I am honored to present the Gilbert Family Foundation Annual Impact Report for 2024. With the passionate support of countless partners, we have made great progress in our efforts to build opportunity for Detroit residents and accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). This report is a testament to the important work we completed together and a reminder of the critical steps we still need to take as a community to achieve our ambitious goals.
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2024 was a pivotal year for our Curing NF work. We advanced significant research toward life-changing treatments for NF1. These included a $21 million investment to launch the Next Generation NF1 Models Initiative with the goal of rapid-testing new treatments, progress on pre-clinical trials for our Vision Restoration Initiative (VRI) and Brain Tumor Initiative (BTI), and the groundbreaking of the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI), the first brick-and-mortar NF research facility of its kind.
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In 2024, we introduced innovative approaches to address housing affordability, as well as programs to protect and preserve housing for long-term Detroit residents. Through our targeted initiatives in property tax relief, home repair assistance, eviction defense and tax foreclosure prevention, we're helping Detroit families stay in their homes and build generational wealth.
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This year, we expanded the scope of our programming to ensure more Detroiters had free access to arts and cultural institutions through the new Culture Pass Detroit program. We supported a cohort of neighborhood-focused artists with grants, networking and resources through another innovative pilot program, Seed & Bloom. And we continue this important work across all our partnerships. By investing in Detroit's creative ecosystem – from grassroots cultural initiatives to major artistic institutions – we're helping to preserve and amplify the authentic voices that make Detroit's cultural landscape unique.
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New developments downtown and in our neighborhoods continue to skyrocket, as does Detroit’s rapidly expanding tech ecosystem. Our goal is to ensure that Detroiters can grow with these changes. In 2024, we supported Detroit’s growth through new partnerships and programming to better support Detroiters with the resources they need to thrive, including a new $1.2M investment with Black Tech Saturdays, phase II of the Motor City Contractor Fund to expand capacity and resources, investing in the third phase of the Strategic Neighborhoods Fund, new programming for Apple Developer Academy, and so much more.
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In 2024, we advanced our public spaces work through strategic partnerships and community-driven planning. From revitalizing beloved parks like Tierman Minock, to our $1.8M investment to support access to jobs and green spaces through the Greening of Detroit, we’re ensuring that every Detroiter has access to the vibrant green spaces that are sprouting in our city – and all the benefits that come with it.
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Building Opportunity in Detroit
In 2021, Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund made a joint 10-year, $500 million commitment to build opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods. Over the first four years of this commitment, we’ve worked closely with community partners to build an effective strategy rooted in safe and secure housing.
Keeping people in their homes is our top priority. In 2024, we increased access to property tax relief and legal aid resources – providing thousands of families with the confidence they need to not only remain in their homes. But that’s not enough. We have also created programs focused on home repair and estate planning to support these same Detroit residents as they seek to turn their home into a generational asset. Simultaneously, we collaborated with partners to launch innovative programs that address Detroit’s affordable housing gap and catalyze conversations around the future of housing in our city.
Beyond housing, we remained committed to connecting Detroiters to economic opportunities. This includes wide-ranging investments in entrepreneurship and workforce development for in-demand industries like construction and technology.
Finally, families are only as strong as the community that supports them. Last year, we deepened our commitment to supporting vibrant public spaces and cultural opportunities that bring people together and improve quality of life in our neighborhoods. This includes support for public art, parks, and inclusive community programming.
The end result of this strategic approach is a city where Detroiters have the tools and resources to shape their own futures, unlocking new pathways to stability, prosperity, and community growth.
Accelerating a Cure for NF
Gilbert Family Foundation remains the world’s largest private funder of NF research and is committed to accelerating a cure and improving treatments for those living with NF1. In 2024, we made significant strides in our mission with investments in three major research areas: gene therapy, brain tumor reduction, and vision restoration.
To drive advancements across all initiatives, we launched a new $21 million research program focused on developing next generation models for understanding and treating NF1. We also joined our partners at Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University for the groundbreaking of a new research campus that will include the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI), the first brick-and-mortar NF research facility of its kind.
As our Founder Dan Gilbert often says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.” Though the work is ongoing, we have never been more confident that we will find a cure thanks to the deep collaboration, innovation and belief of the brilliant researchers we support all around the world.
I encourage you to read our full report for an update on both our commitment to Detroit and accelerating a cure for NF. To our partners, supporters, and community members—thank you. Despite uncertainty and change, we look forward to another year of collaboration with hope and optimism as we continue this critical work alongside each of you.
Laura Grannemann
Executive Director
Gilbert Family Foundation
At Gilbert Family Foundation, our mission is clear: accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). In 2024, we made significant progress toward this goal, driving forward key initiatives that aim to translate promising research into tangible treatments.
