and from floral gardens planted to honor the memory and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the demolition of blighted commercial structures within busy neighborhood corridors, Habitat is partnering with community members all over Flint to wrestle beauty from blight and build strong and stable communities by investing in catalytic, resident led neighborhood projects. ​

The program, which provides staff support for project planning and implementation, as well as funding to help get the project started, is funded thanks to generous support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. As part of the program, groups commit 10% of their project's cost in sweat equity, and while working with Habitat groups receive access to training in action planning, impact evaluation, and best practices in community revitalization from certified Habitat staff. 

Visit our website here for more information about the FlintBRAND program.

How do you meaningfully engage community members as active participants in the work of neighborhood revitalization? It's a question that community development agencies have grappled with for decades. Here at Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, however, we think the answer is simple - give community members the tools needed to lead that work for themselves!

​Flint BRAND 
The first step to any successfull neighborhood revitalization effort is having the resources needed to make things happen, and Genesee County Habitat for Humanity is here to help! Thanks to support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Habitat has begun a new program called Flint BRAND (Building Resident Action by Neighborhood Design). Through Flint BRAND, resident groups throughout the City of Flint can apply to Habitat for support implementing projects up to $10,000. In addition to project support, Habitat staff works with all applicants to design high-impact projects that create a positive, lasting change in the physical landscape of neighborhoods and address pressing community concerns.

Voice of Women
​Even more important than investing in places, is investing in the people that make those places home. Building off of the tremendous response to our Grassroots Rising: Resident Leadership Summit this past summer, Habitat is offering a free six-week training series titled Voice of Women. This six-week series provides participants with information and resources to help them take ownership of neighborhood projects and work effetively with residents and community leaders. Topics include:
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• Gaining Confidence by Strengthening Core Competencies
• Leader Presentation Skills
• Effective Meetings with Neighbors, Community Leaders, and Law Enforcement
• Collaborating for Neighborhood Improvement Results
• Facilitation Skills for Effective Neighborhood Meetings
• Project Management for Successful Neighborhood Transformation ​

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