Yeah, so I think what we're going to do for the sake of time, is call up the members of our next resource panel, and then we'll take q&a at the end. All right. And for those of you who are wanting a lunch update once it is on the way, much what we'll do is pick it up and take it with these sessions. So
good to hear.
So let's do we have our next panelist?
So this is a panel on resourcing your project, a lot of you have, you know, so many master plans submitted. And one of the first questions that was asked
of both fundraising support your
individual development. Basically,
we have a lovely panel here today, and I'll let them introduce themselves. I'll be sharing about themselves about their organizations, a little bit about specific opportunities that I look for. And then just as I love makes a great proposal, a good donor outreach. We're hoping that we find like etc, q&a. So those are the only questions and then we'll have a
connection. Thanks for that wonderful presentation. My name is Alexa Bush, I work at the foundation. And I do not know a number of pieces of history. I know that for about two years, my background as a landscape architect of how we invest in public space in the city.
And so I'm really
excited to share what some of those opportunities might look like. Some of the programs that we offer that touch parks.
Hello, everybody, I'm Greg envy with the key foundation before something especially in
historical perspective, I have a lot of new dynamics for a lot of partners up here and look forward to sharing a number of the opportunities.
Hi, everyone. I'm the Executive Director of the Detroit Pistons Foundation.
We work
more on a smaller scale and occasionally through our neighbors program, which takes place in the summer. So I'll be able to give you a little bit more detail on
that afternoon.
I'm Tracy Welch, CEO of a consulting agency based in Detroit, where the social impact sector and we work with small and emerging nonprofits
last monopolies, good afternoon. My name is JD was the director of public space for the foundation. I've been my role for almost four years now. Previously, I used to be the Deputy Director for innovation department. So thank you for having me. For us, you know, on the foundation tonight, we looked to help to rebuild a public space program placemaking and sustainability. So we'll talk more about what we
so just keep in mind, okay, I'm
sharing some opportunities, with everyone in the crowd, what kinds of things are trashed, making an overview of foundation funding if you were a kid
So, just looking around the room, how many of you guys?
How many of you guys are part of our backyard? Detroit? Yeah, so these are two programs that are foundation. But obviously he has collaborated with in order to provide programming and placemaking. In the city of Detroit. For us, for the for me and my team, we tried to connect the grassroots. We love to connect with nonprofits and organizations that are and how can we be ready to help uplift the programs, and you guys have already been doing it. And so it doesn't make sense to read. And it's just awful.
So, my answer to questions like this, and anybody who's worked with me, lives with noxious interest. Right? It depends on what they care about. And then how to connect you as stewards of the public places, and important connectors in the community, you can answer those questions that will help us define plans to reach folks where they are. And so there are ways right like an annual organization. Conservancy, where as sidewalk Detroit might be important for funding. So lots of opportunities to
explore and
if you can answer those questions, I think it really helps to connect with audiences and help find your funding.
Okay, well, the trigger persons program
works differently. It's just a much more focused program. It began as part of our move back to the city of Detroit. And we started it as initially just to refurbish course, around Detroit. And then we decided that we also have to have activities that aren't just basketball around the neighborhood from Detroit. So we wanted to bring into the Navy. So as this has evolved into the Navy and we made a way to apply this year to enable staff activity and equipment so that maybe
they are grants, we will just be paying the staff directly so you're applying for specific types of activities and then there are great opportunities afterwards that we had
so just reach out, reach out with questions
because we know certain seven counties of Southeast Michigan has some very average large scale biggest funds or geographic service areas. For us you eligible for it's something that's across that broad area of funds for your design and construction. Projects are accessible programming, design and
programming right up through other partners need to fix something that you love for your space. So might be more than I answer those questions, but also as a full service was Foundation also talked about through your partners every other artists, children fears, aging and caregiving. So how?
Yeah, Greg, yep. Why competition for selling.
And so from the perspective of the Kresge Foundation, there are probably two main ways that you could find something that you really need to the first descent program. This is a program that will be coming in 2024, I got the date. It says, go to the check. Sign up. And when we get back there, together, but this is a program that really is our foundations way of really trying to think about what this for equitable funding. So there's not a specific scale, or size. This is a grant to really find
innovative ideas in what makes sense.
