Community Economic Development
Our Community Economic Development department focuses on supporting current and aspiring east side small business owners and creating economic development opportunities that benefit all residents and community stakeholders. We achieve our goals through a mix of community economic development plans, multi-sector working groups, training programs, direct services, and third-party resources.
Our Work
Mack Ave Improvement Plan
The Mack Avenue Corridor Improvement Plan is part of an ongoing planning and implementation process led by a multi-sector strategy committee to create a shared vision for Mack Avenue. This provides ECN and our partners’ with a strategic framework for building a stronger corridor, one step at a time. The plan itself examines community development investment on Mack Avenue from Conner Street to Moross Road, through the cities of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe, and Grosse Pointe Farms.
Mack Ave Streetscape Planning
Our Mack Avenue Streetscape Planning process is an extension of the development work led through our Mack Ave Improvement Plan. Through this process, ECN and our partners are building on previous planning efforts along Mack Avenue to develop a preferred community design, from Conner Street to Moross Road — a major transportation and retail corridor serving the east side of Detroit and the Grosse Pointe communities — in order to bring a feeling of consistency and cohesiveness across the four cities.
Mack Avenue Business Association
The Mack Avenue Business Association (MABA) leverages ECN's strong roots in the community to serve businesses on the corridor between Conner and Moross, as well as business owners hoping to open a brick and mortar enterprise on Mack. In addition to our small business support initiatives, we also work with east side and regional partners to develop and implement plans and strategies that will improve the commercial corridor.
Mack Avenue Virtual Mall
In late 2021 we launched the Mack Avenue Virtual Mall. The online business directory features more than 180 Mack Avenue businesses - including more than 25 Black-Owned Businesses and 35 Women-Owned Businesses.
ProsperUs
Eastside Community Network partners with ProsperUS Detroit to provide their Entrepreneurial Training Course. This program provides a culturally cognizant curriculum for east side residents who may not have access to traditional sources of start-up finances and are eager to learn the skills needed to successfully start and operate a small business.
The 12-week course is offered every spring and fall, and features 11 classroom sessions, 10 hours of 1-on-1 coaching, and a graduation ceremony. There is a $75 participation fee. Visit ProsperUS Detroit’s website to learn more about applying for the course and access more of their small business resources.
Eastside Job Board
ECN partners with Detroit at Work (DAW) to provide an Eastside Job Board that will support east side residents seeking employment and east side small business owners that are looking to fill open positions. To learn more about how the job board supports job seekers and business owners, follow the button below.