Supporting Sustainability in the City of Benton Harbor
Repairing Legacy of Emergency Management Through Sustainable Business
Partnering With City and Community Leaders
Michigan Sustainable Business Forum has provided targeted support to City of Benton Harbor and local community organizations through a series of grants and initiatives designed to demonstrate the potential for sustainability as a catalyst for community and economic development.
- Benton Harbor Justice40 Initiative, a two-year project that provided targeted development support, planning and fundraising for the city.
- Published the Benton Harbor Opportunity Report: Sustainability as a Catalyst for Community and Economic Development.
- Provided seed resources and grant writing support for the development of a successful $20 million EPA Community Change Grant proposal.
- Developed a plan for the development of local recycling infrastructure, recognized as Best in Show at the fall 2023 NextCycle Michigan Showcase.
Addressing Legacy of Emergency Management
The Black-majority, low-income city has been severely impacted by disinvestment and job loss over the past 30 years. It was eventually targeted by Michigan’s emergency manager law, which restricted local decision-making and forced a series of austerity measures and inference with its water and service contracts.
The legacy of this program has left the community with enduring environmental and racial injustices that continue to impact residents today.
A dramatic increase in support from federal and state government, regional and national NGO priorities, and corporate sustainability interests had created an unprecedented opportunity for under-resourced communities to position themselves as sustainability leaders. By leveraging such investments and support networks, City of Benton Harbor could reimagine itself as a regional lab for sustainability innovation, decarbonization and the creation of a circular economy.
Sustainability as a Catalyst
Sustainability as a Catalyst for Community and Economic Development in the City of Benton Harbor outlines opportunities for strategic investment in an under-resourced community in Southwest Michigan. Through this initiative, we attempted to demonstrate how initiatives loosely defined as climate solutions could be leveraged for increased prosperity.
It aims to address critical areas such as climate change, clean energy, pollution remediation, sustainable housing, workforce development, water infrastructure, and food systems. Each category includes targeted action items and objectives tailored to the Benton Harbor community to improve residents’ quality of life and promote long-term environmental and economic resilience.
This project was funded through the Partners for Places grant program, a joint initiative of The Funders Network and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, which helps fund efforts to create more equitable and resilient communities across the U.S., with matching support from the Americana Foundation and Wege Foundation.
Looking to get involved?
Whether you’re a student, professional, corporation, or just hoping to participate in a working group, we have an option for you!