We see a lot of current or pocket private projects. So it doesn't necessarily have to be eligible. We often have different ways, or kind of, like Greg laid out, he was in the process
of planning, implementation grants was
about $35,000 to $150,000, or one or two years, depending on your project, we may be leaning more toward the implementation side, you've seen so many creative coming together, there's
a lot of demand out there especially.
So more opportunity.
The second is even
to understand how I wasn't the only one that that tends to be project based. So we don't typically your ongoing programming, or reading, that's probably not the best fit. But if you have something that is more project based capital planning, may be really good to get there. You can explore with a number of different perks, stewards of various sizes and capacities of what their needs might look like. Whether that is prevalent or operator support, and then bringing people together and diverse coalition. As we're to think through what that looks like, again, stick with the DPC, we hope to have resources that we have to touch parts. So it's really one point in 10 different websites to package those stages.
Okay, so last question from me. And then we're going to call Cooper back up here to turn the mic over the IOU. From all of your perspectives, what are you looking for? What makes a strong application? What advice can you give everyone here as they're preparing? Materials? I really think we tend to look
for two main things.
The first is really what's that level
of community support.
You know, we talked about a doctor Park getting launched by administrations. And I think we like to see where you have that support from community where you have a team behind you cannot just keep going with great things that are looking to get going in your neighborhoods. The second part of this is where it can be tricky is to try and get as specific as possible about what it is you want to achieve with the grant. And sometimes is taking some time for yourself to get her like, okay, is this something that we need to communicate like Miss Jones on that she can make a decision that folks like to have in the working in a public park, you know, if it's a big hit box, you have permission from them and just making sure that you actually have the team that made those decisions with you is really important. Because we need to see something Wait
a sec,
arming the department or training before the landing for six, seven months and after like my progress. So I think you bring everything together from the outset and sort of layout
roles and
responsible and investment decisions. projects before success
Yeah, similar interests on committees on issues around partnerships, collaborations our support for the arts coalition was really centered around what resources already exist across organizations rather than than because it's not our are you working with partners? What type of request is the key foundation it really is important said keeps reaching out to look for the variety of funds and funding opportunities not hyperbole for fortunately different boards throughout the year, in cycles that different interests develop $100 We have a business analysis
so you can look at it
I would tell you, you can't have a designated funds that you're spending time doing this opportunity. So, so for us, it is partnerships community as was mentioned
because of ours is centered around the heart
and then we look at if you have community support, will you be able to get it to our to the activities who are able to enjoy yours? So be aware of popular times that your perks? Are you?
What kind of
kid either? If you are asking for something at one o'clock on a Wednesday, do you actually think that people will either and then what type of equipment your car has to do their interacting for basketball on the basketball court.
So it's a pretty straightforward application,
we ask all the questions we would run from after the fourth of July through executed.
If you sign up with the Detroit
particles, emails, you'll you'll see those applications.
So a bit of a different perspective on this. But stay ready, right? Because if Greg's got 14 different boards that he's reporting to them at different deadlines, and he calls you and says, Yo, I'm in an application and I needed on Saturday, be read. And relationships are key. It gets really tricky to be successful in seeking funding from any kind of partner. If you don't have some personal relationship with them know what triggers their emotional connection to the work that you do. Do you want me to talk about it? How are you going to get to where you want to be a stronger, healthier, more connected community. And then finally asked for advice. A lot of folks in the room they see funding from different funders. So they've been successful for different reasons, learn from them, ask them what they've done. Ask them for connection. And I'll also say, you know, pending in these opportunities. You know, it's sort of like a chicken and egg situation that we get into with fund development and seeking funding, right? Like our funders want to know that you're investment worthy. And a lot of times they look at investments based on who else is giving money. Giving the money before you've got it, you've got to be ready. So thinking through a really strong case for an investment. What makes You and the organization that you brought back positions to be a good steward of their investments. And if you can think through answering those questions before you call Greg, or anybody up here for our meeting, I think you're going to be much better positioned to be successful. And then finally, I shared with my colleague here, little for free technical assistance. There's several organizations that I know that specifically for the kipi program, and in their partnership with color, and Michigan community resources, they offer training, usability, preparedness for the opportunities and take advantage of opportunities. We're all learning, we're all growing together.
