Community Investment Fund

Established in 2018, the Port Community Investment Fund (CIF) was created to promote community focused initiatives and support local economic development. The fund is sustained through a dedicated portion of the Port Authority’s development finance revenue, specifically an annual contribution of 10% of Port closing fees.

Historically, the CIF operated to provide one-time grants to support educational, training, and workforce development programs. Recently, the Port Authority piloted a loan program which could eventually reposition the CIF into a self-sustaining revolving loan fund. This new repositioned model would allow capital to be lent, repaid, and redeployed, compounding the Port’s community impact over time by recycling funds into new catalytic, neighborhood-scale projects.

2026 Program Repositioning

The Port is treating 2026 as a deliberate beta test and proof of concept for this new revolving loan structure. This phase provides the flexibility to learn from real-world investments and adjust program guidelines before formalizing the strategy for 2027.

  • Strategic Goal: Transition from one-time grants to a recyclable capital model, with a long-term goal of growing the CIF into a ~$2 million revolving loan pool.
  • Focus Areas: The fund prioritizes catalytic projects that are often underserved by conventional financing, such as adaptive reuse and neighborhood real estate improvements.
  • Proof of Concept: The fund’s first beta investment involves providing flexible capital to fill a critical financing gap for a project in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood. This investment is designed to support the work of the local Community Development Corporations (CDC) and align with ongoing Port activity in the area, aligning with the long-term vision of our CHEERS project.

Grant Recipients

The 2025 awards structure awarded $260,000 to seven organizations to support regional economic and community development.

2025 Grant Recipients

The Port Authority congratulates this year’s awardees and remains committed to investing in programs that strengthen our region’s economic vitality and maritime future.