Funding supports affordable housing, workforce development and community capacity-building initiatives.
DETROIT – In alignment with its deepening focus on fostering vibrant neighborhoods and advancing economic mobility for Detroiters, the Hudson-Webber Foundation Board of Trustees has approved $500,000 in year-end grants to three Detroit-based nonprofit organizations. These grants reflect the Foundation’s commitment to supporting innovative programs that address the city’s evolving needs while enhancing the impact of its traditional funding strategies.
The organizations receiving funding—Enterprise Community Partners Detroit, Local Initiatives Support Corporation and United Way for Southeastern Michigan—will lead critical projects that promote equitable housing, workforce development and community capacity-building. This funding reinforces Hudson-Webber Foundation’s mission to create high-opportunity neighborhoods where Detroiters can thrive.
“These year-end grants reflect Hudson-Webber Foundation’s steadfast commitment to advancing equitable opportunities for all Detroiters,” said Donald Rencher, president and CEO of the HudsonWebber Foundation. “By supporting initiatives that expand access to affordable housing, strengthen workforce development systems and build community capacity, we strive to empower Detroit neighborhoods to prosper and create lasting economic mobility. We are proud to partner with these outstanding nonprofit organizations to tackle some of the city’s most pressing challenges and foster a more inclusive future where all residents can thrive.”
Built Environment
The Board of Trustees has approved a program grant of $225,000, to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to support the development of the Community Land Trust (CLT) ecosystem in Detroit. The grant will support the growth and stabilization of the Community Ownership Worktable—a collaborative forum of practitioners, city partners, funders, and lenders. The Worktable aims to develop a shared understanding of CLTs, explore their potential applications in Detroit, and identify the roles needed to accelerate their adoption. Through this initiative, the grant will facilitate a promising pilot project, provide technical assistance to prospective CLT initiatives, and leverage lending and capital expertise. Community land trusts are nonprofit organizations that acquire and develop land to ensure affordability. These organizations rent or sell homes on their land at prices significantly below market rate. Homebuyers enter into a land lease agreement that includes a resale restriction to maintain affordability for future generations. Advocates believe that scaling the CLT model could stabilize neighborhoods and make homeownership more accessible, fostering equitable and sustainable community growth.
Community & Economic Development
The Board of Trustees has approved a $50,000 program grant to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to support the Detroit Area Workforce Funders Collaborative in advancing equitable workforce development in the Detroit region. The Detroit Area Workforce Funders Collaborative brings together private funders to align around shared workforce development goals and strategies. Working closely with local partners, the collaborative emphasizes worker voice and people-centered approaches to create sustainable, inclusive solutions. Through its efforts, the Detroit Area Workforce Funders Collaborative plays a vital role in building a workforce development system that reflects and supports the majority-Black communities in Metro Detroit’s central city, ensuring that equity and justice are at the forefront of regional workforce strategies.
The Hudson-Webber Foundation Board of Trustees has approved a $225,000 grant to provide operating support for two of Enterprise Community Partners Detroit’s community development organizations: Jefferson East Inc. and East Warren Development Corporation. This grant aligns with the Foundation’s commitment to fostering vibrant Detroit neighborhoods with high opportunities and quality of life. It builds on the Building the Engine of Community Development in Detroit (BECDD) initiative, which established the CDO Fund—a coordinated funding and capacity-building system for community development organizations. By transitioning its grantmaking relationships with Jefferson East Inc. and East Warren Development Corporation to the CDO Fund, the Foundation is enhancing the fund’s ability to strengthen organizational capacity and impact in the community.