Grants support Cheboygan Area Arts Council, City of Madison Heights  

JACKSON, Mich., Oct. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumers Energy Foundation announced today $500,000 in grant funding as part of their annual Prosperity Awards. This year's recipients, based in Cheboygan and Madison Heights are working to support neighborhood revitalization and arts and culture development in their communities.

"Bolstering economic development within a community isn't only about strengthening small and local businesses; it is also about developing the resources, facilities and opportunities that attract people to visit, to spend their time and money, and even to move there," said Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation. "Both of these grantees understand the importance of placemaking to facilitate community growth, and we're looking forward to seeing the positive impact these two cultural amenities will provide for their regions."

The Prosperity Awards recipients chosen from more than 100 applicants are:

• Cheboygan Area Arts Council ($250,000), Cheboygan
• Grant funding will go toward the Cheboygan Opera House, one of only seven remaining opera houses in Michigan, which serves as a world-class arts, culture and resource facility for the northern lower peninsula. The funding will allow for improvements to ensure the facility is accessible for attendees and performers of all physical abilities.
• City of Madison Heights ($250,000)
• Grant funding will support the "Rock the Heights" project to construct a state-of-the-art bandshell in Civic Center Park to serve as an inclusive community hub where people of all ages and abilities can gather in an outdoor setting.

"Thanks to this generous investment from the Consumers Energy Foundation, we will be able to make numerous improvements to our theater that will remove barriers and make our space truly accessible to all patrons, students and performers," said Owen Goslin, Executive Director of the Cheboygan Area Arts Council. "The current Opera House building has been the center of the performing arts in the Straits region since 1888, and we are excited to follow through on our mission of making the arts accessible to all of our community."

"Live performance art has a special place in a city like ours — it heals, brings people together, and provides an incredible outlet for our youth," said Mark Bliss, Madison Heights Mayor Pro Tem and Founder of the Madison Heights Arts Board. "I am so thankful to our grant application team and the Consumers Energy Foundation for helping us realize a long-term goal for the community. This grant will be a catalyst for bringing even more free, live entertainment and cultural events to the city."

The Prosperity Awards are the Consumers Energy Foundation's final signature grant allocations in 2023 totaling $1.5 million. The Foundation previously awarded the Planet Awards in April and the People Awards in July.

The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider. The Foundation contributes to the growth and strengthening of Michigan communities by investing in what's most important — our people, our planet and Michigan's prosperity. In 2022, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, its employees and retirees contributed more than $18.5 million to Michigan nonprofits. 

Consumers Energy is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to ConsumersEnergy.com.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy