Crowdfunding campaign launched for the ‘EL Going Green’

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

Lansing, Mich. – East Lansing will soon receive new bike racks and public recycling bins with the help of a new crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan State Housing Development Authority and City of East Lansing announced today. 

“Public Spaces Community Places is a tool communities can use to help create vibrant public spaces with the potential to bring new vitality to the community and serve as a catalyst for additional economic activity,” said MEDC Executive Vice President Greg Tedder. “This is a great way to leverage the pride residents and businesses have in their communities, while building sustainability and keeping the planet green.” 

Offered through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity, the campaign will support the project to add at least 20 sets of public recycling and refuse containers and 40 new bike parking locations to downtown East Lansing.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $30,000 by Oct. 14, 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/ELGreen.

The proposal will allow the City of East Lansing's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to remove all of the rusting public trash containers in the downtown and replace them with new recycling and trash pairs that will be both durable and high-quality design. The project also proposes to add to the downtown bike parking and replace tattered bike loops.

“Thanks to the generous support from Amcor and the DDA, we have begun our efforts to ‘green up’ downtown East Lansing,” said East Lansing City Councilmember Shanna Draheim. “With the community’s support of the crowdfunding effort, we will be able to install functional and beautiful new recycling and bike amenities throughout the downtown for community members to use and enjoy for years to come.”

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.

“The Michigan Municipal League has identified eight assets that great communities have,” said League CEO and Executive Director Dan Gilmartin. “Two of those assets are green initiatives and walkability and bike-ability. This crowdfunding effort will help keep East Lansing green and make it an even more pedestrian-friendly community. We hope the public supports this campaign.”

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.