Around this off, so for us, it's all about what relationships for us, we don't have an open forum for anyone to apply. We don't have an RFP that goes out, it's all about sitting down coffee, or over zoom 2023 and building relationships, in order to figure out whether there are areas where people I know have the choice to talk about, you know, alignment, right? When I think about alignment, is making sure that it doesn't go against your organization's mission, to try to find the right in logical direction, as well as us as a foundation. No more than a, right, let's figure out another opportunity in the future. But don't try to miss up to wherever you want to call it to try to go get go after X amount of dollars, right? Because at the end of the day, you guys, listen to us, right. And so I think for us, when we look at, you know, relationships and how we fund public space, we provide opportunities, redevelopment for the space programs place. And then the ultimate sustainability. But as a foundation, we also have an education and employment. We have a housing, right? We have Detroit initiatives, which are bigger projects. And so you know, if we have a conversation, and it doesn't align this meeting, that's okay. Which other team? Can I put you in the right direction, that may align with better weather. And so that's how we go about looking at at our work and how we fund a lot of our projects. We worked really closely with the city of Detroit, Parks and Recreation GSD. And we also worked really closely with my colleagues here with other philanthropies. I believe we believe that, you know, it takes all of us as a village, we can leverage each other in our knowledge to help, why not? Right. So
thank you all for those words of wisdom.
Let's take a few questions.
Great information. Thank you so much for all of
that. If an organization has had all of the
opportunities that you have right now, is there a waiting period between the times you receive them before you even apply for funding for future yourself? Any one
of your programs? So what's your name in jail? Oh, you're perfect. All right. That's a nice way. And so I will say it's a case by case situation, I think for us have to look internally, other teams are investing in that area. And we just want to make sure that we're not saturating one area, right. Like I said, I always we always speak to one another as as other foundation economies, and we just want to make sure that we're not just all our foundations are all in one area, but there was further development as well. And so I think, for me, it will be a case by case situation, and depending on how successful our first trade went as well, right? It was transparency. What you guys were both responsibilities and outcomes. Were met on both ends. Yes. Well, let's figure out what you want to potentially look at and go from then.
Never, I wouldn't layer on to you because it depends. As your program officer, when you get the funding ask them is there They're around to how long before the next grant? Can I ask for something that's adjacent or different or similar?
Yeah, so we try to answer it is, and it depends. Because we have so many different funding rounds, we try to read them as an opportunity as soon as possible. So here are some opportunities. One is for design and access of public spaces. Sports, like I said
with the programming, so those opportunities, you don't have, or, or one of the other things I'm good at each of those opportunities to grow at the same time, so we're gonna wait to see
rather quickly with a clip deprogram,
you won't be eligible for a second grant until you're completed with your first project and grant. That being said that the selection committee for 50 includes backup and it foundation but also collect MCR and community residents, because we wanted to get out of just the bubble of relationships, we know and widen that out. So I say that the same the people so like they may or may not know, their previous support, but the same closeness for that program. So you're welcome. If you're not actively running another
in terms of the neighbors program, reapply every year. If it was successful in years past, we made choose to go there, again, we've tried to have geographic diversity mentioned, you know, a certain area to be oversaturated. So it'll depend on the other applicants. So always keep in mind.
Thank you. Good afternoon. My
name is Thomas, I am a fellow and
have a question. Please share your contact information.
I think for the sake of time, if you guys don't mind, maybe welcome email, everyone's contact information, all the panelists as well. All right.
Is Ron, I'm representing democratic districts in Detroit, this organization for revitalization? My big question across three of the organizations there, I've applied it several times, and not been enough. So my big question is answering the question, and my answer the question, right. So with that said, I'm familiar with Colette, as well as MCR. You reach out to them whenever they have their events? Is coffee and donuts that are a site visit? does this all work more? What else? No,
so it's a really great question.
And I think what I am sitting across from from Patrick's presentation, he was talking about the rec department and the 1600 $30 million budget and 800 more people that we have today. You know, they're now our private funders and coalition's in there, but I don't think the level that even we're on bringing them to the table matches that. Right. So there is a need and demand and great programs out there that goes beyond I think the level of funding that all of us are bringing to the table. So we just want to put that for context, like you might have a phenomenal project. And it's partly just that
there is still a scarcity of resources funded.
