2024 Public Spaces Community Places Annual Report

Public Spaces Community Places is a powerful crowdgranting program and public placemaking initiative that builds vibrant communities across Michigan. Learn more in the 2024 Annual Report.

Celebrating 10 Years of Building Vibrant Communities Across Michigan

Thriving places help define a community’s economic vitality–from bike trails and pocket parks to public sculpture projects; they contribute to a strong quality of life, help attract and retain talent, and grow stronger local economies.

Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) is a powerful crowdgranting program and public placemaking initiative that builds vibrant communities across Michigan. Created by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in 2014 in collaboration with the Michigan Municipal League (MML) and Patronicity, PSCP was the first program of its kind in the country. The MEDC remains committed to supporting these efforts across Michigan and has contributed $13 million in matching grant funds since 2014.

How It Works

PSCP is a matching grant program that utilizes donation-based crowdfunding to generate public support and funding to create new public spaces or revitalize vacant public spaces. Community-led placemaking projects can use PSCP to obtain the final funding needed to open a new space and gain public support and awareness in the process. Potential projects must focus on activating public spaces and creating well-used community places.

Projects are guided through the crowdfunding campaign process with one-on-one coaching by Patronicity. Through crowdfunding on Patronicity, communities can secure funding for developing strategic projects with a matching grant of up to $50,000 or $75,000 for universally accessible projects, from the MEDC. Communities, nonprofits, and municipalities can submit projects by creating a Patronicity crowdgranting campaign.

As these projects affect the lives and well-being of entire communities, it’s essential that they establish public awareness, gain local momentum, and earn the support of their “crowd” to reach their goal of creating or maintaining a local landmark.

The crowdgranting model engages the public, allowing residents to be involved in achieving place-based improvements and instilling community pride as they invest in their surroundings.

This program increases Michigan’s ability to attract and retain knowledge-based talent by taking advantage of unique placemaking assets across the state, making it a valuable funding mechanism for community investment.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Public Spaces Community Places.

“We are excited to be celebrating this important milestone for the PSCP program. Over the past 10 years, PSCP has been a part of activating places where people play and gather, resulting in nearly 24 million square feet of public space for Michiganders to enjoy.” – Paula Holtz, Regional Prosperity Managing Director, MEDC

Learn more about the program by downloading the 2024 Public Spaces Community Places Annual Report.