Chris Polk

I believe that regional leaders, entrepreneurs, impact investors as well as progressive nonprofit organizations must continue to examine and understand the systems we are trying to change as a whole, not just the narrow entrepreneurial opportunity in front of us or the surface level challenges of the moment.

In Michigan, the next role of business and entrepreneurial activity must shift from providing goods and services for people to working with people and leveraging our collective potential. Businesses and business leaders can play the role of convener and connector while providing citizens and consumers a platform to transform their newfound personal agency into a positive, collaborative impact.

Over the past decade, Detroit has rediscovered what the entire region had already learned over a 100 years ago: there is nothing as powerful as a new idea in the hands of a first-class change agent, entrepreneur, or philanthropist.

Giving Tuesday, an annual international day of charitable donations made starting on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, generated an estimated rate close to $1 billion per day.

Recently, Detroit entrepreneurs Mike and Marian Ilitch decided to donate $40 million to Wayne State University. Additionally, the PNC Bank Foundation, the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, and the Skillman Foundation have also announced a significant project collaboration. This is great news for Detroit and for the philanthropic model in Michigan.