As part of the Small Town & Rural Development Conference, there will be a pitch competition (“Put Your Town on the Map”), supported by the Consumers Energy Foundation. The purpose of this pitch competition is to find innovative ideas that will energize your town and create momentum that builds a stronger sense of community”.
The Put Your Town on the Map competition aims to reward a variety of innovative ideas, such as those that attract visitors to downtowns, focus on housing, education or employment, create community pride, and more. Community leaders can learn more here: http://cedamichigan.org/rpm/conference-rpm/
In 2019, the first competition was held, offering $15,000 in grants. The winners were:
- Port Austin – First place ($7,500) – A large vacant lot will be developed into an interactive and dynamic space for tourists and community members.
- Spring Lake – Second place ($5,000) – A plan to bring public art to the Lakeside Trail to make the village a destination for visitors.
- Sparta – Third place ($2,500) – The Orchard, an incubator for small businesses.
For the 2021 pitch competition, the prices have been increased to:
- First place- $25,000
- Second Place- $15,000
- Third Place- $10,000
Please note the sample topics, eligible applicants, submission instructions, and competition schedule on CEDAM’s website. The application is due no later than February 24th by 11:59 p.m.
There is one application allowed per community. This means if there is a non-profit and local chamber that both want to submit an application, you’d need to submit the application in tandem and work together for the one application.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at 517-265-5141