A $1 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has launched the Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Association’s fundraising efforts for its new rowing center one giant length closer to the finish line.

The grant is the largest gift the BSRA has received for the Patrick Paladino Memorial Boathouse, based on the original donation of land from the Paladino family, and will be used for the construction and management of the center located at 405 Ohio St. on the Buffalo River.

Read the full article at The Buffalo News »

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Announces Vision for a Center for Nonprofit Support in Detroit

TechTown, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Community Wealth Partners to ‘build out’ the Center’s operations and early services

 

Detroit, MI (December 4, 2017) – Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation announced its plans today to develop and pilot a yet-to-be-named Center focused on nonprofit support, located at the corner of Woodward Avenue and East Grand Boulevard in the New Center/North End neighborhood of Detroit.

Driven by the Foundation’s grantmaking focus in nonprofit support and innovation, the Center will offer a physical space and hub for nonprofit leaders and practitioners to gather and have access to a connected and well-informed network of resources aimed at accelerating solutions around the mission-related and sector-based issues they face.

“It’s our vision that the Center will build greater capacity and enhance capabilities within the organizations that we work with,” said David Egner, president & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Over time, we also plan to add innovative problem-solving practices in the Center to assist nonprofits and social innovators in developing new approaches and delivery systems to address challenges in our region.”

After more than a year of research and conversations with nonprofit leaders and support organizations, the Foundation learned that while many nonprofit resources exist in Southeast Michigan, there is often a lack of coordination and awareness around them. At the same time, nonprofit leaders expressed a desire to connect with more peers and experts across different fields, which this physical space will allow to happen. The Foundation also reviewed a number of national models and consulted with national experts to construct this place-based model.

 

The Partners

To lead the overall management and day-to-day operations of the Center, the Foundation recently approved a three-year grant for $4,750,000 to TechTown.  While TechTown is known as Detroit’s hub for entrepreneurs, its leadership and staff have more than 20 years of experience in building communities and networks of individuals to serve entrepreneurs and innovators in the private sector and social impact arenas.

“TechTown’s leadership and team have demonstrated adaptability and proven the value of activating a physical space devoted to fostering idea-sharing, education and network-building,” said Egner.

Drawing on this experience, TechTown will recruit and hire staff to manage the Center, which will include overseeing the operations, event planning, communications and marketing. It will also apply its proven practices within the nonprofit community and coordinate a networked delivery system of strategic services and resources for nonprofits, leveraging its close partnership with Wayne State University.

“Nonprofits, like entrepreneurs, need support to grow strategically and try new things,” said Ned Staebler, president & CEO of TechTown and vice president for economic development at Wayne State. “Our job will be to help connect them to the right people and the right resources so they can deepen their impact, building a stronger regional nonprofit network in the process.”

Through a grant of $315,000, the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) will work as a key partner focused on the Center’s capacity building services, including nonprofit assessments, resource referrals informed by their current network of expert providers, and case management. MNA has relationships with more than 4,000 nonprofits, and a suite of tools and practices to help nonprofits become more efficient and effective at delivering on their mission. MNA’s staff will also schedule planned “office hours” as part of this work and will serve as a strategic partner as the Center’s service concept continues to evolve and grow.

“Boosting the capabilities of a nonprofit can make a world of difference in helping to advance the work in their communities. We are excited to be a key partner in this innovative vision to meet the needs of Southeast Michigan,” said Donna Murray-Brown, president & CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association.

In addition to these grantees, the Foundation has contracted with Community Wealth Partners, a national expert in capacity and network building, to help with further planning and development to bring the Center concept to life. Through facilitation with partner organizations and concept review, Community Wealth Partners will provide a third-party perspective, insight into best practices and suggestions for continuous improvement.

“Nonprofits in the Detroit region are trying to solve large, complex problems. To do so effectively, they need better access to each other and to cutting-edge tools and resources,” said Sara Brenner, president at Community Wealth Partners. “We are committed to help the Foundation and its partners co-create a model that enables nonprofits to learn from each other, strengthen their effectiveness in serving the community, and coordinate efforts to solve major challenges together. We are honored to partner with the Foundation on this.”

 

Early Operations & Services

The Foundation anticipates the Center will begin limited operations and services in mid- to late-2018. The 7,500-square-foot space, which is located on the ground floor of the Foundation’s headquarters and leased from Midtown Detroit Inc., is currently being prepared for build out.

