Dan Martin / news@whmi.com

The Consumers Energy Foundation is seeking entries in the annual “Put Your Town on the Map” pitch competition. Three small towns will get an opportunity to receive $50,000 in grant funding. Communities of up to ten-thousand residents can submit their proposals through February 15th.

Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation says, "For many of Michigan's small communities, funding for one big project can make the difference for years of business attraction, economic development, and population growth." He adds, “The Consumers Energy Foundation is proud to sponsor this competition to help enable creative ideas from passionate community members to give new life to small towns across the state."
The Consumers Energy Foundation and the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) will select 10 finalists to make their pitches at the Small Town and Rural Development Conference in June. The top three winners will receive grants worth $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Consumers Energy started the competition in 2019. In 2023, grant dollars were awarded to Fennville to install bilingual community wayfinding signs, Reed City for the Crossroads Recreation Connection, and Harbor Beach to expand community gardening.

The Put Your Town on the Map competition seeks to reward innovative ideas that attract visitors to downtowns, advance housing, education or employment, cultivate community pride and more. Consumers Energy started the competition in 2019.
The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider.

For more information, visit the link below.