Crowdfunding campaign launched for the ‘Community Cultural Pavilion’ in St. Ignace

$40,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

LANSING, Mich. – The St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the Museum of Ojibwa Culture will build a new pavilion on the museum grounds through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and city of St. Ignace DDA announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $40,000 by July 1, 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: patronicity.com/Opavilion.

“This public pavilion will not only honor a local legacy, it will also serve as a space of communion and gathering for visitors and residents alike,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Michele Wildman. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

The Museum of Ojibwa Culture and the St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are building this pavilion as a place of gathering but also to recognize project donors including former Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl. Governor Earl was born and raised in St. Ignace and was a strong supporter of the Native American community. The museum stands right beside the location of Father Marquette's gravesite and the location of the 1671 mission.

The Museum of Ojibwa Culture is a treasure to St. Ignace and all of Michigan. The pavilion will be built on the museum grounds and will be used for events, Native American teaching, and for public uses. Native American festivals and educational workshops are among the many activities hosted by the museum, and this pavilion will provide shelter from inclement weather and will be available to patrons of the museum to use when it's not being used for events. Admission to the Museum of Ojibwa Culture is free to the public.

“The Public Spaces Community Places matching grant program makes projects like ours possible,” said St. Ignace DDA Director Scott Marshall. “Small communities have fewer financial resources which makes it very difficult to get projects out of the planning stage and into the development stage. The PSCP Grant Program through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is a valuable resource for our community.”

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 Michigan Municipal League is a firm believer in building community wealth in ways that improve the human experience for all,” said Dan Gilmartin, the League’s CEO and Executive Director. “This community cultural pavilion does exactly that and speaks directly to the arts and culture pillar of community wealth building. With the support of the St. Ignace community and the Museum of Ojibwa Culture, this project will help create spaces that will make a positive impact on the shared experience of everyone for generations to come, which is what community wealth building is all about.”

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 March 31, 2022, MEDC has provided more than $9.8 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 307 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $11.4 million raised from 52,500 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning our matching funds.

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.