In early 2018, the Foundation and Center partners will begin to strategize the best design and layout to facilitate collaboration, service delivery and special events. In addition, the Center will also be led through a naming and brand identity development process.

In its early operations, the Center will focus primarily on grantees and potential grantees of the Wilson Foundation as the ‘first clients,’ and will offer some services, activities and events to fellow foundations and nonprofits. With the Center’s primary partners recently established, there are still many questions and operational details to be determined in the coming months as the Center gets up and running. More details will be shared closer to the Center’s launch later in 2018.

With the Center based in Southeast Michigan, the Foundation is also in the early stages of talking with partners across Western New York, its other region of focus, to determine the best approach for providing nonprofit support, based on the existing assets and activities already happening there.

 

###

About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit rcwjrf.org.

 

About TechTown Detroit:

TechTown is Detroit’s entrepreneurship hub, with a full suite of programs for both tech and neighborhood small businesses. TechTown works with businesses at all stages, helping startup, emerging and established companies develop, launch and grow. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org.

 

About Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA):

Incorporated in 1990, MNA is a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, and resources. MNA manages multiple programs and affiliates and is a sponsoring organization for AmeriCorps VISTA. Visit us at mnaonline.org.

 

About Community Wealth Partners:

Established in 1997 by the anti-hunger and anti-poverty nonprofit Share Our Strength, Community Wealth Partners is a social sector consulting firm offering strategy development and implementation, strategic capacity building, community collaboration and network building, and learning and evaluation services to foundations and nonprofits. At Community Wealth Partners, we dream of a world in which all people thrive. To realize this dream, we focus on long-term transformational change and helping our partners take the practical steps to solve social problems at the magnitude at which they exist. Visit us at communitywealth.com.

 

Media Contacts:

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

Download Press Release

The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation is looking to fill a gaping hole in metro Detroit’s support system for nonprofits — and it’s turning to some experts in entrepreneurial cross-pollination to help.

The foundation is putting more than $5 million in grants over the next few years behind what could be a first-of-its-kind nonprofit support and innovation center. To run it, the foundation has tapped the TechTown business incubator in Detroit to transfer the supportive approach and collaborative, innovative environment it’s created for entrepreneurs to the region’s nonprofits.

That funding is just the tip of the $1 billion foundation’s planned commitment to nonprofit support and innovation.

While there are many consultants and organizations offering various capacity-building and operating supports for nonprofits, there’s no coordinated system of them in the region, the foundation found after a yearlong study. Just as importantly, there’s no local, dedicated space for nonprofits to innovate together.

Read the full article at Crain's Detroit Business »

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Highlights 2017 Grants-to-Date

Foundation has committed nearly $24 million in grants across 40 organizations impacting its four areas of focus

 

Detroit, MI /Buffalo, NY (Oct. 19, 2017) – Just one year after the launch of its official grant application portal, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation today highlighted nearly $24 million in grants awarded to 40 organizations throughout Western New York and Southeast Michigan since January 2017.

 

“Since opening the grant portal last year, our team has invested a significant amount of time learning about the many organizations that serve the Western New York and Southeast Michigan communities,” said David Egner, president and CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Many of the grants we made this year allow organizations to scale proven and successful programs, while some are helping to implement or pilot new programs in one of our regions.”

 

In addition to the learnings and findings that will come from these grants, the Foundation continues to conduct studies and scans to better inform its funding strategies within each of its core funding areas. Determined by its trustees, the four focus areas are consistent with many of Mr. Wilson’s philanthropic interests. They include:

 

·       Children and Youth – Focus is on strengthening young minds and bodies with early childhood initiatives, sports and recreation programs, and afterschool youth development programs.

 

·       Young Adults and Working Class Families – Focus is on skills training and education initiatives that lead to sustainable career pathways and good paying jobs.

 

·       Caregivers – Focus is on those caring for others – whether family members, friends or professionals – through efforts that provide needed skills, resources, education and respite. Early opportunities are primarily for those caring for older adults.

 

·       Livable Communities – Focus is on contributing to strong and sustainable communities by supporting: community access and design to public spaces that support healthy living; non-profit support and innovation; and economic development levers that spur regional growth, innovation and equity.

