Crowd funding planned for Mich. public spaces

LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Economic Development Corp. is planning a crowd funding and matching grant initiative to help drive public space projects in the state. Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Michigan-based crowd funding platform Patronicity. The open application process began earlier this month. Nonprofits and other business entities may submit projects and apply for a crowd funding campaign. Projects meeting fundraising goals would then receive a matching grant from MEDC of up to $100,000. The MEDC has selected Midtown Detroit Inc.'s Green Alley Project as the Public Spaces Community Places pilot effort. Midtown Detroit is working with Patronicity to raise $50,000 through crowd funding to transform a 415-foot-long alley with environmentally friendly infrastructure. -------- Online: http://www.crowdfundingmi.com. http://www.patronicity.com/project/greenalley. Published: Fri, Jul 25, 2014