Crowdfunding Campaigns Launch across Michigan to Create New Public Spaces

LANSING, Mich. –  New public spaces across Michigan are being created with the support of the Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) crowdgranting program. Eight projects, including a universally accessible play space, public recreation projects, a dog park, communal gathering spaces, and public art projects, will transform vacant or underused space for public use and enjoyment.  

These projects will be fulfilled through the anticipated success of crowdfunding campaigns that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Municipal League announced today, which are being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. If the campaigns reach their crowdfunding goals by the end their campaign timeline, the projects will win a matching grant with funds made possible by the PSCP program.  

• In South Haven, the South Haven Dog Park nonprofit and South Haven Area Recreation Authority are teaming up to transform five underused acres into a beautiful wooded and fully free fenced-in dog park. The South Haven Bark Park at Riverwoods launched their crowdfunding campaign on May 18 and it will be open until July 17. You can check out the campaign at: Patronicity.com/SHBarkPark 

• The Lifting Community Spirits Mural Project in Carson City also launched its crowdfunding campaign on May 18 to complete a series of three murals throughout the community to recognize the city’s ballooning frontier history and the upward momentum of the future. The project is being led by the local nonprofit Carson City Frontier Days, and the campaign will remain open until June 30 at: Patronicity.com/CarsonCity.  

• The Rogers City Main Street DDA will launch its third campaign to bring public art and recognition to the community and its treasured history through an effort called Murals on Main- Past Meets Paint. The project is looking to create a gateway to their overlooked waterfront downtown with five historical murals. Their crowdfunding campaign launched May 18 and will remain open until July 6. Check it out here: Patronicity.com/MoM26 

• The Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project (TARP) is looking to bring recreation to the Village of Thompsonville by building a bicycle trailhead, pavilion and renovating ten campsites with accessibility at the adjacent George Sharp Park. The local nonprofit TARP is leading the project alongside the completion of the Thompsonville Junction Trailhead project that will attract riders, walkers, runners, campers and sightseers to the area. Their campaign launched on May 19 and will remain open until July 19 at: Patronicity.com/TARP 

• Crosshatch Meeting Place and Mercantile in Bellaire is looking to create a gathering place for community to learn and create together while connecting with their neighbors. The campaign to create this unique “third place” is being led by the nonprofit Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology and launched May 19 and will remain open until July 2 at: Patronicity.com/crosshatch.  

• The St. Ignace Pickleball Project launched its campaign to create four new public pickleball courts at Little Bear East Sports Park. This project is led by the St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority in partnership with the City of St. Ignace City Council, Department of Recreation and the St. Ignace Pickleball Committee, along with local players and community supporters who seek to meet the increased local demand for play. Check out their campaign here: Patronicity.com/SIpickleball which will remain open until July 19. 

• The Wolf’s Prairie Playground project led by the Village of Berrien Springs will create a brand new universally accessible play space designed and inspired by the creative minds of the youth in their community. Their campaign launched May 20 and will remain open until July 19. You can check it out at: Patronicity.com/drawntoplay 

• Menominee's 10th & 10th Archway Project is being led by the Menominee Downtown Development Authority and will activate Menominee’s Historic Waterfront Downtown as a vibrant public space by creating a welcoming gateway to enhance community identity and drive future growth. The campaign launched May 20 and will remain open until July 20. You can learn more at: Patronicity.com/archway.  

“Not only do these placemaking projects transform underutilized space but they create well-loved and well-used public spaces for generations to come, resulting in more vibrant communities across the state,” said Paula Holtz, MEDC Managing Director for Regional Development. “We are proud to provide resources for these efforts through our Public Spaces Community Places program.” 

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity, in which residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan. 

“The Michigan Municipal League is a staunch supporter of placemaking projects happening across the state,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the League. “Whether through outdoor recreation, public art, or third spaces that allow people to connect with one another, placemaking is about improving the human experience of residents and visitors. We are excited to see these wonderful projects come to fruition." 

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of May 13, 2026, the MEDC has provided more than $14.7 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 429 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with more than $16.8 million raised from 77,175 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning matching funds. 

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.