 

The following organizations, spread across all four focus areas, received grants between January and September 2017:

 

Children and Youth:

·       Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development (ACCORD): $100,000 to support ACCORD’s essential programming, while developing alternative sources of long-term funding for programs after its loss of 21st Century grant funding.

·       Aspen Institute: $1,050,000 over three years, for continued investment in the expansion of quality youth sports opportunities in Western New York, Greater Rochester and Southeast Michigan.

·       Bing Youth Institute: $200,000 to support the BINGO (Boys Inspired through Nuturing, Growth and Opportunities) Mentoring Program in Detroit.

·       Community Connections of New York, on behalf of the WNY Mentoring Collective: $2.15 million to support the WNY Mentoring Collective, a cohort of nine mentoring programs collaborating to strengthen the youth mentoring field in WNY.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $675,000 over three years, to implement the PEDALS (Positive Emotional Development and Learning Skills) early childhood program in Southeast Michigan.

·       Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Southeast Michigan, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: $580,000 over three years, to support its work sharing and applying the framework from the State of Play report to local communities across Western New York, in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Aspen Institute.

·       Detroit PAL: $575,000 over three years, to provide capacity support to transition the organization into a new and expanded facility.

·       Detroit Food and Entrepreneurship Academy: $126,000 to expand the reach and depth of afterschool and summer programs and to support long-term strategic planning for Small Batch, its earned revenue business.

·       Diocese of Buffalo Department of Education: $87,000 one-year bridge grant to support its afterschool programs, which have been compromised by recent cuts in funding to its 21st Century grant.

·       Independent Health Foundation: $650,000 over three years, to support the expansion of the Soccer for Success program in Western New York.

·       Southeastern Michigan Health Association, on behalf of the Detroit Health Department: $2 million over three years, to establish and operate SisterFriends, an effort to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality in the city of Detroit.

·       Teach for America: $225,000 to support Teach for America’s effort to recruit and train early childhood educators who will lead some of Detroit and Buffalo’s highest need pre-kindergarten classrooms.

·       Women’s Sports Foundation: $1 million over four years, to bring the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sports 4 Life program to Western New York and Southeast Michigan to strengthen and grow eight local youth sports organizations in order to attract and retain more girl participants.

 

Young Adults and Working Class Families:

·       Ann Arbor SPARK: $100,000 to support plans for the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run.

·       Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT): $150,000 to support increased enrollment and job placement of adult participants in its medical coding and pharmacy technician training programs.

·       Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation: $1.5 million to support the transformation of the A. Philip Randolph Technical Education Center into a state-of-the-art construction and skilled trades training facility for youth and adults in metro Detroit.

·       Focus: HOPE: $725,000 to support organizational restructuring and compensation for key new hires.

·       Macomb Community College Foundation: $1,152,000 to support a workforce development training program in advanced manufacturing and information technology.

·       Operating Engineers Local 324: $450,000 to support the purchase and deployment of six equipment simulators for both classroom and career event environments.

·       Say Yes to Education: $800,000 over three years, to support Say Yes Buffalo and advance the city as a place of opportunity for boys and young men of color.

 

Caregivers:

·       Altarum Institute: $175,000 over two years, to support the evaluation of caregiver grants to help shape the Foundation’s grantmaking strategies.

·       Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter: $240,000 to support informal and professional caregivers by funding the development of the ‘train-the-trainer’ model.

·       Hearts and Hands: $31,000 to provide general programmatic support during a capacity building process and review.

·       Hunter’s Hope: $25,000 to support the 2017 Family and Medical Symposium.

·       Livingston County Catholic Charities: $90,000 to support the operations of four programs that provide resources and respite to caregivers.

·       Research Foundation at SUNY (UB): $135,000 over two years, to connect occupational therapist graduate students with caregivers to provide them with practical, customized solutions for their unique caregiving challenges.

·       Rochester Presbyterian Home: $151,000 to support the implementation of a new professional development curriculum designed to empower staff and improve quality of life for residents.

 

Livable Communities:

·       Causewave Community Partners: $150,000 to support strategic development and marketing for nonprofits with missions serving the Foundation’s four focus areas in Monroe, Genesee and Orleans counties.

