Detroit Future City

Detroit Future City Detroit Future City (DFC) is the starting point for Detroit’s transformation. The DFC Strategic Framework would not be a plan that sat on a shelf. K. and James L.
(1)

DFC coordinates with stakeholders to inform decision-making, build capacity and fulfill the objectives of the DFC Strategic Framework, a shared long-term plan for the City of Detroit.
------------

In January 2013, after three years of solid work, drawing on the best local and national talent as well as the insights of tens of thousands of Detroiters, DFC Strategic Framework was released. The DFC Strategic Framework is a highly detailed long term guide for decision–making by all of the stakeholders in the City. For the next year, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation gathered resources and developed a team to connect people to the plan. Work began immediately in various sectors of the community and with policy leaders locally and at the state and federal levels as well. Through the support of the Kresge Foundation, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, W. Kellogg Foundation, John S. Knight Foundation and working in collaboration with the City of Detroit, the DFC Strategic Framework would come to life. In January 2014, an official home base was created and leadership team announced to ensure the successful ex*****on of the vision created in the DFC Strategic Framework. In 2016, DFC became an independent nonprofit in order to solidify and amplify its role in Detroit’s revitalization.

Join us Tuesday, October 13, at 5:30 p.m. at BasBlu for a fireside chat with Detroit Future City President and CEO Anika...
10/07/2026

Join us Tuesday, October 13, at 5:30 p.m. at BasBlu for a fireside chat with Detroit Future City President and CEO Anika Goss on Detroit's future through the lens of data, leadership, equity, and community. Moderated by BasBlue CEO Ellen Gilchrist, the conversation will explore what meaningful progress looks like, how informed and engaged communities can shape what comes next, and the role legacy plays in the work we inherit, choose, and leave behind.

Anika leads DFC's work across economic equity, community and economic development, land use, and sustainability, shaping strategies for Detroit's long-term growth and resilience. DFC is a nonprofit think tank and urban innovation center working toward a more equitable and sustainable Detroit.

With nearly 25 years in community development and nonprofit leadership, Anika is a nationally recognized voice on the future of cities. She serves in leadership and advisory roles with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Detroit Branch and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and recently gave a TED Talk on Detroit's climate challenges and what they can teach cities about building a more resilient future.

We hope you'll join this important conversation. Register today: https://basblueus.com/event/fireside-chat-with-anika-goss/

Detroit Future City is proud to share that Edward Lynch, AICP, our Director of Research, has been selected for the Detro...
09/24/2026

Detroit Future City is proud to share that Edward Lynch, AICP, our Director of Research, has been selected for the Detroit Regional Chamber's Leadership program.

This prestigious nine-month program brings together emerging and established corporate and community leaders from across Southeast Michigan to deepen their understanding of regional issues and strengthen their capacity to drive positive change.

Edward joins a distinguished group of Detroit Future City leaders who are Leadership Detroit alumni, reflecting DFC's ongoing commitment to strengthening civic leadership and advancing equitable growth throughout the region. Learn more about Leadership Detroit and Class 47: Detroit Regional Chamber Leadership Detroit

Labor Day is a moment to recognize the people who keep Detroit running and rebuilding.At Detroit Future City, we see lab...
09/07/2026

Labor Day is a moment to recognize the people who keep Detroit running and rebuilding.

At Detroit Future City, we see labor and economic mobility as inseparable. The wealth gap we work to close is shaped largely by wages, benefits, and access to good jobs. Every skilled tradesperson, home health aide, educator, and small business owner in this city is part of the foundation we're building on.

Today we thank Detroit's workforce and recommit to the research and partnerships that help open pathways to quality jobs and lasting economic opportunity for all Detroiters.

Happy Labor Day.

09/02/2026

Did you miss DFC President and CEO Anika Goss on Tunnel Vision Networks latest podcast episode? She talks about her vision for Detroit, how Detroit Future City is driving change across housing and workforce development, and what it will take to support Detroiters. Click the link below to watch..

Knowledge is power, and this summer, DFC President and CEO Anika Goss brought Detroit's story to stages across the count...
08/26/2026

Knowledge is power, and this summer, DFC President and CEO Anika Goss brought Detroit's story to stages across the country.

From housing ecosystem infrastructure to climate resilience to equitable community investment, Anika shared research and insights from our place-based work with partners driving equitable change and closing Detroit's racial wealth gap.

Detroit Housing Alliance Conference: A keynote on organizing across housing systems (insurance, development, finance, and local government) to build what's needed for both homeowners and renters. Watch her keynote here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcX50jUiOHc

Aspen Ideas: Climate 2026: On "The Midwest Playbook" panel, Anika discussed how Detroit is tackling climate resilience through community engagement and land use. Watch this dynamic session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypxWp-fVc10&list=PLIls-oZ6mXUM&index=32

2026 National Association of Black Journalists Conference: Anika joined Wendy Jackson, Managing Director, Detroit Program with the Kresge Foundation, Dr. Andre Perry, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Community Uplift at the Brookings Institution, and Orlando Bailey, Executive Director with Outlier Media, to explore how journalists can look past headlines to ask: who's actually benefiting, and are commitments to community being kept.