So I think what we're trying to do is help events and they're trying to figure out how to make sure that they can spread around resources. So I mean, I don't have an exact answer. Like I think those relationships do help. For the Kinsey program. We do have MSCI product. They're called office hours for folks who don't get selected in that cycle, mostly guys to unlock more gratification and improve it It wasn't a guarantee to get the grant. But it might have been, you know, you didn't explain a part of it that the selections needed to help him become more competitive in a pool. But
I wish I'd had like that 100 million
that we put out every year that the series is part of it. That I would encourage you to keep trying to connect with folks. But I do think that's a great opportunity to network site visit all of the above.
Yeah, I didn't mention so better the Community Foundation. years before that it was 15. All nonprofits, I was executive director of two different small nonprofits. And one will answer every question asked about what's available for Monday. That's Alexa released to Ottawa. Like to do arts and culture work, too. We're just floating around for some all arts organizations. We've got 100 applications that are 72, declines of the 7265 or are just had 35 other ones. Which is very dispiriting, and I'm going to move down, but it is, but I would say when people ask, it's introduced resources. And then sometimes when it isn't,
you really need to ask this
question a lot more than
you have to collect is the crumbing part of being in fundamentals? To ask a lot of people you have to be okay with the rejection. And as a recovering fundraiser, I've faced rejection. So be comfortable and confident in those but don't don't put time in ask someone and not everybody will answer. There's a lot of folks that are getting notes. But try to collect those data points and keep at it. All right.
I'm carnivores, with the Wayne County Conservation District in a quick question, is your funding just for City of Detroit? Or does it expand to other environmental justice communities
within Wayne County?
I'll take this first. So for us to focus on the city of Detroit. We because of our founder because of moving the business downtown, our primary priority is to support the ecosystem within the city. City of Detroit will continue to do so we have done some work in other markets like played with it and being Charlotte, as well as Atlanta. But for us, it's 178 goes on honey 73 square miles and city Detroit that we support that I don't believe there is a district or zip code within the city of Detroit that we have not had some type of effect or word with organization.
I think I answered this, but Yes, ours is primarily in the city of Detroit.
Ours is standardized throughout the county, but also Washington, Winston, Monroe, and Oakland. And so those limited resource conversations I'm having. I'm having contacts which I can just reach out so we can know. We can talk about some incredible work happening and opportunities out there.
I worked on our Detroit program in the Kresge Foundation until our funding is focused on Detroit Kennedy includes Highland Park in Hamtramck. We do have other programs in the Kresge Foundation, some of which are national security point about alignment and maybe just finding Detroit is pretty broad like we will find a point around here in the city. But we do have health arts and culture environment, other practices that go nationwide. Where do you find that alignment with a different team within the present foundation
Any questions, comments, anything for Cooper based on his presentation? All right.
Hi, my name is Gregory, self. And I do have a few things to say. Okay, so you spoke about how we can revive our communities and more resources, and how can we sustain more binaries. And one thing you can speak about is how, over time and stay in a lot of our biases destroyed, but with the confidence of the individuals. And if we can focus on we can on our communities in us,
far as
speaking for anonymous people, so basically, I stated that typically everything that was destroyed and true outside the intelligence of the individuals was destroyed. By the generations of our communities by sustaining the mindset, our our communities will get better. We have to realize we are our communities is our is our, the mindset, our mindset, our individuals, bring awareness. So the mindset are individuals that were destroyed on Saturdays, we can sustain our communities, because a lot of us don't realize that we step up.
I would love to offer something disinterest, or, you know, another question or, you
know, it's very nerve wracking for me. So our communities was destroyed, right. So we'd like the resources, we like everything. So the deals or resources that we have to build them to elements of our individuals, by understanding that we are all one in our environment. So if we come outside, and our virus is destroyed, it reminds us department is destroyed. So we focus on like random resource, as far as you know, different part resources, we'll be talking about breaking barriers for individuals. So as I focus more, so far, on Parsons School.
So how can we view that
as triggering, that
helped us trigger focus on the traumas that it was, so how can we do that?
