The city of Farmington is hoping to attract more residents and businesses to its downtown area by investing in its outdoor spaces.

Farmington facing deadline to acquire funds for outdoor space

Detroit’s James and Grace Lee Boggs School is expanding its public space by creating Boggs Park, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Boggs Educational Project Team announced Wednesday.

A new scholarship program is encouraging Michigan students to enter the electric vehicle and mobility sector.

The Michigan STEM Forward internship program recently placed its 500th intern.

A global high-tech company has chosen a Michigan city as the site for its new electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility, and is investing billions of dollars into the project.

From the Gibson Factor to Fishland, 14 Michigan sites are being recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Across Metro Detroit, six properties are being recognized through the National Register of Historic Places. These recognitions are decided federal to shine a light on sites worthy of preservation due to historical significance.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation said yes Tuesday to an incentive package for General Motors in Lansing.

Biopharmaceutical company to generate 160 high-wage jobs in Ann Arbor with new Center of Excellence Facility.

Rivian, a major manufacturer of electric vehicles, will invest $4.6 million into its Plymouth, Michigan facility, creating 100 new high-wage jobs.

A2GO will officially kick off on Oct. 11.

The Pontiac community is taking the future of their neighborhood parks into their own hands.

Students and companies can still apply to participate in the new Michigan STEM Forward program.

Building on the success of the 2020 A2AC Murals project, the Art Center’s new campaign, A2AC Art in Public, aims to raise $50,000.

The program aims to promote job retention in the state while supporting local companies.

The program aims to promote job retention in the state while supporting local companies.

A new type of shuttle service will be hitting the streets of Ann Arbor in the name of research.

Two projects building on Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Back to Work Michigan plan expected to generate total private investment of $27.2 million, create 279 jobs.

Two projects building on Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Back to Work Michigan plan expected to generate total private investment of $27.2 million, create 279 jobs.

Three Michigan lighthouses are being awarded grants to help repair and preserve their historic structures. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced Friday that three historic lighthouses across the state have been selected to split more than $126,000 in grants from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program operated by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. Historic Crisp Point Lighthouse near Newberry, Michigan. (Michigan Economic Development Corporation)A total of $50,000 will go toward renovating the watch deck of the North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse near Leland Township. The historic North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse near Leland Township, Michigan.

The internships will be funded by Ann Arbor SPARK and a grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund. ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) will partner with Ann Arbor SPARK to launch the Michigan STEM Forward internship program on a statewide level. SPARK has run the program on a local level through the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone with a decade of positive results. In scaling the program up, MEDC will work in partnership with SPARK to place 425-450 STEM students currently attending Michigan colleges annually into STEM-focused internships throughout Michigan. “Ann Arbor SPARK is thrilled to leverage our decade of experience running our own Ann Arbor-based internship program and take the opportunity to administer the Michigan STEM Forward program on behalf of the state,” said Bill Mayer, Ann Arbor SPARK’s vice president of entrepreneurial services.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation will partner with Ann Arbor SPARK to launch the Michigan STEM Forward internship program on a statewide level.

DETROIT – Five places in Detroit have been officially deemed historic for their role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement sought to demand equality for African Americans in the North as much as in the South,” said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes. “By listing these sites, the National Register recognizes Detroit’s significant role in the growth of the movement. Officials say these five sites now join nearly 2,000 existing historic sites in Michigan that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The newly-selected sites were chosen by a 14-person Civil Rights advisory committee comprised of local historians familiar with Detroit’s Black history, as well as staff members from the State Historic Preservation Office and Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board, officials said.