·       Council of Great Lakes Governors: $50,000 to support the Council of Great Lakes Governors’ and Premiers’ 2017 Leadership Summit.

·       Council of Michigan Foundations: $60,000 to support and expand Learning to Give, a K-12 program that teaches philanthropy as part of daily curriculum in Wayne County.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $2,003,745 to support comprehensive design and construction planning for the remaining unconstructed segments of the City of Detroit’s Inner Circle Greenway.

·       Detroit Economic Growth Association: $175,000 to support development of a Sustainability Action Agenda for the City of Detroit’s new Office of Sustainability.

·       Detroit RiverFront Conservancy: $345,000 over 18 months to support a design competition for West Riverfront Park.

·       Fair Food Network: $1,500,000 over three years, to expand Double Up Health Food Incentives through innovative technology and communications in Southeast Michigan and Western New York.

·       German Marshall Fund “BUILD” Conference: $30,000 grant for its BUILD conference, a unique transatlantic urban and regional policy and leadership conference, that will take place in the U.S. for the first time this November in Detroit.

·       Independent Sector: $100,000 to support the Independent Sector 2017 National Conference this October in Detroit.

·       Invest Detroit: $250,000 to support the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition  to create jobs and support high-growth company development in Southeast Michigan.

·       National Comedy Center, Inc: $3 million to support the development of the National Comedy Center to increase tourism and economic development in Western New York.

·       43North: $250,000 to support the prototyping and refinement of a strategic partnership project in connection with the Western New York-based startup competition.

·       NY Funders Alliance: $50,000 to support its bienneial NYS Funders Conference in Buffalo this November.

·       Research Foundation for the SUNY (UB): $70,000 to the University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning to support Turning the Corner, a national pilot research effort combining national expertise with local knowledge base, to assess neighborhood change and inform action in post-industrial city neighborhoods.

 

“Our staff continue to review incoming applications and will also be gearing up to advance another round of grants planned for the remainder of this year,” said Egner. “On the operations front, the Foundation will reach another significant milestone in our limited life, as we move into our new headquarters in Detroit by the end of this month.”

 

Grant applications are accepted through the Foundation’s website on an ongoing basis. The web-based application allows for an easy, transparent and efficient grantmaking process from start to finish. For more information on the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and its giving policies, visit RCWJRF.org

 

###

 

About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation:

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.

 

Media Contacts:

 

Kailey Kolozsvary

Martin Davison Public Relations

585-705-8618

kkolozsvary@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

 

Download Press Release

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and First Niagara Foundation Partner

to Strengthen and Grow Mentoring across Western New York

$2.4 million grant to support collaborative of nine mentoring programs in the region

 

Buffalo, N.Y. (Aug. 23, 2017) – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the First Niagara Foundation, in partnership with KeyBank, today announced a $2.4 million grant to support the Western New York (WNY) Mentoring Collective, a cohort of nine mentoring programs throughout the region.

 

The WNY Mentoring Collective is an ambitious effort to expand and strengthen the field of mentorship programs across the region, ultimately connecting more children with mentors. The organizations collaborating in this initiative include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County, Buffalo Prep, Classroom Champions, Chautauqua Striders, Compeer, Edge Foundation, Hillside Work-Scholarship, Say Yes Buffalo, and Youth Mentoring Services of Niagara County.

 

This large-scale investment in mentorship will utilize the expertise of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and its statewide affiliate Mentor NY to help create a learning community among these proven local mentoring programs. The collective will benefit together from shared best practices, capacity building, mentor training, education and assessment support over the next two years.

 

“There’s tremendous value for children to have a caring adult role model, beyond their parents or guardians, to support, guide and empower them on their journey into adulthood,” said David Egner, President & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.  “We applaud the cohort organizations for their commitment to work together and help close the mentoring gap in Western New York.”

 

“The funding from this grant will contribute to improved quality of programs in the region, while also helping to increase the number of mentors working with young people,” said Elizabeth Gurney, Executive Director, First Niagara Foundation. “We hope this investment will also serve as an invitation to professionals across all sectors in Western New York to get involved in the mentorship movement, serving as mentors and advising our youth on the path to success.”