No, I think that's a spot on question. I mean, I think, to me, the scarcity of resources from Parks is more of like, a short term in terms of attending an event or something in this summer, I think that's where I'm getting that I think you're spot on. You know, I think even a gathering like this is so important, because it's not just going to be an individual grant to your project that that addresses what you're talking about. It's bringing all of us into the community that we advocate together to get the resources that communities truly need to meet those needs. Right, that our human needs, that our psychological needs met our well being and right things that I think parts can play pieces in, but aren't going to solve all of those problems. That I would encourage you guys to the network in this room and other types of resources that are here beyond just ramps up like how do you get the trash can actually picked up by the city? How do you find the writing programming, maybe there are so many more resources, I'm actually really helps. But there's so much in this network that I think is at least a starting point to how we rebuild just to stay connected with one another and to think about how we support each other with resources with knowledge with relationships with connections, but I think your point is very well taken and then I'd encourage you and others to continue to connect and have that conversation about how do we start to fill in those gaps out of a kind of a stone soup approach and and end up with more than we started with had to really rebuild what's needed and what's been disinvested for so long.
I appreciate your question. My name is Ivana. Can I just finish off? Okay. So I will say, ma'am, when it comes to the viewing portion of that you're absolutely correct. Right? How can you afford it? I think, as a foundation, one aspects of what we do listening, missing is the mental health perspective. But that's not our brain and what we do, but I will say that we have on our phone call the tribunal, it's been 2.0. And applications will be going out soon. So we'll let everybody know. But one of the organizations that we helped support was Detroit fields, Detroit, which is an organization that focuses on the mental physical health of individuals in Detroit, the sum of the dollars that we provided through driving, it's fun, to help create their, their mental health facility place in Detroit. You know, what we tried to do is we listened to organizations, nonprofits and community have what they need, and try to meet them where they're at, as long as it also aligns with our mission. Right, on Detroit hills, Detroit, had a great mission, what they were trying to do, and what they have been doing is trying to heal the past and get the next generation opportunity. And so, you know, does it align 100%? No, but but if it makes a good case, we definitely will listen to it. So have conversations, apply for for for grants and opportunities, and then see what happens. So
I just felt like this leader, because as far as you know, that's my job for this one, because the individuals is what make up our expats. What are the individuals you are? So my thing is, like, there should be a part of the system. But it's only our individuals mentality says how can they keep me aware of ADB keep it clean, because it's like, a whole internals is not a female, United person, they get that, like, Okay, I need to go this. One, but I was taught and like, it was destroyed. So I don't get why that's not a part of that. Because you need individuals to create your parts, and you build it into resources, and so forth, for the individual, for the community, for you to just be focused on just the resources and not the individual within themselves.
But that's not the case. If you look at our program, our backyard Detroit, this left a park with each one of the districts, and they provide programming to understand how to keep your park clean, how to, and how to be ambassadors, how to be stewards, but also provide opportunities for community members about recycling and resources and things of that nature. So I think there are opportunities that are being being thought of in order to help the community and then that way, is naked
in it. And I understand what you're saying, because I've worked with the organization over the summer as one of those posts. So I understand what you're saying. But the same time people is not aware, as far as people have talked about, that they need to keep their homes clean, you don't take them well, we step outside, right. And everything's trash everywhere. Who's these individuals as far as like, their their parents or, you know, his family like okay, or does this channel living in Georgia is not just you know, have nothing to do with the resources, all of our current, you know, regardless of what you're saying, we are destroyed there. If you're not able to keep our parts clean, we have to understand that we can be conveniently completed within our service. So this is like I feel like it should be more focus points for us mentally building our sense of self awareness and self awareness. So I just felt like part of being more of like resources the resources are makes mistake.
Oh, for this adult assets for microphones, but I think I'd encourage you all to think about your work as supporting the social and emotional state of our communities. You're creating beautiful built environments are supporting and fostering community connection. You are providing gathering spaces and so while there are plenty of opportunities to serve and help everybody. You know, the lanes are always written in chalk. And to recognize as you continue to create beautiful spaces and to bring people together in ways that filled them up individually and collectively, you are affecting the mental health of your communities. And so while it might not feel like individualized therapy, when you take off your shoes, and you put your feet on the earth, that's a grounding and it's a connection, and it's really critical.
So we found something before, I was asking, I've heard protection mentioned that the youth were committed permission. Historically,
and neighborhoods, I'm wondering what your organization's now other panelists are doing to get youth involved.
