Community Development Programs
MEDC offers grants and loans to redevelop Michigan’s downtowns and foster historic preservation. By encouraging a compact mixture of uses and walkable urban fabric, we decrease the impact of sprawling development and efficiently utilize infrastructure. This development promotes environmentally and fiscally sustainable environments that attract talent and business and keep our youth here. Download our Community Development Guide to review our funding priorities and programs. View a statewide map of MEDC projects by region, county and legislative district.
Technical Assistance Programs
Michigan Main Street
Michigan Main Street (MMS) assists communities interested in revitalizing and preserving their traditional commercial district.
Redevelopment Ready Communities
The Redevelopment Ready Communities® (RRC) program is available to communities across the state. It’s a voluntary, no-cost certification program designed to promote effective redevelopment strategies through a set of best practices.
Incentive Programs
Match-on-Main COVID-19 Response Program
The Match-on-Main COVID-19 Response Program temporarily expands the MEDC’s Match on Main Program and will provide up to $50,000 to local downtown management organizations to administer to eligible small businesses located in traditional commercial districts, including downtowns, neighborhood and commercial districts, or areas planned and zoned for concentrated commercial development. Applications are now closed.
MI Local Biz
MEDC, in conjunction with the Detroit-based crowdfunding platform, Patronicity has developed a creative funding mechanism to offer quick access to capital for small local businesses in this great time of need. The MEDC will match crowdfunding raises on a 1:1 basis up to $5,000 for eligible small businesses experiencing economic challenges as a result of COVID-19. Applications are now closed.
Michigan Community Revitalization Program
MCRP promotes community revitalization through the provision of grants, loans or other economic assistance for eligible projects located on properties that are either contaminated (facility), blighted, functionally obsolete or historic resources.
Community Development Block Grant
CDBG program funds are used to provide grants and loans to UGLGs, usually with populations under 50,000, in support of economic or community development projects.
Brownfield Tax Increment Financing Act
Through the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act, Brownfield Tax Increment Financing (TIF) allows applicable taxing jurisdictions to receive property taxes on the property at the current level and capture the incremental increase in tax revenue resulting from a redevelopment project.
Public Spaces Community Places
PSCP is a crowd-granting initiative provides matching grants for crowdfunded public space projects through Patronicity, an online, crowdfunding platform.
Transformational Brownfield Plans
The recently adopted Public Act 46 of 2017 incorporates TBP into the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act. This allows developers the opportunity to capture a portion of specific incremental taxes generated from large-scale projects for a specified time period.
Michigan Business Tax Credits
The MBT Program is no longer available for new awards, however, existing credits will be honored, and if applicable, an amendment will be considered if the credit time frame is within the 10 year statutory allowance.
Community Development Fact Sheets - Commercial
Community Development Fact Sheets - Communities
