Crowdfunding campaign launched for ‘Co+Work, Downtown Flint’

$30,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC & MSHDA’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation & Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Flint Area Reinvestment Office today announced a new crowdfunding campaign through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. The campaign will support the project to create a new collaborative space that will serve as the hub for entrepreneurial activity within the city.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $30,000 by Tuesday Dec. 22nd the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MSHDA and MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: www.Patronicity.com/CoworkFlint.

“Creating a collaborative space for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Downtown Flint will have a tremendous impact on the community, and we are proud to partner in this effort,” said MEDC Community Development Director Katharine Czarnecki. “Public Spaces Community Places is a great resource for communities to help turn vision into reality.”

“It’s great to have the opportunity to support a crowdfunding campaign that has the potential to accelerate the positive momentum currently happening in Flint’s business community,” MSHDA Executive Director Kevin Elsenheimer said.

Co+Work is a new space currently being constructed within downtown Flint that will serve as the hub for entrepreneurial activity within the city. There is a nascent demand for collaborative space where the entrepreneurs and startup businesses within the community can come together and build their businesses in a shared environment. Serving as the core of this community's growth, Co+Work will serve as an anchor tenant of the downtown corridor in the newly renovated Dryden Building in a beautiful loft space from which it will serve as one more magnet into the heart of downtown Flint.

"Everyone's excited about Co+Work Flint. It's part of the growing entrepreneur ecosystem in Flint. It will be a coworking space and a hub for entrepreneurs. Every entrepreneur we talk to cannot wait for it to open," said Jason Caya, Director of the Flint Area Reinvestment Office (part of the United Way of Genesee County), which is leading the launch of Co+Work Flint.

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, MSHDA, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local 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, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

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.