In this episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower welcomes Stefanie Pohl, Senior Content Specialist · Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

In July, a unique Crowdfunding Campaign called "Northeast Grand Rapids: A City of Healing" was launched with a $50,000 goal to win a matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative.

This project was powered by donations through the success of a crowdfunding campaign led by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the nonprofit Lions and Rabbits Center for the Arts (LRCFA), which was powered by donations through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

We're pleased to add that after this program was recorded, the Grand Rapids City of Healing project met its required match of $50,000 on August 23, 2025, triggering the MEDC match of $50,000 to complete the project.

Because of the successful funding and the match from the MEDC, a new series of public art installations and murals will be completed throughout Northeast Grand Rapids to improve public health and community connection.

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity, in which residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC.

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan.

As of July 7, 2025, MEDC has provided more than $14.3 million in matching grants.

On this week's episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower speaks with Allison Donahue, Program Manager, The Rapidian.

Allison joined us on this program to provide us with an update about everything happening with The Rapidian.

In 2023, the Rapidian introduced the Grand Rapids Documenters program, part of the nationwide Documenters Network, to create a new public record in Grand Rapids.

Since then, The Rapidian has been training and paying community members to record notes and audio for a diverse range of local public meetings, with a goal of boosting transparency and making what goes on at City Hall (and in boardrooms and auditoriums across the city) more accessible to our neighbors.

Allison also reminded us that The Rapidian upholds the highest standards of editorial independence.

The staff has a strong commitment to full transparency in how they fund their work.

The Rapidian accepts gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals, organizations, and foundations to support its operations, special projects, and coverage of specific topics.

However, editorial decisions remain entirely independent—donors have no role in assigning, reviewing, or editing content.

The Rapidian is holding a fund drive September 15-19.

ONLINE: ⁠The Rapidian⁠

In this episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower speaks with Cindy Meyers-Foley, the Director and CEO ofThe Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Cindy spoke with us about several programs and happenings at the GRAM, including their new "Thursdays on the Terrace" programming, the GRAM on The Green Concert Series, a partnership with WYCE Community Radio.

Cindy also spoke about the changing role of museums, especially how places like the Grand Rapids Art Museum are becoming positive spaces for health and wellbeing, third spaces, and spaces for community and social connection.

Much of their new initiatives are centered on community outreach, including an exciting new program we spoke about at GRAM...their Teen Identity program.

We also briefly discussed the must-see exhibition: David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed, Prints from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation. The exhibit continues through November 2 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Online: The Grand Rapids Art Museum

Cindy Meyers-Foley, Director and CEO ofthe Grand Rapids Art Museum.(Late August)

Online:artmuseumgr.org

CLOSE: You’ve been listening toWYCE’s Community Closeup…a weekly public affairs program produced inpartnership with The Rapidian, a hyper-local news service of the Grand RapidsCommunity Media Center. This is WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower…thank you forjoining us!

Cindy Meyers-Foley, Director and CEO ofthe Grand Rapids Art Museum.(Late August)

Online:artmuseumgr.org

CLOSE: You’ve been listening toWYCE’s Community Closeup…a weekly public affairs program produced inpartnership with The Rapidian, a hyper-local news service of the Grand RapidsCommunity Media Center. This is WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower…thank you forjoining us!