In neighborhoods across Detroit, housing instability and transportation barriers continue to shape daily life, affecting everything from employment opportunities to access to health care. While these challenges are complex, the solutions often begin locally, led by nonprofit organizations that understand their communities best.
The DTE Energy Foundation’s Community Empowerment Awards: Critical Repairs Program is designed to help those organizations do exactly that, remove barriers and strengthen stability where it matters most.
Now entering its third year, the Community Empowerment Awards focuses on promoting safe, stable housing that honors individual dignity and to eliminate transportation barriers that impede access to basic human needs (including, but not limited to, employment, access to health care and other essential services).
Detroit-based organizations have already seen the impact. Past Community Empowerment Awards funding has supported 22 nonprofits statewide, representing nearly $670,000 invested in community-centered solutions. Among them is Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, which leveraged the support to bring new life, safety and opportunity to families in Highland Park.
“This project is a gift to the families of Highland Park,” said Dr. Chad Audi, president and CEO of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. “With the support of the DTE Foundation, we are turning an overlooked space into a place of joy, safety and community pride.”
Rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, the Community Empowerment Awards prioritize projects designed by nonprofits rooted in the communities they serve, particularly those addressing long-standing inequities across Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
This year, eligible nonprofits can apply for grants of up to $30,000 in each focus area. The proposal window opens May 25 and runs through July 3, 2026, with final award notifications expected in September and public announcements in October.
Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities operating within DTE’s service territory and directly benefitting the communities they serve. Projects must be non-energy related, demonstrate long-term sustainability and align with the Foundation’s commitment to community-driven impact.
For Detroit nonprofits already doing the work on the ground, repairing homes, keeping residents mobile, and helping families stay connected to opportunity, the Community Empowerment Awards represent more than funding. They represent partnership, investment and belief in the power of local solutions to create lasting change.
Full program guidelines and application details are available at EmpoweringMichigan.com/community-empowerment-awards.