Before passing, we have a Youth Advisory Council that grants great proposals, and extra just added to members as exhibition. Work trustees had ordered yesterday and one of those coaches was there. So I think it's something we're looking at
work not just happening at standing. Since they're going to be doing the rest of us whether it's arts funding, public space, funding, mental health.
I would say our team kind of different programs, different venues, thinking a lot about it. And some of that manifests in our explicit public space work. And some of that lives in maybe more community development work. sharp lines, very fuzzy overlap. But we work with a number of community based organizations that have advisories and might provide them even just operating support to continue that work as needed. We're thinking a lot about something as a frame that we're calling his childhood family centered neighborhoods. So really kind of thinking about whether it's parks, whether it's housing, whether it's retail, how do you really ensure that family's needs are met? Funding this campus quite a bit, as you're probably well aware, is a brand new early childhood facility. So we find here we found the Early Childhood ecosystem with care providers with both facility grants technical assistance. So I think there's a lot to your question about how that ties in. But we try to look at that issue both through public space, but also tweeted about how to be support, you've probably some of our families, and how do we ensure that not only are their needs met, but they have a voice and what that solution looks like?
For the sake of time, instead of passing, we like to move on to the next question. I have two more questions that I promised and then we will release you guys.
Everybody, my name is Andrew Wald, of planning and design consulting. And so I guess I'm wondering if the conversation has focused on the funder to the nonprofit?
And how that works. And I'm wondering if you could speak briefly to how the private sector fits into that architects. Designers contract
most often will find that nonprofits directly, but oftentimes, that is to procure a consultant to help them solve spatial problems. So given number of nonprofits, or programming reactivated they've been building so typically for us that you would fund those activities but the nonprofit should be finding a nonprofit partner that you might support or contract with
an answer but we also get to government dependencies, I think there and reaching out to understand the timeline is important. We are very responsible, under which changes it's about six months and application and dollars available, which is absurd. Particularly in the built environment where costs go up contract changes contract expires, so they can show a private sector relationships either way.
And I will say lastly is referring to the foundation in all our dollars have to go through five months. But I will also say As we speak to the organization that is looking for a contractor, it is strongly advised that we find a Detroit based business that the money stays in Detroit round. So that, you know, the money doesn't go outside of here. And that we can continue to support the ecosystem to continue.
Alright, last question. And then we will give you instructions on how to pick up lunch and on your day. Thanks.
My name is Antonia Rafael and with blacks of land as well as with friends of yours, Park. And I guess this is for Mr. Cooper a bid for JJ and everybody in general. And this is I'm kind of pulling back out a little bit. And it's funny because there's a dynamic of where a roomful of people who engage parts have historically been underfunded. So we're hungry, we have ideas, you guys have a funder. So it's like this funny, interesting, like dynamic lingo. And I think a lot of that is coming in the context of like a crisis of public versus private, you guys are talking to private foundations for managing the funding of public spaces. The city, as you know, has gone through this flight period of capital. So I just love to hear your thoughts on like this balance between public and private was appropriate for one. I think it's just like an interesting moment in our in the cities, finally getting some money, getting some funding getting some energy. Because I think that's a big challenge. I think you hear it in the concerns over mental health, individual, I think the state in general has failed as a council mental health support and education and equity equity as it comes to opportunities for individuals. So I hear that we see that pain, stress and trauma and stuff that comes from people in Detroit. But it falls within the context of this great movement of privatization that we're kind of all living in right now. Since like, we're all in this kind of like, post Reagan neoliberal era of things. I'll just love to hear some ideas or thoughts on that bigger picture, and how you exited.
