The Detroit Police Athletic League and its partners have raised millions to convert the old Tiger Stadium into its headquarters and playing field space for local youths that the nonprofit group serves.
But how will it sustain funding in the years to come while including historical, community and youth development priorities?
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That’s a question it will put to U-M students who will take part in the Social Impact Challenge, which began Thursday and wraps up Feb. 9 with final team pitches to a panel of judges that includes experts and leaders from Detroit.
The Center for Social Impact at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business hosts the challenge each year with an organization in Detroit to tackle a pressing strategic issue. Last year, it worked with a team of partners to design redevelopment proposals for the Fisher Body Plant 21 in Detroit’s north end.
Rishi Moudgil, the center’s managing director, launched this program as college students are increasingly interested in applying their education to benefit society.
“Millennials seek opportunities that align to their values,” he said. “Working across sectors and disciplines on real issues allows them to deliver social impact.”
The Social Impact Challenge is an opportunity for students to collaborate on graduate and undergraduate teams across a dozen U-M schools and colleges to tackle complex social issues in a competitive environment with real-world implications.
Joe Tate of Detroit signed up for his second challenge competition because it’s a good opportunity to work on an issue in the city while pursuing his MBA at the Ross School and a master’s degree at the School of Natural Resources and Environment.
“Ultimately, I am hoping to learn more about the city of Detroit and how Detroit PAL fits into the fabric of the city,” he said.
Karen Yocky, a Chicago native pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, said she’s eager to test her skills on the challenge. Her mother grew up in Detroit and she remembers going to baseball games at Tiger Stadium when she was a kid.
Yocky said she’s excited to learn more about nonprofit strategy and urban policy issues, and practice applying a broad range of perspectives to an important and real opportunity in Detroit.
“This case fits perfectly with my goals because it requires participants to think about how financial growth and sustainability can be achieved alongside positively impacting the lives of youth in Detroit,” she said.
During the competition, the teams parse through live data, investigate the context and social issues, engage with the community and develop strategic recommendations for action. The winning team receives a $2,500 cash prize, the opportunity for their ideas to be implemented, and subsequent paid summer internships.
Detroit PAL, a nonprofit organization that benefits more than 12,000 children each year, is working with the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy and a host of other partners including the city of Detroit and the Skillman Foundation on deepening its impact.
The group has enlisted the help of U-M student teams for the Kids at the Corner Campaign to:
• Expand its programs and organization into more Detroit communities.
• Redevelop the historic site of old Tiger Stadium into a safe and healthy playing field and permanent headquarters for Detroit PAL.
• Positively influence and develop a new generation of leaders for Detroit.
• Raise the organization’s national profile and reputation, growing the donor base and connecting the thousands of Detroit PAL alumni to the iconic Tiger Stadium.
• Provide sustainable revenue beyond philanthropy and donations.
The anticipated groundbreaking for the new facility is this spring, but there is still much planning that needs to be done to ensure long-term success.
“Detroit Police Athletic League is proud to be a partner in this year’s Social Impact Challenge,” said Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey. “It is important to us to create a positive presence in the Corktown community, offering extended sports and mentorship programming to the youth of the city, while also preserving the history of old Tiger Stadium.
“We are excited to hear ideas from the bright minds across University of Michigan’s campus.”
Since its inception in 2014, the Center for Social Impact has educated hundreds of students across U-M and worked with a wide array of partners to define and advance the practice of social impact, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. The center has a significant interest and stake in the city of Detroit.