 

Community Connections of NY (CCNY), a nonprofit management services organization, is overseeing the $2.4 million grant on behalf of the WNY Mentoring Collective. CCNY will be responsible for convening and connecting the nine organizations to MENTOR and Mentor NY throughout the process and Equal Measure of Philadelphia, PA will lead the evaluation and continuous quality improvement process for the collective.

 

###

 

About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. The Foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.

 

About The First Niagara Foundation

Founded in 1998, the First Niagara Foundation will carry out the philanthropic legacy of First Niagara Bank and its predecessor Lockport Savings Bank by supporting not-for-profit organizations dedicated to empowering individuals and neighborhoods primarily in Western New York.  The Foundation also continues a focus on supporting select quality youth mentoring in legacy markets previously served by First Niagara Bank.  

 

Media Contacts:

 

Christine Denham

Martin Davison Public Relations

281-433-5067

cdenham@martingroupmarketing.com

 

Carly Strachan

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

313-460-8100

carly.strachan@rcwjrf.org

Download Press Release

A leading elderly memory care provider in Rochester has received a $151,000 grant toward staff training.

Rochester Presbyterian Home, an assisted living facility with three locations in Perinton, Chili and the 19th Ward, received the grant through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, a community development nonprofit founded by the late businessman, famed for founding the Buffalo Bills.

The care facility received the grant as a response to their innovative approaches to dealing with residents suffering from memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Utilizing The Eden Alternative, a technique used to ease the burden of loneliness and helplessness, residents are allowed pets, given an array of stimulating activities and are attended to closely by staff. The grant funding will go toward training and certifying staff as memory care specialists.

Read the full article at Rochester Business Journal »

Detroit health officials hope increased access to child care services and information during pregnancy will reduce premature births and decrease infant mortality, Mayor Mike Duggan said Wednesday.

Make Your Date Detroit, a partnership with the city and Wayne State University (WSU), has served more than 5,800 women since launching in 2014. The effort is adding another partner, SisterFriends Detroit, to increase its reach with prenatal care, awareness of cervical length screening and treatment, pregnancy education classes and more.

“Make Your Date is having a significant impact in Detroit,” Duggan said. ” …we must ensure that even more women gain access to the highest quality care and a strong support system to guide them through their pregnancy. That’s why we’re connecting Make Your Date with SisterFriends Detroit.”

SisterFriends provides volunteer mentors for women during pregnancy and the year after birth. It received $2 million from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, $100,000 from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and $70,000 from the Kresge Foundation for volunteer training, community outreach and professional development, according to a news release.

Read the full article at MLive »

Greenways will soon take Detroiters from 8 Mile to the Riverfront and everywhere in between. That’s the “gist” of the anticipated impact of a $2 million Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation grant announced by Mayor Mike Duggan today. Neighborhood residents, who remain largely disconnected by roadways that split neighborhoods and partial pathways that lead “nowhere,” will soon be fully connected by the Inner Circle Greenway (ICG), a 26-mile recreational path that will provide non-motorized access to city parks, commercial corridors, job sites, the riverfront and downtown.

The $2 million will be used to develop comprehensive design and construction documents for the Conrail property and all remaining unconstructed segments of the ICG, as well as an overarching ICG Framwork that incorporates the half-mile corridor to either side of the greenway itself.

Read the full article at The Hub Detroit »

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy has received a $345,000 grant to fund a design competition to help transform the park that sits on property that was once home to the Detroit Free Press printing plant, officials said. The nonprofit dedicated to developing the city’s riverfront district and facilitate community access to the waterfront, the Conservancy said it received the grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to help revamp Detroit’s West Riverfront Park.

Read the full article at The Detroit News »

Southeast Michigan is a diverse region. It covers broad swatches of farmland, suburbs, and urban neighborhoods. Half of our state population resides in metro Detroit, which contains both affluent and low-income families of many ethnicities. In our communities and neighborhoods, it is the next generation – young people of all ages, cultures and creeds – who will steward the enterprising tenacious spirit that is redefining us.

It is within this context that the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and our partners at the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan unveil “State of Play,” a report that analyzes the rate of participation in youth sports in the seven counties of this region – Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, and St. Clair counties.

The study is anchored in the notion that everyone in the community will benefit if our children are provided access to quality sport experience, as such experiences lead to greater cognitive function, position mental health, better educational outcomes, and greater likelihood of lifelong healthy habits.

 

Read the full article at Detroit Free Press »