The City of Detroit is proud to announce a new public-private partnership with ChurchSpace, a dynamic technology platform that helps churches expand their role as community anchors as they also generate supplemental revenue.
Similar to Airbnb, ChurchSpace provides passive income streams for churches by connecting them with small businesses, food entrepreneurs, and service providers in need of flexible space. Many churches have full-service kitchens and event space that can go underutilized and ChurchSpace helps connect them with groups who need convenient available facilities. ChurchSpace is also working to support last-mile delivery and micro-fulfillment partnerships with national retailers.
As part of its startup growth, ChurchSpace, which was founded in Texas, will relocate its national headquarters to Downtown Detroit, once it has completed its site selection. The company will work closely with City leaders to launch a pilot program activating church campuses for entrepreneurship, events, and logistics.
“We are thrilled that ChurchSpace sees Detroit as the perfect place for their innovative business to be supported and grow,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Our churches have long been a critical backbone of our neighborhoods—feeding families, mentoring youth, and caring for those in need—and through ChurchSpace’s innovative work, they will be able to generate more resources to do their work.”
How Detroit Churches can apply
ChurchSpaces is currently working to identify candidates for a pilot phase in Detroit, which would include up to 15 churches, which will be screened and on-boarded by ChurchSpace. Since 2023, top-performing churches on the ChurchSpace platform in Texas have generated nearly $100,000 per year in new revenue—resources that have been reinvested into ministries, food programs, and community outreach.
The Detroit pilot will launch with a cohort of churches across the city. Churches interested in participating should apply at https://churchspace.typeform.com/to/IaHLMYRd?typeform-source=www.google.com.
Interested church representatives are encouraged to attend Churchspace’s May 30 informational event by RSVPing at https://www.eventbrite.com/signin/pre-auth?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fpulpits-to-possibilities-a-churchspace-detroit-lunch-learn-tickets-1325922161879%3Futm-campaign%3Dsocial.
Emmanuel Brown and Day Edwards, co-founders of ChurchSpace, are the children of pastors and bring nearly a decade of startup experience. They have raised over $1 million in venture capital and secured national partnerships with AWS, Google, and others. “Detroit is the ideal home for innovative startups like ChurchSpace,” said Brown. “With its rich faith community, strong civic leadership, and growing tech ecosystem, the city is poised to lead the nation in rethinking how sacred space can power economic mobility in neighborhoods.”
In their first three to five years in Detroit, ChurchSpace anticipates creating over one hundred fifty jobs—ranging from technical, operations, and support roles within the startup itself, to indirect roles in logistics, events, and delivery management.
“ChurchSpace represents the kind of innovation that aligns perfectly with Detroit’s values—creative, community-rooted, and committed to economic opportunity,” said Justin Onwenu, Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity for the City of Detroit. “This partnership uplifts forward-looking and civic minded technology to unlock new pathways for economic growth in our neighborhoods.”