From investing in advanced scientific models to breaking ground on the first-ever dedicated NF research facility, we’re making significant strides toward improving the lives of NF patients worldwide.
One of our major milestones in 2024 was a $21 million investment to launch our Next-Generation NF1 Models Initiative. This groundbreaking initiative, our fourth research initiative overall, is designed to significantly accelerate drug discovery by developing advanced organoid models — organ-like assemblies of tissues grown in a lab environment — that more accurately replicate the biology of NF1 tumors.
These models add depth to mechanistic studies, which focus on the mechanism of action for a disease. They are also more tractable to drug screening, meaning researchers can more easily test whether a drug is more likely to be effective on any given disease target.
By better understanding how NF1 tumors develop and behave, these next-generation models have the potential to revolutionize the testing and development of new treatments. Our investment in next-gen models will help researchers close the gap between promising lab discoveries and life-changing treatments for NF patients.
In a landmark moment for the NF community, we also celebrated the groundbreaking of the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI) in 2024. NGNRI will be a part of the Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences research campus in Detroit and the first brick-and-mortar research facility solely dedicated to curing NF.
Named in honor of Nick Gilbert, whose life was defined by resilience, joy, and unwavering determination in the face of NF, NGNRI will serve as a global hub for collaborative research focused on discovering and advancing new treatments for NF. With NGNRI, we aim to accelerate the timeline from scientific discovery to treatment, ensuring that groundbreaking research moves swiftly into clinical trials and, ultimately, into the hands of patients.
In addition to launching new models and facilities, we continued to drive forward targeted research initiatives focused on solving the most pressing challenges for NF patients. These initiatives include:
A key goal of each of these initiatives is to bring different researchers together to share findings and collaborate more deeply. As such, we were proud to again host annual convenings to review findings and celebrate success.
The first day of the VRI annual meeting featured 14 presentations from our ‘Dream Team’ of scientists that provided in-depth insights into the pathology of NF1-OPG associated optic nerve injury in genetically engineered mouse models. The team overcame significant technical challenges in working with these model systems and demonstrated progress in neuroprotection and cell replacement strategies for vision restoration.
On the second day, a workshop was organized to discuss what evidence must be generated at the preclinical stage to drive clinical trials. This discussion sets the foundation for the VRI’s ultimate goal of bringing novel vision protection and restoration therapies to NF1 patients.
We also hosted the first ever convening for BTI, which saw 40 participants come together for an interactive workshop and townhall on NGNRI led by project lead Dr. Ivan Baines. On day two of the meeting, we introduced BTI’s new scientific advisory board and featured nine scientific presentations.
Beyond our research investments, Gilbert Family Foundation again partnered with NF Forward to host our twelfth annual beNeFit gala, which raises both money and awareness toward NF research. The 2024 event brought together 1,800 supporters to raise an extraordinary $9 million — bringing our total all-time fundraising to nearly $75 million.
As we reflect on a year of remarkable progress, we remain deeply motivated by the resilience of the NF community and the legacy of Nick Gilbert. While the scientific breakthroughs we achieved in 2024 are significant, our work is far from over. In 2025 and beyond, we will continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, fostering collaboration among researchers, and driving resources toward transformative treatments.
Access to safe, secure and affordable housing provides the critical foundation people need to build better lives for themselves and their families. That’s why we’re focused on identifying innovative housing models that can create more pathways to quality housing for Detroit residents.
One of the most promising initiatives we introduced last year was Tomorrow’s Housing Innovation Showcase (THIS), a project designed to demonstrate how factory-built housing can deliver high-quality homes to the market more quickly and at a reduced cost. Alongside our partners at North Corktown Neighborhood Association (NCNA), we first announced THIS in February and brought the project to life in October. The showcase featured seven beautiful model homes ranging in size from 780 to 1,700 square feet and representing a range of architectural styles, all designed with deep input from members of the North Corktown community. Most importantly, each of the homes were priced to be attainable for home buyers earning 80%, or less, of Area Median Income.
The partnership also established the North Corktown Housing Community Land Trust to ensure that lower- and middle-income residents can own the homes while preserving affordability for subsequent buyers.
As Gilbert Family Foundation Executive Director Laura Grannemann explained, this investment helped not only showcase the next generation of housing solutions, but also showed how Detroit can be at the center of housing innovation for years to come.
