More than half a million dollars in grants will support 37 resident-led projects in neighborhoods across Flint

A total of 37 neighborhood improvement projects across Flint will share $506,500 in grant funding through the Mott Foundation Centennial Neighborhood Improvement Initiative. The selected projects were proposed and will be led by Flint community groups working to create visible change in their neighborhoods. Efforts will include neighborhood cleanups, beautification of community gathering spaces, yoga and poetry in the park, sidewalk repairs and more.

The initiative is a collaborative effort led by Genesee County Habitat for Humanity and the Neighborhood Engagement Hub. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation granted a total of $600,000 to support up to $20,000 for each neighborhood project, as well as coordination by Habitat and NEH. The initiative is part of the Mott Foundation’s celebration of a century of working alongside the Flint community.

A full list of the 37 selected projects and their neighborhood locations can be found on an interactive map created by the NEH.

Projects were chosen through a multi-day selection process that brought together a cross-section of community members, leaders and staff of local nonprofit organizations, and experts in neighborhood revitalization.

“I think the selection committee we have assembled for the Centennial Neighborhood Improvement Initiative is one of the best groups we have assembled,” said John Guynn, director of Neighborhood Services at Habitat for Humanity. “I think it embodies a solid representation of our community with a wealth of context and expertise that are paramount to the selection process. It is always difficult to disburse a limited amount of funding to such a large pool of neighborhood applicants, but the thoughtful insight and intentional discussions provided by this collective have eased that burden tremendously.

“I am excited to see the selected projects implemented and witness the transformation in the landscape of the city through its community members’ tenacity, creativity, ownership and pride.”

The initiative builds on the Flint BRAND program, which Habitat launched in 2016 and the Mott Foundation has supported since 2017. For 2026, the Mott Foundation Centennial Neighborhood Improvement Initiative temporarily replaced the BRAND program and expanded its scale.

“The Neighborhood Improvement Initiative empowered residents to define the projects they wanted for their neighborhoods,” said Michelle Kachelski, program manager at NEH. “The proposed projects showed significant diversity, ranging from community gardens to memorials and historical projects. These resident-led efforts will foster lasting change, strengthening neighborhood pride and identity. The high volume of applications demonstrates residents’ genuine commitment and willingness to step up as leaders when given the opportunity.”

To stay up to date on the Foundation’s centennial initiatives, visit mott.org/100.