KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Tuesday, the Kent County Board of Commissioners announced it will award $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants to improve and strengthen lives in diverse neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.
Four projects in total were selected in this round of funding.
Boston Square Community Hub
Amplify GR received $4 million to go toward the construction of the Boston Square Community Hub. The proposed two-story, 45,000 square foot facility is expected to house an early childhood center, a co-working space, a community event and performance space, and 6,000 square feet of wellness spaces. The Hub will be located at 1534 Kalamazoo Avenue SE and concentrated in the area of the city with the largest population of Black residents. Phase I began in February and will be completed by the end of the year. Phase II, which will include a health care center with Corewell Health and additional wellness space, will open in early 2025.
Economic and Workforce Development in Kent County’s Hispanic community
The Hispanic Center of Western Michigan was awarded $2 million to assist and lift up Latinx individuals, families and micro-business owners. The goal is to help the community access capital, have greater economic prosperity and homeownership, and create and grow more businesses. The Hispanic Center is expected to begin assessments to target where investments should go later this year.
Fuel the Movement: Innovative Workforce Development for Economic Mobility
The Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation received $1 million to launch an initiative focused on the upward mobility of residents in southeast Grand Rapids. Fuel the Movement, which does work with both workforce and entrepreneurial development, is looking to facilitate 500 job placements. This effort is being made possible by partnerships with 45 employers, and supports 20 entrepreneurs, 30 leaders of color, and 25 minority- and women-owned food businesses. The initiative is set to launch later this year.
Heroes for Life Sickle Cell Disease Blood Donors Initiative
The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute was awarded $1 million to launch the "Heroes for Life Sickle Cell Disease Blood Donors Initiative" to address the disparate impacts of Sickle Cell Disease on Kent County’s Black community. The institute also plans to create the African American Health Disparities Transformation Alliance. This alliance will host workshops and trainings for those in healthcare and community organizations. The initiative will launch in 2023 with funding to be used over a four-year period.
Kent County received a total of $127.6 million in ARPA funding. More than $108 million of that funding was allocated to 30 projects throughout the county during that round of funding.
The remaining funds will be placed in a contingency fund for unanticipated needs or new/increased expenses to complete a funded proposal. All ARPA funding must be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024, but the county has until December 2026 to spend the funds.
The Board is expected to announce other ARPA projects in the coming weeks.
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