Crowdfunding Campaign Launched for the City Square Park in Fennville

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

LANSING, Mich. – The City of Fennville will soon transform a vacant lot in its downtown into a destination called City Square Park. The new park will bring several exciting spaces to Downtown Fennville including an amphitheater, splash pad, and outdoor fireplace. This effort will be fulfilled through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Fennville Downtown Development Authority, and the City of Fennville announced today, which is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. 

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by June 14^th, 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/citysquare. 

“City Square Park will create a vibrant gathering space for the community of Fennville where there once was vacancy,” said MEDC Regional Prosperity Managing Director Paula Holtz. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project through our Public Spaces Community Places program.” 

Fennville's Downtown Development Authority has made providing facilities downtown for communal events a priority, and City Square Park will continue that mission. This park will be a space for events including the Summer Concert Series, Fourth Fridays in Fennville, Goose Festival activities, public movie showings, and live music and performances. This campaign will allow the amphitheater, splash pad, outdoor gas fireplace, outdoor seating area, and a public greenspace to be developed and the park to be completed. 

"This project will be transformative for downtown Fennville, and we are excited to see it get underway,” said Kathryn Beemer, City Administrator for the City of Fennville. “The ability to receive matching funds from the MEDC for every dollar raised in the community, up to $50,000, is helping to make the fun aspects of the project, like a splashpad, financially possible." 

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity, in which 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. 

“This investment in Fennville’s downtown will create a lasting, positive impact that residents and visitors will enjoy for generations to come,” said Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director and CEO of the Michigan Municipal League. “The City Square Park project is taking an unutilized space and transforming it into a hub for the Fennville community to come together. This is what placemaking 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, 2025, MEDC has provided more than $13.6 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 405 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with more than $15.7 million raised from 74,229 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning 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.