Alright, thank you for the question. That is literally the subject of the dissertation. So the right person. Now whether I have an answer for you. One of the things that I learned doing so my mind had a goal of trying to understand the city's park system and its history besides just I was curious about Detroit. Maxwell was trying to understand what, what were the changes that took place? And what kind of lessons to draw from this, you know, how kind of problematic or beneficial are these different changes? One of the things that I've concluded is calling this transformation over the last 50 ish years, privatization is kind of incomplete. Partly because so many of the important partners are, you know, so like, even if you think of the organizations like the Detroit riverfront Conservancy, which is a private organization, its borders, School of Business Leaders. Where did most of the funding come from to build the riverfront? Its state money, primarily federal money. I've also gotten some press, but it's more of a coalition. And I would also say that some of the conflicts that arise are changes aren't as like acute and a strong with public partners that are with the right. Look at all way back in the 70s, over PELADA, people were really almost more upset, and for some valid reasons, over the possibility of the metro Congress or other state taking over. But they weren't necessarily about whether
we might,
management of spaces downtown. So for me, and I think the issue is less about is a public entity in charge or a private entity in charge, but more about are we being responsive and kind of democratic decision making. And unfortunately, public agencies can also be under traffic and how they make decisions. You know, each one of these groups that manages public space kind of answers to different presentations. I think one of the problems we have today is actually just that there are there are separate or kind of governance mechanisms and planning approaches for each case. If I you know, as someone who wanted to, you know, feel kind of washed off and an advocate for parks in Detroit wanted to kind of keep up with it all. While I would have to go to city council meetings. I'd have to keep track of with the Parks and Recreation Department. I'd have to attend the riverfront conservancy meetings are having to go every once awhile advisory committee meetings, you know, and even their separate control over what the Michigan Department of Natural Resources does versus The power Conservancy. You know, downtime in trade partnership has its own planning process or what it's doing now. Even in the people sitting here who, you know, are networked together and kind of do this full time, it's hard to keep track of it. When I was preparing this presentation, I was like, oh, like, I'm really well, is there something about 2016? When I was no longer living and breathing this every day, as a dissertation, I got hard to keep track. So I probably didn't answer your question very clearly. But these are the issues that I think of is how do we create a system in which someone is paying attention to the whole big picture, and it creates opportunities for involvement over the kind of key decision making over where we are? It's not necessarily that we have foundations and corporate donors and all but I really like these citizens of Detroit to be making good decisions over priorities.
I would love to have a wonderful conversation. Like JJ also recovered city employee planning department for six years. So think about this all the time, actually. About and I think for me, it comes down to accountability. You know, public sector is accountable to the public in ways that accreditations and so sometimes I think about like, the culture of the people who were there, but I'm accountable for board, people. And I think that how you wrestle with that it's not necessarily the bad in the private equity space. To me, the bigger challenges like even with us in this space, are still in a scarcity model, right? If you're not sufficiently resource, I believe you should be. And I tried to think about their scarcity. And there's a scarcity mindset. And as much as possible, we have a real scarcity. How do we not have a scarcity mindset, keep us on either imagining or advocating or working together toward what we should, and not being limited by the scarceness of our resources. But I think it's a really important question to wrestle with, given how our assets are funded across multiple sectors at this point.
To Alexa is pointing to be rapid fire, I also look at, I know how the internal workings of the city is and understanding the strength of the resources on the general funders. And so I don't look at it as a private or public, I look at it as if we're able to do this, guess what happens when the general fund doesn't need to do this? So those funds that were supposed to allocate for project today, utilize them somewhere else? Right. That's how I think about that, right. So if we're able to come in and provide what the city was supposed to provide for a new green space, those funds now can be allocated to somebody else that was on a treatment plan, and now gets put into a one year plan. You know, and that's how I go about looking at the work that we do. It's not us versus them, it's how can we work together to provide the necessary, the necessary necessary for the Detroit community for a very long time? I've heard, why not? Why not? Why not? You're one of us. And that needs to change, right? We shouldn't have to Detroit, the same amenities, that April's pointing at Bloomfield Hills, vertically, whatever other cities right outside of the city of Detroit. And so how do we do that we need to work together in a partnership. It's not us versus you, you know, it's us versus everybody else. Detroit vs everybody. And that's how it
all right round of applause for our panelists
I am going to send you on your way instruction I mess kind of segment of the event is breakout sessions. So there's three different tracks, track one which is in the Chapman room, you all have Macs on the back of your program so any kind of takeaways benefit you want to in the everyday I've made, which is that it's about people who've done something really successful sharing their stories so they can learn from them and hopefully jumpstart your classes. And then tag three in the brownstone room is anything and everything the city of Detroit. So if you have a question for the city if you want to learn about the permitting process so you now have a few minutes to get From now on to your next breakout room, on the way stop where you check in for registration and pick up a box lunch. We'll take it with you to your space, and then we will reconvene in this room a little bit after four o'clock.