Two companies will soon bring 266 new jobs to the Ann Arbor area. ANN ARBOR – Two major projects will bring well-paying jobs and new investments to the Ann Arbor area, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced on Tuesday. Homepoint, a national mortgage lender, will also be expanding in Ann Arbor with plans to add 155 area jobs. Homepoint is looking to create 155 new jobs and generate an additional private investment of $3.7 million by adding an operations center in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor SPARK is supporting the company with resources and staff time.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Autonomous and connected vehicle developer May Mobility is looking to expand its footprint in Ann Arbor. With headquarters in Ann Arbor, May Mobility and operates in cities across the United States, including Grand Rapids and Detroit. In 2019, the AV technology company worked with MEDC and the city of Grand Rapids to form the Grand Rapids Autonomous Vehicle Initiative. The initiative saw autonomous vehicles operating on city streets in Grand Rapids to demonstrate civic infrastructure and operational capabilities of the growing autonomous vehicle market. May Mobility will work with Ann Arbor SPARK to find candidates to fill the anticipated positions.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Innovation Hub for Advanced Transportation has awarded $710,000 to eight early-stage mobility projects from Michigan universities. The high-tech projects will offer ways to increase the safety, sustainability and efficacy of transporting people and goods in order to meet market needs. The eight projects receiving funding this year through the MTRAC Innovation Hub for Advanced Transportation reflect the diversity of advanced automotive technologies being developed at Michigans universities, U-M associate vice president for research-technology transfer and innovation partnerships Kelly Sexton told Michigan News. The MTRAC Innovation Hub for Advanced Transportation accelerates the development and commercialization of advanced transportation projects. The program is open to researchers at higher education institutions, hospital systems and nonprofit research organizations within Michigan.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The Ann Arbor Art Center has launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund a new project creating a series of murals to downtown Ann Arbor. The A2AC Murals project would create a series of up to 10 highly visible murals over the next five months. We know that right now, our communities have many social and financial concerns, said Ann Arbor Art Center President and CEO Marie Klopf in a statement. The Ann Arbor Art Center has worked to bring murals to Ann Arbor before. For a list of intended mural locations and more information about A2AC Murals visit the Patronicity page.

The campaign now supporting Black and brown-owned Detroit area restaurants, ordering catered meals to feed those in need. RELATED: New app supports Black-owned restaurants in Detroit, Atlanta, PhiladelphiaIn addition to the homeless at the neighborhood service organization, the campaign is now also helping at risk girls and women. Here are three ways you can help right now :1) The Pay It Forward team has created The Detroit Map of Black-owned Restaurants to help make it easy to locate and support black-owned Detroit neighborhood restaurants right now. Using this map, you can:Patronize Black-owned restaurants. 3) Check out all of Pay It Forward restaurant partners to support them by ordering takeout/delivery or dining in safely:

DETROIT Three months of lost revenue is enough to bring down any small business, and thats especially true for restaurants, but now the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has come up with a plan to help Black-owned businesses. Ivys Kitchen and Cocktails is one of the newest restaurants here on Detroits east side, right off Jefferson. Its dollar for dollar. They match every single dollar that I raise.Right now, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is initiating a crowdfunding campaign for 12 days, with local Detroit businesses. Marshall said she is one of them and the MEDC will match every dollar she raises.

A new online portal from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is helping businesses secure personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees as businesses start to reopen around the state amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. MORE: Heres everything thats reopening this week across entire state of MichiganThe free COVID-19 Procurement Platform connects businesses in need of PPE with businesses that have the supplier capacity to meet their demand, officials said. Both businesses who are in need of PPE and those who are able to supply it are encouraged to use the platform. Officials say they are verifying the legitimacy of PPE suppliers requesting to be on the portal. Click here to visit the COVID-19 Procurement Platform.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)s PlanetM initiative is awarding more than $280,000 in technology innovation grants to companies developing solutions to mobility challenges related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The contactless delivery method will be used in Grand Rapids and Rochester and is meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Penske Vehicle Services -- $28,000The Troy-based vehicle services company is developing temporary barriers to increase physical separation between front seat drivers and back seat passengers. RCO Engineering -- $28,000Like Penske Vehicle Services, the Michigan-based RCO Engineering will also develop temporary partitions to separate front seat drivers from back seat passengers. Officials say the city of Detroit will provide vehicles that will be installed with the barriers.

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Small Business Relief Program, funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. was established in response to businesses experiencing COVID-related distress. Ann Arbor SPARK administered this funding for Washtenaw and Livingston counties. “This is an unprecedented time that we are all facing and navigating together,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. In Livingston County, the review panel was comprised of representatives from the Economic Development Council for Livingston County, Ann Arbor SPARK, and the Livingston County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ann Arbor SPARK has two upcoming virtual events next week to provide timely information and resources to businesses.