Crowdfunding campaign launched to finish Jordan Lake Trail project connecting Lake Odessa and Woodland Township

$50,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

Lansing, Mich. – The communities of Lake Odessa and Woodland Township on the Ionia-Barry County border will soon have a fully connected 2.5-mile non-motorized trail with help of a new crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Jordan Lake Trail Board announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the Jordan Lake Trail Project campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by September 15, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: https://www.patronicity.com/project/jordan_lake_trail#!/.

“We are proud of the work Public Spaces Community Places can do to bring communities together to improve quality of life and sense of place,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Katharine Czarnecki. “The Jordan Lake Trail project not only does that by connecting two communities, but it will help people improve their health through enhanced recreational opportunities.”

The Jordan Lake Trail Board has been working since 2012 to connect Lake Odessa in Ionia County and Woodland Township in Barry County to help everybody including bikers, hikers, skaters, and skiers enjoy a non-motorized path around Jordan Lake. The first phase of the project is estimated to cost $2 million. During the past several years, various mid- and West Michigan foundations, along with the Michigan Department of Transportation and other governmental agencies, have joined early donors to secure matching funds needed for the project. The Public Spaces Community Places campaign is the final fundraising push to make the Jordan Lake Trail a reality.

“The Jordan Lake Trail Board members are extremely elated to learn our project is being accepted by the MEDC/Patronicity Crowdfunding Campaign program. This assistance from the crowdfunding program will ensure that the last $100,000 of needed funding of the trail will be secured in order to meet the goal of constructing the Jordan Lake Trail, Phase 1B in Odessa Township, Michigan, in 2019,” said Board Chairperson Carolyn Mayhew.

“The Michigan Municipal League believes in the concept of placemaking and creating spaces that attract people,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and executive director for the League. “This Jordan Lake Trail project will certainly become a source of pride that will draw people to the area for years of come.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which 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, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of July 15, 2018, MEDC has provided $4,988,166 in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 171 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $6 million raised from 30,918 individual donors.

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.