“Detroit put America in cars, now we can put America in homes,” said Laura Grannemann, Executive Director, Gilbert Family Foundation. “Tomorrow’s Housing Innovation Showcase is a bold step forward in demonstrating how modern, factory-built homes can increase access to much-needed housing options for Detroiters and lay the groundwork for Detroit to become a leader in housing innovation and inclusive development.”
In addition to exploring manufactured housing models, we also invested in multi-family housing through our support for the West Euclid Gateway project, a development effort by Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation and 360 Detroit. The project, which brings 20 brand-new affordable housing units to Detroit’s Virginia Park neighborhood, is designed for residents making at or below 60% AMI, with affordability guaranteed for 11 years to By supporting the growth of nonprofit-led housing development, we are ensuring that affordable housing remains a permanent fixture in Detroit’s future.
Stable housing doesn’t just mean creating new homes but also helping Detroit families protect the homes they already own. Last year, we commissioned a report from Detroit Future City focused on understanding so-called heirs’ properties – homes passed down through generations without a legal transfer of property to a surviving relative. The report revealed there were 5,500 heirs’ properties worth approximately $270 million, demonstrating the significant potential scope of the problem.
Critically, the research also revealed nearly 500 homes were at immediate risk of tax foreclosure. To address this urgent issue, we made a $1.5 million investment with Lakeshore Legal Aid and Michigan Legal Services to scale up probate services for homeowners at immediate risk of tax foreclosure. Our investment in probate support is helping residents resolve legal challenges, secure clear title to their homes, and preserve generational wealth.
We also continued our long-standing commitment to protecting residents from tax foreclosure and eviction through targeted housing stability initiatives. The Detroit Tax Relief Fund, first launched in 2021, continues to eliminate delinquent property tax debt for qualified Detroit homeowners. In 2024, this program helped even more families stay in their homes, reducing displacement and creating long-term stability.
Similarly, the Detroit Eviction Defense Fund, launched in 2022, continued to provide critical legal representation for renters facing eviction. The investment, which provided funding to United Community Housing Coalition, Michigan Legal Services and Lakeshore Legal Aid, works in alignment with the City of Detroit’s Right to Counsel law and ensures that tenants who are at risk of losing their housing have access to free legal support.
Finally, we made continued progress on the Detroit Home Repair Fund, which is providing critical repairs to ensure the health and safety of vulnerable homeowners throughout Detroit. The program, first launched in 2022, has completed repairs on 400 homes through the early part of 2025.
Each of these initiatives is grounded in a larger vision: ensuring that all Detroit families have access to stable, affordable housing and the resources needed to protect it. By investing in solutions like factory-built housing, probate assistance, and tax foreclosure and eviction support, we are building a stronger, more stable Detroit.
Our focus this year was twofold: to expand access to arts and cultural institutions for Detroit residents, and create partnerships and programs to better support Detroit-based artists and creatives. But we also wanted these two objectives to support each other, as we sought to identify new ways to build connections between artists and their local communities.
Seed & Bloom: Detroit was one of our first big investments of 2024 in service of that goal. We launched his pilot program in partnership with United States Artists to support Detroit-based BIPOC artists in transforming their creative practices into thriving, neighborhood-anchored businesses that sustain both their artistic vision and the local community. In its inaugural cycle, the three-year cohort supported ten artists with $150,000 each in flexible grants and technical assistance from partners that will help them deepen and scale their work in their communities.
Another innovative program we piloted this year with support from Detroit Housing Network and Connect Detroit was Culture Pass Detroit, an initiative designed to create universal access to the arts for eligible Detroiters by removing financial barriers. The first six months of the program provided 302 Detroit families with free memberships to a variety of renown arts and cultural institutions, including the Detroit Institute of Arts and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The impact of the program was overwhelmingly positive, and there are plans in place to expand to more families and include additional partners in 2025. This speaks to our belief that everyone deserves access to diverse art and cultural institutions and programming, as they serve as essential pillars that build stronger, more connected communities.
Through our Pablo Davis mural in Southwest Detroit, to preserve the legacy of this important cultural touchstone.
Our mission to empower people to connect with the rich art and cultural scene of our city extends to the many programs and partnerships we support, including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History – one of the world’s oldest independent museums of its kind. At the start of the year we sponsored the incredible Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design exhibit, featuring the prolific, academy-award winning designer behind the Black Panther movies, and the first Black woman to win Oscars in this category. Performance art captivates and empowers connection, and this year we again supported Shakespeare in Detroit through our sponsorship of a youth production of Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar, extension of the organization’s STEAM program. Our continued support of Shakespeare in Detroit ensures these performances are free to the public every summer.
