The Alternative Foundation
Overview The Alternative Foundation came to VVK with a clear sense of purpose but without the operational structure needed to fully bring that purpose to life. The foundation, which is based outside of Boston, was committed to supporting community rooted, equity‑driven work in Detroit, yet its internal systems were still operating without structure and process […]
Gilbert Family Foundation & Rocket Community Fund
Overview The Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF), Jennifer and Dan Gilbert’s personal foundation, along with the Rocket Community Fund (RCF), operates with a dual mission: building opportunity for Detroiters and accelerating a cure for neurofibromatosis. As GFF’s $500 million commitment to Detroit reached its midpoint this spring, the organization faced a defining moment: an opportunity to demonstrate progress, reinforce trust and re-engage key audiences around […]
Great Lakes Water Authority
The Brief In the early morning of February 17, 2025, the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) experienced a historic 54-inch water transmission main break in Southwest Detroit. The incident affected approximately 300 homes, forcing evacuations and triggering a coordinated emergency response from both GLWA and the City of Detroit. Frigid temperatures intensified the severity of […]
Invest Detroit/LISC
The Brief Invest Detroit and LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) work together to support equitable development in Detroit’s neighborhoods, financing housing, commercial revitalization and small-business corridors. Yet public understanding of Detroit’s “comeback” remained focused primarily on downtown. This misconception minimized the impact of neighborhood investment and risked reinforcing a narrative of unequal or incomplete progress. […]
Detroit Future City
The Brief Detroit’s recovery has often been measured by visible development and investment. Yet beneath those indicators lies a more consequential question: how does growth translate into lasting economic opportunity for Detroit residents—particularly Detroit’s African American middle class? Detroit Future City (DFC) was created to tackle that question through research, strategy and action. As the […]