Corridor Incentive Fund
    The NEI funds supported the Creative Corridor Incentive Fund to develop a dense cluster of knowledge-based businesses and talented people in Detroit’s Creative Corridor that will create a hub and spoke model of creative companies in the city.
  • Detroit Development Fund
    The NEI funds supported the Detroit Development Fund to supply equity and quasi-equity financing for early stage businesses in Detroit who do not have access to desired capital. The sponsored businesses ll contribute to the economic development and...
  • First Step Fund
    The NEI funds supported the First Step Fund, a revolving loan pool for emerging and newly-formed small businesses in the region.
  • Maker Faire
    The NEI funds supported Maker Faire 2010 to fuel local innovative culture through a 3-day event where local entrepreneurs can showcase their inventions/projects. Grant activities were to focus upon the marketing and leveraging of Maker Faire.
  • Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
    The Regents of the University of Michigan, on behalf of the 15-member public university consortia, received a grant of $1.5 million to support investments of the Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
  • Michigan Life Science Research and Innovation Center
    In December 2008, the Ann Arbor SPARK Foundation received a grant of $750,000 for support to launch a life sciences incubator in western Wayne County. This grant resulted in what is now known as the Michigan Life Science Research and Innovation...
  • NEI Entrepreneur Fellowship
    In 2009, an NEI grant of $65,000 to the Kauffman Foundation supported the inclusion of a Michigan-based fellow in Kauffman’s Entrepreneur Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.
  • New Michigan Media and Issue Media Group to Spotlight Impact of Ethnic, Minority and Immigrant Communities on Regional Revitalization
    Foreign-born and minority residents are key to the region’s long-term revitalizationMACKINAC ISLAND, MI, JUNE 2, 2011 –  New Michigan Media and Issue Media Group today announced a groundbreaking partnership to highlight the contributions of...
  • Statewide Entrepreneurship Support System
    The Michigan Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs Program (MORE) was awarded a grant of $356,250 in 2009, to support phase one of the creation of the Statewide Entrepreneurship Support System (SESS), a comprehensive catalogue and delivery...
  • Sugar Hill Arts District
    In January 2009, the University Cultural Center Association (UCCA) received a grant of $2.5 million over two years to leverage $34 million in funds from governmental and private sources for the revitalization of the Sugar Hill Arts District.
  • TechTown
    In July 2009, the Wayne State University Research and Technology Park, commonly known as TechTown, received a grant of $4.975 million over three years to implement a comprehensive entrepreneur training and support program in partnership with the...
  • The Creative Cities Summit
    The NEI funds supported the Creative Cities Summit. NEI Program Focus: Support for the Creative Cities Summit of 2008 indirectly supports talent, entrepreneurialism, and culture because the summit is about creating talent and entrepreneurial...
  • The Henry Ford - Maker Faire
    Maker Faire was started in San Mateo, California in 2006 where it currently draws nearly 70,000 visitors and over 700 makers for its annual gathering.  In 2010, Maker Faire is expanding to two new venues – Detroit and New York City.  Maker...
  • Urban Entrepreneur Partnership Detroit
    A Program of the Kauffman FoundationThe Urban Entrepreneur Partnership (UEP) Detroit 150 is a proven entrepreneurial educational program and unique one-to-one business coaching model customized for Southeast Michigan, where the auto industry’s...

