Windsor, Ontario –The Gordie Howe International Bridge team recently announced that 14 organizations will receive $200,000 (CDN) in funding through the Community Benefits Plan.
The funding is part of the Community Organization Investment initiative, which offers grants up to $25,000 (CDN) to organizations serving Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit. Seven organizations from Windsor and seven from Detroit were selected following an application process, marking the fourth annual funding release of this five-year initiative.
This year’s US organizations will deliver the funded projects between July 2023 and June 2024.
Recipients include:
- Community Health and Social Services (CHASS): CHASS Mercado summer program
- Capturing Belief: the Southwest Detroit Portrait Studio
- Trinity St. Mark’s Pantry and Gardens: food for unhomed individuals
- Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit: Cinco de Mayo parade and fiesta
- Hispanic Police Officers’ Association of Michigan-Detroit Chapter: grants for youth sports in Southwest Detroit
- Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition: Delray-Southwest engagement and family days
- Clark Park Coalition: summer program kickoff and winter carnival
This year’s available funding increased from $100,000 (CDN) to $200,000 (CDN), based on a demonstrated need for additional funds in the initiative’s previous three years. To date, through this initiative, $500,000 (CDN) has been invested in events, programming and infrastructure improvements. All funding recipients and their initiatives align with priorities identified during public consultation including community partnerships, community safety and connections, aesthetics and landscaping and economic benefits.
“The Gordie Howe International Bridge project team is excited to announce the diverse and meaningful initiatives receiving funding this year,” said Heather Grondin, Vice president, Corporate Affairs and External Relations for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. “By providing more support to our community partners through the increased investment amount, we’re able to create even better outcomes for our neighbors living in Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray, Southwest Detroit.”
QUICK FACTS
- Funding through the Community Organization Investment initiative is available each year between 2020 to 2024 and is one of over 35 initiatives that make up the Neighborhood Infrastructure Strategy component of the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan.
- The application process for this year’s initiative ran from November 2022 through January 2023 and resulted in 36 eligible submissions. The project’s Local Community Group, comprised of stakeholders from the host communities, played a significant role in reviewing the applications and providing recommendations to the project team.
- As part of this initiative, community organizations can apply annually for funding for events, programming and infrastructure improvements in amounts ranging from $1,000 – $25,000 (CDN). The application process for the 2024 funding cycle is anticipated to open in November 2023.
- The Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan is being delivered by Bridging North America with collaboration and oversight from WDBA and the State of Michigan.
