In its fifth year, the 2026 Engage Detroit Workshops grant program has awarded seven projects. This initiative fosters partnerships between the University of Michigan (U-M) and Detroit, supporting faculty, staff, students, and community collaborators in organizing impactful workshops. By offering a platform for collaboration, the program aims to strengthen ties and promote shared learning experiences.
The grants provide up to $15,000 for workshops or speaker series that connect U-M faculty with Detroit communities, supported by the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses. “This year, we received a record number of applications and we’re excited to award seven projects,” said Morgan Yuncker, assistant vice provost for domestic engagement. “These proposals continue to inspire because they translate into meaningful, on-the-ground impact in Detroit.”
This year’s selected projects include:
From Compliance to Climate Resilience: Public Weatherization Workshops for Detroit Land Bank Homeowners
Description: This workshop series, in collaboration with Detroit Land Bank Authority, demonstrates cost-effective home rehabilitation upgrades for energy efficiency. It aims to guide homeowners from basic compliance to climate resilience, promoting equitable homeownership.
Engineering Detroit’s Future: Empowering Detroit’s Next Generation through Engineering Exploration
Description: U-M’s Industrial & Operations Engineering and Robotics departments offer interactive sessions for high school students, exploring disciplines like cognitive factors and machine learning. This initiative aims to inspire Detroit students to pursue careers in engineering.
Activating the Archives: Michigan Women in Jazz
Description: Collaborating with Detroit Sound Conservancy, this project addresses gender inequity in jazz. If funding is unavailable, a scaled-back version will proceed with a single performance and panel discussion.
From Street to Careers: Engineering & Sport Management Pathways in Detroit Motorsports
Description: This series leverages Detroit’s motorsports culture to create sustainable career pathways in engineering and sport management for local youth, developed with Curry Motorsports and I Am My City.
Documentary Screening and Panel Discussions about Youth Homelessness at Detroit Schools
Description: A mini-documentary on youth-led rapid rehousing programs will be screened at Detroit high schools, followed by discussions with advocates and researchers studying youth homelessness.
Heads Up @ SAY Detroit: Creative STEM for Concussion Prevention
Description: This hands-on workshop series, in partnership with SAY Detroit Play Center, educates Detroit youth on concussion prevention through STEM activities, with a final product of a replicable curriculum model.
Eco-Punks: Lessons from the 1967 Love-In on Belle Isle
Description: A collaborative project hosted at Belle Isle Conservatory, bringing together artists, activists, and scientists to explore Detroit’s geological and musical history in relation to industrial growth and climate change.
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