Capitalizing on Existing Resources

  • Advanced Energy Economy Initiative Report
    The NEI funds supported the Advanced Energy Economy Initiative Report to conduct research that focuses on bringing alternative energy and efficient energy technology to the State of Michigan. The grant seeks to quickly capitalize on the availability...
  • Alternative and Renewable Energy Economic Development Initiative
    In November 2009, the Detroit Economic Growth Association received a grant of $200,000 over two years for support to facilitate an Alternative and Renewable Energy Economic Development Initiative for Detroit with DTE Energy. DTE Energy and DEGA...
  • Assessment of Michigan’s Supply Chain Assets
    In November 2009, Michigan State University received a grant of $202,500 for support to assess southeast Michigan’s supply chain assets in partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber and Wayne State University.
  • Brookings - Automotive Research Project
    The NEI funds supported Brookings Automotive Research to develop a framing paper, a two-day event, and the start of a peer-to-peer learning network, all aiming to reposition the future of the nation’s automotive communities.
  • City Connect
    NEI Program Focus: Talent - The City Connect research project will focus on how to increase the region's pool of talent by preparing, attracting and retaining educated and skilled 16-24 year olds.
  • City DNA Project
    The NEI funds supported the City DNA Project to better understand Detroit’s demographics and business environment. The project aims to communicate this information to better enable economic development and neighborhood revitalization.
  • Data Driven Detroit (D3)
    The NEI funds supported Data Driven Detroit (D3) to develop a core set of metrics and indicators for the New Economy Initiative. NEI Program Focus: None NEI Subcategory: Evaluation and Culture Change
  • Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation - Global Detroit Study
    Immigration is vital to growing the regional economy and can further NEI’s goals to increase innovation and entrepreneurship, grow talent, and transform the culture in Michigan. 
  • Great Lakes Economic Initiative
    The NEI funds supported the Great Lakes Economic Initiative to improve the economic vitality of the Great Lakes region through the salary support of two fellows who conduct research for GLEI.
  • Michigan Security Network
    Michigan Security Network (MiSN) received its second grant from NEI in January 2010.
  • TranslinkeD
    The NEI funds supported TranslinkeD to serve as an intermediary for regional transportation, distribution and logistics leadership and to build a workforce development hub for the sector.

Building and Employing Workforce

  • Defense Business Research
    The NEI funds supported Defense Business Research to research the opportunities available for growth of the defense industry within Macomb County and Southeast Michigan.
  • Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation
    In May 2010, a grant of $404,950 was awarded to the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation to serve as an intermediary for regional transportation, distribution and logistics leadership to build a workforce development hub for that sector. Specifically...
  • Focus Detroit Conference
    The NEI funds supported the “Revitalization and Business: Focus Detroit” conference, in order to highlight the opportunities in Michigan for recent post-secondary education graduates.
  • Global Detroit
    The NEI funds supported a three phase process to attract and retain immigrants in the Metro Detroit region. NEI Program Focus: Talent – The funds support a research study and implementation plan on how to retain and employ foreign-born...
  • Global Talent Retention Initiative (GTRI)
    The NEI funds supported the Global Talent Retention Initiative (GTRI) to provide resources for Michigan’s international students to live and work in Detroit during their schooling and after graduation. The goal is to link international...
  • Health/Life/Bio science research strategy
    In November 2009, Business Leaders for Michigan received a grant of $42,500 to support a process to engage the primary life science leaders and stakeholders and to build a health/life/bio science strategy and initiative. The effort has three...
  • Intern in Michigan Program
    The NEI funds supported Intern in Michigan to implement an online matching system to connect Michigan college students with Michigan-based internships.
  • Life Science Report
    The NEI funds supported the Life Science Report to provide support for an assessment of opportunities within the heath/bio/life science industry through an asset map that would identify the potential for a regional health-life-bio science strategy.
  • Macomb Community College
    The NEI funds supported Macomb Community College to develop leadership and strategy for the growth of the regional workforce in the defense/homeland security sector.
  • MDC Inc.
    In May 2010, NEI awarded a grant of $230,000 over two years to the MDC Inc. to support the implementation of the Achieving the Dream (ATD) program at Oakland Community College and Washtenaw Community College. This investment is funding the first two...
  • Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC)
    The NEI funds supported the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) to serve as an intermediary to convene leaders, develop strategy and build services for the regional advanced manufacturing sector.
  • NextEnergy
    The NEI funds supported NextEnergy to convene alternative energy leaders to develop a regional sectoral workforce development strategy. NEI Program Focus: Talent – NextEnergy aims to create career pathways and ladders within the alternative...

Evaluation and Culture Change

  • DSource (Detroit Regional News Hub)
    The NEI funds supported the launch of DSource, a regional media relations organization that aims to improve the image of Detroit and to inform city residents about the investment and innovation in Michigan.

What is the New Economy Initiative?

Strategic investments and regional collaboration are helping the New Economy Initiative and partner organizations promote economic revitalization in southeast Michigan.

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