Move Detroit awards first 13 $15,000 grants to residents moving to or staying in Detroit

Move Detroit announced the first 13 recipients of its Make Detroit Home grants on Tuesday, awarding $15,000 each to people who pledged to move to or stay in Detroit. The program drew about 6,500 applications, the organization said.

Move Detroit, a business-funded nonprofit backed by billionaire Dan Gilbert, launched earlier this year to grow the city's population. Mayor Mary Sheffield announced the effort as a partnership with Gilbert and the Move Detroit Coalition during her first State of the City address in March.

The first round of grants went to at least a dozen recipients, including owners of a nail salon, an early childhood center and a travel company, as well as first-time homeowners, Move Detroit said.

Move Detroit CEO Hilary Doe said 158 households made up of nearly 400 people have stayed in or moved to Detroit through the program so far. She said the coalition will award at least $500,000 to help 313 current and future Detroiters and expects to plan another round of funding.

"The response from people saying 'yes' to Detroit was powerful," Doe said. "In just a matter of weeks … 6,500 people applied from our own neighborhoods here in Detroit, their own businesses and companies, and from across the country who wanted to be here to build their future."

The 13 grant recipients include local entrepreneurs and former residents returning from St. Louis, Chicago and South Carolina, Move Detroit said.

Among them is Justin Wilson, a Detroit native who is returning from Los Angeles to work on the Detroit Pistons' corporate partnership team. Wilson, whose great grandfather was Detroit musician Jackie Wilson, said he attended Duke University and later lived in New York and Los Angeles before deciding to return.

"Detroit has become synonymous with me," Wilson said. "My village here is incredibly strong and it gave me the foundation that allowed me to find success."

Wilson said the grant helped cover his moving costs and down payment, and he expects to become a homeowner in Detroit later this month in the McDowell neighborhood.

"Living away taught me that what Detroit offers cannot be replicated," he said.

Sheffield said the recipients are entrepreneurs who are growing businesses and investing in property.

"We want Detroit to be a place where you can afford to live, raise a family, grow a business and see a future for yourself," Sheffield said. "That means keeping people at the center of our decisions and making sure our city growth creates opportunities in every neighborhood across our city."

The announcement was held at Gildform, a jewelry manufacturer on the city's west side founded by Karissma Yve. Yve said her company works with creators and brands including Marvel, Universal Music Group and Billie Eilish.

"Detroit is and has always been the heart and soul of American-made manufacturing, the heart and soul of culture, of music, of art, of design, of technology, and innovation," Yve said. She said the grant will allow her to invest in her workforce and training.

In addition to the 13 $15,000 grants, Move Detroit plans to award 300 more grants of $1,000 each for business creation, down payments, home renovations or relocation costs, the organization said.

Doe said the program is "data-backed and focuses resources on our city's greatest asset, our people."

The first awards were announced Oct. 6 at Gildform. Move Detroit said it expects to announce another round of funding, though it has not set a date.