• The grants support four Detroit-based nonprofit organizations: ProsperUs Detroit, TechTown, DABO Detroit and the Horatio Williams Foundation.
  • Investments combine career training with small business support to build a stronger and more resilient economy.

DETROIT (Sept. 10, 2025) Gilbert Family Foundation today announced a total of $4,450,000 in new grants to four Detroit-based nonprofit organizations focused on creating economic opportunities for Detroit residents. The funding will strengthen Detroit’s economy on two fronts: preparing Detroiters for current in-demand jobs and supporting existing small businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to expand for the future.

“Detroit’s small businesses are the backbone of our city. They provide jobs to Detroit’s residents and are a source of products and services the neighborhoods rely on,” said Darnell Adams, Vice President, Detroit Community Initiatives, Gilbert Family Foundation. “These grants will help Detroiters today, while also laying the foundation for long-term growth, stability, and lasting wealth in our communities.”

Supporting Small Business Growth

Gilbert Family Foundation has committed $1.9 million to ProsperUs Detroit to support the Community Catalyst Loan (CCL) Program, a recently launched microlending program. The CCL program directly engages community partners and technical assistance providers in the lending process, providing on-the-ground knowledge that helps streamline underwriting and deliver more flexible support for entrepreneurs.

“This investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation is a pivotal step forward in advancing economic equity for Detroit’s entrepreneurs,” said Paul Jones, CEO, ProsperUs Detroit “Through our Community Catalyst Loan program, we are showing that when lending is rooted in community knowledge and partnership, entrepreneurs not only access capital but also receive the culturally competent support they need to thrive. This commitment will allow us to leverage additional resources, expand responsive capital, and, most importantly, help Detroiters build wealth and stronger neighborhoods.”

Gilbert Family Foundation also committed $950,000 to launch Detroit Elevate, a new program led by TechTown Detroit, in partnership with Black Leaders Detroit and QT Business Solutions. Detroit Elevate is designed to strengthen and support second-stage Detroit area businesses. The initiative combines funding, technical assistance, and community-driven engagement to drive customer traffic and visibility. Business owners will also receive support in marketing and finance, along with operational improvements to ensure the long-term sustainability of their businesses.

“Through Detroit Elevate, we’re making sure second-stage businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park have the resources, capital, and technical support they need to grow and thrive,” said Christianne Malone, chief program officer at TechTown and assistant vice president in Wayne State University’s Division of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. “This is about strengthening neighborhoods, creating jobs, and building long-term prosperity across our communities by pouring into these businesses.”

Expanding Pathways for Workers and Entrepreneurs

In addition to its support for small businesses, Gilbert Family Foundation is investing more than $1.6 million in two organizations focused on creating economic opportunities for Detroit workers. Gilbert Family Foundation has committed $910,000 to the Horatio Williams Foundation to support the Detroit Empowerment Hub, a new initiative providing pathways to independence for women, youth, and returning citizens. The hub will train women to become certified nursing assistants, introduce participants to careers in property management, and expand summer entrepreneurship programs for Detroit youth. Returning citizens will also receive career support, including access to a new truck driving training program.

The investment also supports Hoops and Culture HBCU College Expo, a three-day community celebration happening October 29th-31st. Gilbert Family Foundation will host a full day dedicated to economic mobility, headlined by the nationally recognized financial literacy platform Earn Your Leisure. The event will bring together job training programs, union recruitment opportunities, and financial education resources to empower Detroit residents.

“We are honored to receive this investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation to launch the Detroit Empowerment Hub”, said Horatio William, founder, Horatio Williams Foundation. “This initiative is about more than programs—they are pathways to independence, stability and opportunity for Detroiters.  Together, we are building a future where every Detroiter has the tools and resources to thrive.”

Last, Gilbert Family Foundation committed $690,000 to Detroit Association of Black Organizations DABO Detroit to support workforce readiness for Detroit residents. As a result of the funding, DABO Detroit aims to connect a minimum of 400 Detroiters, to career pathways in high-demand fields such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction, finance and real estate. Participants will gain industry-recognized certifications, career coaching, mentorship, and financial literacy training to ensure they are not only placed in jobs but prepared for sustainable careers.

“DABO has always been committed to making sure Detroiters not only have access to opportunities, but that they are fully prepared to succeed in them,” said Reverend Horace Sheffield, III, CEO, DABO Detroit. “This investment allows us to connect hundreds of residents to meaningful career pathways, while also equipping them with the financial literacy and mentorship they need to build stability and generational wealth for their families.”

All four grants are a part of Gilbert Family Foundation’s $500 million, 10-year commitment – shared with Rocket Community Fund – to build opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods. From the time the investment was announced in 2021 to the end of 2024, Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund have deployed or committed to approximately $232 million of the funding.

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About Gilbert Family Foundation

Gilbert Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and build economic opportunity and equity in the city of Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of eradicating NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body. Additionally, the Foundation supports the economic stability and mobility of residents in Detroit by investing in wealth-building opportunities and breaking down systemic barriers.

For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit gilbertfamilyfoundation.org.

 

 

About Horatio Williams Foundation

The Horatio Williams Foundation is dedicated to helping local youth realize personal success and achievement through a series of academic, life skills and sport oriented programs.

 

About DABO Detroit

DABO is dedicated to empowering Detroit residents through health, housing, education and economic support—offering wraparound services that restore hope and create lasting impact.

About TechTown Detroit

TechTown Detroit, Wayne State University’s entrepreneurship hub, is a nonprofit business service organization that provides programs, education and resources for early-to growth-stage small businesses and tech entrepreneurs. By building bridges for entrepreneurs to succeed, TechTown is accelerating an inclusive economy for Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Since 2007, TechTown has supported more than 6,000 businesses, which has created over 2,300 jobs and raised more than $408 million in startup and growth capital. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org

 

About ProsperUs Detroit:

ProsperUs Detroit is committed to fostering economic equity in under-resourced communities by empowering entrepreneurs with the resources and capital they need to build thriving businesses, generational wealth, and vibrant neighborhoods. For over 13 years, ProsperUs has provided robust and culturally responsive education, resources, and capital to emerging and established entrepreneurs in Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Inkster. Focusing on Black, Latiné, and immigrant entrepreneurs from low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, ProsperUs has trained over 1,500 entrepreneurs, provided technical assistance to over 500 businesses, and extended over $7 million in loans through a patient capital approach. Discover how ProsperUs is transforming communities by visiting http://www.prosperusdetroit.org/.