Existing Detroiters: Make Detroit Home

Investing in Detroit's Catalysts to Stay & Build in Detroit

Detroit's future is being shaped by the people already here. Growth starts with them.

The Make Detroit Home: Stay & Build Program is designed to support existing Detroit residents’ who have an outsized impact on the city’s growth, as they decide to stay and build their futures in Detroit. Specifically, the program is available to those creatives, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who are actively contributing to the city’s growth and identity. These are the individuals building businesses, creating culture, and strengthening neighborhoods from within–and for whom these program benefits will make all the difference in their decision to stay and their ability to scale their impact right here in Detroit.

To ensure Detroit’s healthy growth and shared prosperity for all its residents, we need to invest in the drivers of median income growth, the development of places that are magnets for talent, and economic diversification across our city. One thing is clear: strong entrepreneurial and creative ecosystems are key to that brighter tomorrow. Make Detroit Home: Stay & Build is designed to support and retain Detroit talent and spark growth for all Detroiters–current and future.

Stay & Build invests in the people already shaping Detroit’s future—and accelerates their impact even more.

What You'll Receive

🤝 High-Impact Connections & Community - Participants will be invited to join one curated Community Event Series aligned with their interests and goals. Each is designed to amplify participants’ local networks, including access to community and industry leaders, relevant resources, and VIP Detroit experiences. The Community Event Series options to select from include:

🏙 A Warm Re-introduction to Your Best Detroit Life - All participants will be enrolled in a one-year Welcome Program designed to increase engagement in your city, and amplify your quality of life right here at home. Benefits include:

*May be subject to change or exchange for equivalent community engagement opportunities.

💰 Financial Support to Live & Work in Detroit - To support your next chapter in the city, selected participants will receive meaningful funding to invest in their futures and improve their lives in Detroit.

$15,000 stipends are limited. Eligible applicants meeting program criteria will be reviewed by the Move Detroit team, with final selections based on each candidate’s demonstrated long-term commitment to Detroit, and the projected personal & community impact of each candidate’s plans for their $15,000 stipend, to support them staying, building, and sparking growth in Detroit. Move Detroit may contact candidates as part of the stipend selection process.

Why It Matters

When Detroit’s entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners thrive, the entire city benefits. Make Detroit Home: Stay & Build is about more than the individual success of each participant—it’s about investing in these catalysts to build a stronger, more dynamic Detroit for all of us to enjoy.