Consumers Energy Foundation Announces Finalists Competing for $50,000 in Put Your Town on the Map Competition

Jackson, Mich. Friday, May 29, 2026

The stage is set for the final round of the Consumers Energy Foundation’s Put Your Town on the Map competition, with 10 communities competing next week for $50,000 in grant funding.

Communities of up to 10,000 residents submitted proposals rooted in locally driven ideas, with finalists representing a diverse range of projects that enhance public spaces, celebrate local history, and create new opportunities for connection and growth. Starting Monday, June 1, these finalist communities will present their ideas before a panel of judges at the Small Town and Rural Development Conference at Crystal Mountain, where three winners will receive grants from the Consumers Energy Foundation, including $25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place.

The 2026 finalists are:

• City of Albion (Calhoun County) — Albion Night Market and Arts Alley
• Yates Township (Lake County) — Idlewild Black Heritage Trail
• Tuscarora Township (Cheboygan County) — DeVoe Beach Improvements in Indian River
• City of Durand (Shiawassee County) — Relocation of Railroad Train Car into Iron Horse Park
• City of Carson City (Montcalm County) — Safe Pedestrian Path along M-57
• Village of Bellaire (Antrim County) — Rubber Duck Drop
• Village of Brooklyn (Jackson County) — Rebuild of Downtown Gazebo
• Atlas Township (Genesee County) — Spur Trail Network to connect to a local park
• City of Coopersville (Ottawa County) — Multi-Level Deck for Performances and Gathering Space
• Village of Springport (Jackson County) — Springport Spartan Commons

Since launching the competition in 2019, the Consumers Energy Foundation has supported more than a dozen community driven projects across Michigan, from revitalizing downtown spaces to expanding housing and educational opportunities and creating gathering places. In 2025, winning projects included a mural in Fowlerville honoring Baseball Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer, Seven Generations Park in Watson Township developed in partnership with the Gun Lake Tribe and local partners, and Manistee’s Voices of Manistee initiative, a civic storytelling project focused on strengthening community identity.

Through Put Your Town on the Map and other community investments, Consumers Energy and its Foundation continue to focus on supporting what matters most to Michigan communities by listening, partnering locally, and investing in long-term success. 

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Media Contact: Trisha Bloembergen, 517-614-2689, or trisha.bloembergen@ cmsenergy.com