We continue to be the lead sponsor of Eastern Market After Dark, an annual event hosted by Design Core Detroit during Detroit Month of Design. This event transforms Eastern Market into a lively space filled with music, art, food and connection that fosters a sense of community between residents and visitors alike. Our investments in institutions like The Detroit Historical Society (DHS) has led to special programming and events like The Hustle – a dual program/exhibit which celebrates, educates and raises awareness around the achievements of underrepresented Detroit entrepreneurs who are making “living history” right now. Over 51,000 people visited the exhibit featuring 36 BIPOC entrepreneurs representing multiple industries. We also joined other funders in support of the DHS new permanent exhibit Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes which showcases the history-making moments of the Detroit Lions from the 1930’s onward, including the 2024 NFL Draft.
We continue to support renown institutions such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Opera House with events and programming that are free or discounted to the public, sponsoring special experiences that engage the Detroit community, such as bringing the Dance Theatre of Harlem to the Detroit Opera House with free performances for 1,500 DPSCD elementary school students.
Finally, at the end of 2024 we expanded our $1M endowed scholarship fund at the Center for Creative Studies (CCS) fund to support Detroit’s emerging creatives with the resources they need to pursue their dreams in art or design. Our additional $1M investment will provide another student with a four-year scholarship to this prestigious school.
As we look toward 2025, we remain committed to expanding these creative frontiers, ensuring Detroit’s artistic and cultural scene continues to flourish with bold new voices and innovative collaborations.
Our commitment to creating sustainable pathways to economic mobility for Detroit residents reached new heights this year. Through strategic partnerships, innovative programming, and targeted investments, we’ve expanded opportunities for Detroiters to build skills, launch businesses, and accelerate their careers.
Detroit’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem continues to be a significant focus area for our economic mobility work. In late 2024, we announced a $1.2M investment into Black Tech Saturdays, the premier network for Black professionals and entrepreneurs in tech. Our funding will help with operational support so that BTS can grow their reach and impact across essential markets, ensuring that tech innovators have access to resources, training and networking opportunities. Black Tech Saturdays has made a significant impact on Detroit’s tech landscape, reaching over 15,000 people and generating an estimated $30 million in economic impact through its 50+ community events, $100,000 in regrants, and partnerships with national agencies.
The Apple Developer Academy marked a new milestone this year with its third graduating class of 200 talented developers and entrepreneurs. Since opening its doors in 2021, the Academy has graduated more than 1,000 students who have mastered coding, design, marketing, project management, and cutting-edge AI technologies. The program continues to serve as a vital pipeline connecting Detroit residents to high-growth career opportunities in the digital economy. This year, our support of the ADA included partnering with the Operations School, a nonprofit focused on training BIPOC startups and entrepreneurs. The “O school” implemented a specialized curriculum track that provides students with the business acumen and operational skills needed to round our their learnings and take their careers to the next level. This addition responds directly to graduate feedback and industry needs, creating a more comprehensive pathway from education to entrepreneurship.
Skill-building, credentialing, and networking opportunities are critical features for success across programs designed to advance economic opportunity for Detroiters through career pathways. Launched in 2022, the Motor City Contractor Fund a particularly relevant in this space, providing Detroit-based contractors with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive construction marketplace. In 2024, we invested an additional $3M to expand the program and support more contractors. Together with our partners at Invest Detroit, Detroit and Detroit Development Fund, we welcomed our newest cohort of 50 local contractors, providing them with targeted resources including access to capital in the form of $5,000 grants, comprehensive business training, and mentorship opportunities. The Motor City Contractor Fund disbursed $3.5 million during its pilot phase, providing $1.9 million in loans to nine contractors while offering 16 educational events and connecting participants with over 20 job providers to facilitate engagement with development projects throughout Detroit. With the expansion of the program, we know the impact will only grow.
True economic mobility starts in our neighborhoods, which is why we were proud to invest $15M into the Strategic Neighborhoods Fund, a partnership between the City of Detroit and Invest Detroit that targets funding to ten Detroit neighborhoods. This capital will go towards improving quality of life and access to economic mobility through a variety of programs that works with the community to develop streetscapes, commercial corridors, parks and affordable housing. Our $15M commitment was a collaborative effort with our public spaces team, and will expand on the impact of the first two phases of the program. To date, SNF has used these funds to create 78,000 square feet of new retail space, six renovated parks, 12 new streetscapes and numerous rehabbed affordable market rate housing units. Poverty and residential vacancy have notably decreased as a result. SNF is building the foundation for long-term economic resilience by creating the infrastructure, amenities, and community assets needed to support thriving local economies in these Detroit neighborhoods.
