FLINT, Mich. — The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation will invest up to $20 million to improve parks and playgrounds across Flint as part of its 100th anniversary celebration.
On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the Flint Community Schools (FCS) Board of Education voted to accept just over $7 million of that funding. The money will go toward upgrading playgrounds at five school sites: Durant-Tuuri-Mott, Eisenhower, Freeman and Potter elementary schools and the Doyle Ryder Education Center.
“We’re excited to help create spaces where Flint kids can play, learn and grow,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation. “Not only will these playgrounds serve students during the school day, they’ll also be a resource for everybody who lives in those neighborhoods. We’re looking forward to working alongside FCS and the community to create outdoor spaces that truly meet their needs.”
Community input will play a key role in shaping the projects, with students, school staff and neighborhood residents invited to participate in a co-design process led by the Flint Center for Educational Excellence in partnership with Flint Community Schools.
“Our scholars and families deserve high-quality spaces to play and be active,” said FCS Superintendent Kevelin Jones. “We’re committed to working with our school communities and neighbors to design playgrounds that reflect what our children and families want and need. This is about creating spaces that bring people together.”
The broader $20 million initiative is aimed at strengthening neighborhoods by improving outdoor spaces for children and families. The foundation plans to launch an online voting site this spring where Flint residents can help prioritize which parks receive improvements and suggest what features they would like to see.
To learn more about this and other centennial initiatives visit mott.org/100.