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(WXYZ) — The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced nearly $20 million in investments across Detroit to help fuel the city's continued economic growth.

The foundation made the announcement on Sunday at Michigan Central during a community celebration, and it's the latest commitment from the foundation.

Tech and business efforts in Detroit have received a significant investment.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Knight Foundation) has committed $19.8 million in grants to support 12 Detroit projects to create a “vibrant and thriving city,” according to Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, the foundation’s president and CEO. Established in 1950, the foundation has deployed $215 million in grants to support Detroit with a focus on downtown revitalization. The latest commitment brings attention to the city’s “inner-ring neighborhoods,” to uplift art, public spaces, tech, and business.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is expanding its grant-making in Detroit’s neighborhoods with a new $19.8 million round of grants.

Tech and business efforts in Detroit have received a significant investment.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Knight Foundation) has committed $19.8 million in grants to support 12 Detroit projects to create a “vibrant and thriving city,” according to Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, the foundation’s president and CEO. Established in 1950, the foundation has deployed $215 million in grants to support Detroit with a focus on downtown revitalization. The latest commitment brings attention to the city’s “inner-ring neighborhoods,” to uplift art, public spaces, tech, and business.

Mayor Mike Duggan today joined with Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) officials, City Council President Mary Sheffield, and startup ecosystem leaders announced the launch the first-of-its-kind Detroit Startup Fund. More than 200 members of Detroit’s tech community gathered at Newlab at Michigan Central to celebrate the announcement.

It may be summertime in Detroit, Michigan, but what brought the real heat was Global Citizen NOW: Detroit, which took place on July 10 and sparked fresh momentum for building sustainable cities where everyone can thrive. 

Cities are engines of economic growth, centers of innovation, and increasingly, the frontlines in the global fight against poverty. From Detroit to Dhaka, London to Lagos, urban centers face urgent questions about their futures and are making bold, long-term investments that will either reduce or reinforce inequality.