Now in its seventh year, the 2024 Downtown Detroit Winter Markets once again transformed downtown Detroit into a vibrant showcase for local entrepreneurship during the bustling holiday season. Working together with Bedrock, the Downtown Detroit Partnership and TechTown, this year’s Winter Markets provided 17 Detroit-based small businesses with $3,000 in support—$1,500 for seasonal operations and $1,500 post-season for wrap-around services, as well as business workshops and mentoring from Tech Town. Our investment into the Winter Markets ties threads between our economic mobility and public spaces work, supporting vibrant spaces for residents and visitors to connect while supporting Detroit’s retail economy. To date, the Winter Markets have launched over 145 small businesses and generated nearly $5 million in sales.
As we move into 2025, we will build on this year’s successes and opportunities while developing innovative new approaches to economic mobility.
Our dedication to public spaces is deeply informed by the community we serve. From our $15M investment into the Unified Greenway Campaign that will connect 23 neighborhoods to supporting the construction and renovation of new parks and neighborhood-focused activations, our public spaces strategy is rooted in expanding access to opportunity and wellness through neighborhoods, public parks, and recreational spaces.
One example is the creation of the new Tireman-Minock park on Detroit’s West Side. Once the site of the former Dixon Elementary School which was demolished in 2017, the property was acquired for development by the City of Detroit General Services Department (GSD) as part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund Initiative to fill a critical park gap: while the City of Detroit is home to over 300 parks, the Warrendale/Cody Rouge community did not have their own park. Construction of the Tireman-Minock Park transformed the 3.7-acre vacant lot into a new community park with playground equipment, picnic areas, walkways, and fitness equipment. When construction bids came in higher than expected due to inflation, we stepped in with an additional $275,000 to cover the funding gap. Providing Detroiters with universal access to safe public spaces within a half mile of every residence is a core part of our mission, and we were proud to help. This critical contribution ensured that important amenities such as a walking loop, park shelters, additional trees, and essential sidewalk repairs could be completed on time.
In March of 2024, we announced a transformative $1.8M investment into the Greening of Detroit representing the largest private philanthropic donation in the organization’s history. This investment aims to address the disproportionate lack of green spaces in predominantly Black communities while creating job opportunities through the Detroit Conservation Corps workforce development program. Around 60% of DCC trainees are returning citizens who face considerable barriers to employment after incarceration. That’s why this comprehensive initiative includes training 200+ tree artisans and landscaping technicians across 12 cohorts, and since the Greening of Detroit boasts an 85% job placement role for DCC trainees, we are hopeful that the program and its participants will flourish. In addition, our investment supports 140 youth in environmental programming focused on stewardship, as well as engaging art and science programming led by the community which will result in neighborhood-focused art projects. Finally, the investment covers the planting of 1,000 trees in locations to be determined by Detroit residents.
The Greening of Detroit investment is a classic example of how we work together across teams in service of our mission to increase access to opportunity for Detroiters. In particular, that investment “tied threads” with our Economic Mobility team and our Arts and Culture team to ensure we’re providing holistic support to Detroit residents. Another initiative that exemplifies our collaboration is our funding of the East Warren Public Market, a $2 million investment for the design and construction of the East Warren Public Market. This 10,000-square-foot community hub that will feature retail spaces for local vendors, a small grocery market, and a farmer’s market and supports both thriving public spaces and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, connecting Detroiters with their communities. The East Warren Public Market aims to foster economic growth, community engagement, and improved health outcomes while creating permanently affordable environments for local businesses to flourish. It’s part of the communities represented in the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, a cross-collaborative, multi-million dollar initiative between a variety of organizations and funders including the Gilbert Family Foundation.
This year we also had a unique opportunity to support the vibrant Latino culture of Southwest Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation supported the installation of five life-sized Alebrijes, Mexican folk art animal sculptures with a unique Detroit twist, as they are made from car parts. Detroit-based artist Elton Monroy Durán created these incredible sculptures that now stand along the Bagley Streetscape in Southwest Detroit. This investment demonstrates the our commitment to providing Detroit residents with access to safe, inclusive public spaces while honoring cultural heritage through public art installations. Finally, our continued support of Our Backyard Detroit ensures that passionate Detroiters become stewards of their neighborhoods parks, and are supplied with the resources and opportunities to elevate.
We were proud this year to have collaborated and supported so many intersecting initiatives that create jobs, revitalize underutilized areas into dynamic hubs, support neighborhoods and beautify vibrant spaces where Detroiters come together to celebrate, create, and build stronger bonds. Looking ahead to 2025, we remain dedicated to expanding access to welcoming, inclusive environments that honor our city’s heritage while creating new opportunities for residents to shape the future of their neighborhoods—one shared space at a time.