Three stages, one throughline: equity isn't a footnote; it's the framework.

Which topic is most important to you: housing, climate, or investment equity? Drop it in the comments. Follow DFC to see where Anika speaks next.

Couldn't make it to the August Open Space Working Group? No worries, we've got the recap ready for you.This session feat...
08/19/2026

Couldn't make it to the August Open Space Working Group? No worries, we've got the recap ready for you.

This session featured Wayne State University's Patrick Cooper-McCann and author Joseph Cialdella ("Motor City Green: A Century of Landscapes and Environmentalism in Detroit"), who shared the rich history of Detroit's park system and its African American community green spaces.

Sign up for our mailing list to get the recording, presentation slides, additional resources, and your invite to the October session.

https://mailchi.mp/detroitfuturecity/open-space-working-group-sign-up

Now that Michigan's Primary Election is in the books, and the results are in for who's headed to the November General El...
08/18/2026

Now that Michigan's Primary Election is in the books, and the results are in for who's headed to the November General Election. But the bigger story is how Detroit showed up.

This was the largest primary election in Michigan's recent history. Across 7 City Council Districts and 402 voting precincts, 21% of eligible Detroit voters cast a ballot; that's just over 108,772 out of 527,369 registered voters.

Detroiters used every option available: 55,846 voted absentee, and 4,392 took advantage of the nine-day early voting period.

With November's General Election coming up, where we'll vote for Michigan's next governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and more, every vote counts even more. Want to know why? Check out DFC's Detroit Issues Guide 2026 at https://detroitfuturecity.com/data_reports/detroit-issues-guide-2026/.

What happens when Detroit youth are poured into and allowed to lead? They rise. They teach. They lead each other. That's...
08/14/2026

What happens when Detroit youth are poured into and allowed to lead? They rise. They teach. They lead each other.

That's exactly what unfolded at the 8th Annual Detroit Youth Summit: Where Youth and Leaders Build Together. Last week, over 150 LIFE Leaders Inc. youth filled Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, ready to explore career paths with real opportunity and real impact.

For the third year running, Detroit Future City stood alongside LIFE Leaders as a community partner and session panelists. This year, we went a step further, partnering directly with youth leaders to design and facilitate a breakout session rooted in our report, Career Connected Learning: Investing in Detroit's Future Talent.

The result: young people teaching young people. Peer-to-peer, youth leaders turned career exploration into an interactive, energizing experience, giving their fellow students the tools to map out their own futures with intention.

This is what it looks like when Detroit invests in its youth as leaders, not just participants.

Learn more about LIFE Leaders and their work: https://www.fueledbylife.org/

Detroit's Open Space Working Group is back!Join us Tuesday, August 11th from 3:00–4:30 PM for our August session, spotli...
08/10/2026

Detroit's Open Space Working Group is back!

Join us Tuesday, August 11th from 3:00–4:30 PM for our August session, spotlighting the history of Detroit's parks and green spaces.

How do we pay for parks? Where should open space be? Who controls park land? These questions aren't new. They trace back to 1847, when West Grand Circus Park became Detroit's first public park.
This month we're joined by two experts:

Joseph Cialdella, author of Motor City Green: A Century of Landscapes and Environmentalism in Detroit

Patrick Cooper-McCann, Wayne State Professor of Urban Planning, whose dissertation explored the history of Detroit parkland

The Open Space Working Group meets bimonthly and welcomes advocates, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working on Detroit's natural areas, urban farms, parks, greenways, and more.

Sign up for the email list to register: https://mailchi.mp/detroitfuturecity/open-space-working-group-sign-up

Early voting may be over, but your vote still matters!Today is Michigan's Primary Election Day. Polls are open now and c...
08/04/2026

Early voting may be over, but your vote still matters!

Today is Michigan's Primary Election Day. Polls are open now and close at 8:00 p.m.

If you're still wondering how your vote makes a difference or have questions about the millages and other issues on your ballot, Detroit Future City and the Citizens Research Council of Michigan have resources to help.

The Detroit Issues Guide 2026 is a nonpartisan resource that explains:
✔ How public policy impacts daily life
✔ What’s happening in Michigan during this election cycle
✔ Key facts and data about important issues
✔ What is Proposal S and the Wayne County Transit Millage
✔ Questions to consider before casting your vote

Take a few minutes to review the guide, make a plan to vote today in Michigan's Primary Election, and stay engaged ahead of the November General Election.

Read the guide: https://lnkd.in/g-R9-Sem

Address

440 Burroughs Street , Suite 229
Detroit, MI
48202

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+13132626070

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Detroit Future City posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category