So often the innerworkings of nonprofit organizations are misunderstood. Nonprofits always show up for the situation. Whether it’s raising funds for football uniforms, supporting veterans navigate homelessness, becoming a big sister for a teen or walking shelter dogs; nonprofits always make it work. We make it look effortless. Why? Because nonprofits create miracles with little. Continue Reading
The history of the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) is rooted in education, and it is at the heart of what we do. Founded in 1928 as a community art school, where people of all ages could take classes, the FIA began collecting art a year later. It broadened its mission to teach art through Continue Reading
After almost five years of planning, three years of construction, and an incalculable number of hours spent by our staff and contractors, the new Sloan Museum of Discovery will finally open July 16. While the location of the new Sloan will be familiar, visitors will barely recognize any traces of the former museum. By nearly Continue Reading
More than five years of planning, fundraising and hard work will culminate with the grand re-opening of Flint Public Library on May 19. The Library Board voted in 2019 to undertake a $30 million renovation project. In November of that same year, the City of Flint voted Yes on a $12.6 million bond proposal to Continue Reading
(Above and below: photos of the former Buick City property, one of the largest brownfield sites in Michigan) Let’s start with a scenario. You own a company, maybe a small manufacturer. Business is good and you’re looking for a place to build new operations. You find the perfect location — plenty of land with access Continue Reading
Michigan is the automotive hub of the world, and Flint is “Vehicle City.” For over a century, this community and our state have been at the center of all things automotive. Is it any surprise that we’re driving the innovation and transformation that are leading to a new generation of electric vehicles? Last year was Continue Reading
I am Detroit born and raised and wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when I moved to Flint to head up the Downtown Development Authority. In the few months I’ve been in Flint, I’ve learned so much about my new city. That Flint was the Vehicle City long before Detroit was the Motor City! That Continue Reading
The pandemic was hard on all of us, especially on our kids. Every one of us could share stories about the challenges our children faced and the obstacles they overcame. At the heart of each of those stories of persistence is a school principal, bus driver, educator, janitor, librarian or support staff who went above Continue Reading
Life is largely returning to normal. Masks are no longer required, restaurants are back to 100 percent capacity, and people are beginning to travel again. When will the economy return to normal, and what will normal look like? These are difficult questions to answer, as the economy has never been in a recession like this Continue Reading
Our complex relationship with land is a defining characteristic of our American society. In the not-so-distant past it was viewed virtually unfathomable that the value of land would ever decrease significantly, but that has indeed happened on a wide scale. When the private market concluded that a piece of land had no value, we did Continue Reading
