Michigan Central Center for Mobility and Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MICHIGAN CENTRAL CENTER FOR MOBILITY AND SOCIETY'S MISSION IS TO CATALYZE THE INNOVATION AND STARTUP ECOSYSTEM IN DETROIT, BUILD DYNAMIC SPACES THAT FOSTER CREATIVITY AND GATHERING, AND DEVELOP SKILLS AND SOLUTIONS THAT HELP ADVANCE CRITICAL SECTORS, CAREERS IN GROWING INDUSTRIES, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $5.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 1.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 61%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $3.5 million spent. MCCMS ADVANCED APPLIED RESEARCH IN MOBILITY, ENERGY, AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND JOBS. THROUGH THE SCALE FUND, MCCMS AWARDED 16 NON-DILUTIVE RESEARCH GRANTS TO TECHNOLOGY TEAMS DEVELOPING PUBLICLY BENEFICIAL SOLUTIONS IN AUTONOMY, ENERGY STORAGE, AND SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS SUPPORTING 200+ LOCAL JOBS, ENGAGING 14,000 RESIDENTS, AND GENERATING AN ESTIMATED $30 MILLION IN REGIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE ADVANCED AERIAL INNOVATION REGION, DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ESTABLISHED A THREE-MILE PUBLIC DRONE TESTING ZONE IN DETROIT. THIS INITIATIVE PRODUCED SIX NEW RESEARCH PILOTS AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR PUBLIC-SECTOR INNOVATION. MCCMS LAUNCHED THE AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE PILOT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DETROIT PROVIDING FREE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE ALONG A 10.8-MILE ROUTE CONNECTING DETROIT NEIGHBORHOODS AND GENERATING OPEN MOBILITY DATA FOR EXPANDING AUTONOMOUS TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES. MCCMS'S EQUITY IN ELECTRIFICATION FUND ADVANCED DETROIT'S ENERGY INNOVATION THROUGH APPLIED RESEARCH ON ENERGY AFFORDABILITY FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. THIS PILOT PROGRAM HELPED 30+ LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LOWER UTILITY COSTS AND IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY. COLLECTIVELY, THESE INITIATIVES GENERATED PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA, RESEARCH, AND SOLUTIONS TO BENEFIT EDUCATION, POLICY DEVELOPMENT, AND SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT IN FURTHERANCE OF MCCMS'S CHARITABLE SCIENTIFIC PURPOSE.
- $954,634 spent. MCCMS ADVANCED ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TO FOSTER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT PROMOTES EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND MOBILITY. THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL NEWLAB ART + TECHNOLOGY RESIDENCY SUPPORTED SIX DETROIT-BASED ARTISTS WITH STIPENDS, STUDIO ACCESS, FABRICATION TOOLS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING (MAYNOVEMBER 2024), DIRECTLY TO ARTISTS. MCCMS INTRODUCED THE ART PROGRAM NATIONALLY THROUGH A MIDWEST HOUSE @ SXSW PANEL ATTENDED BY 200+ PARTICIPANTS, EXPANDING PUBLIC DIALOGUE ON ARTS, INNOVATION, AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, MCCMS CONDUCTED THE SOUTH ENTRY DESIGN PROCESS, A DESIGN COMPETITION AWARDING TWO STIPENDS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS FOR COMMUNITY-INFORMED PUBLIC-REALM PROPOSALS. LOCALLY, INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE HIP HOP ARCHITECTURE CAMP AND YOUNG DISRUPTORS INITIATIVE ENGAGED 60+ DETROIT YOUTH, BLENDING DESIGN THINKING, STEAM LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY PLANNING. COLLECTIVELY, MCCMS ELEVATED DETROIT'S CREATIVE ECONOMY, PROVIDING FREE CULTURAL ACCESS TO MORE THAN 100,000 VISITORS, AND STRENGTHENED PATHWAYS FOR ARTISTS, STUDENTS, AND RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE IN INNOVATION AND THE ARTS. COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROGRAMS ADVANCED MCCMS'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, PROMOTION OF THE ARTS, AND UPLIFTING COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FREE ARTS EDUCATION, ENGAGING RESIDENTS IN CULTURAL PLACEMAKING, AND FOSTERING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY.
- $445,888 spent. MCCMS DELIVERED EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL TRAINING TO DETROIT-AREA RESIDENTS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SECTORS, WITH EMPHASIS ON PROGRAMS EXPANDING ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY JOBS IN MOBILITY SECTORS. THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT (EVSE) TECHNICIAN TRAINING PROGRAM ACHIEVED A 90% COMPLETION RATE, PRODUCING 33 GRADUATES, INCLUDING 11 SAE-CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS AND 13 JOB PLACEMENTS WITH AVERAGE 40% WAGE INCREASES. THE DRONE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM TRAINED 304 STUDENTS IN FAA PART 107 PREPARATION, WHILE LAB DRAWER STEAM WORKSHOPS PROVIDED BIWEEKLY, HANDS-ON ENERGY-SCIENCE LESSONS FOR MIDDLE-SCHOOL LEARNERS. THE MOBILITY SOCIETY FELLOWSHIP, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN'S OFFICE OF FUTURE MOBILITY AND ELECTRIFICATION, PLACED FIVE RECENT STEM GRADUATES IN 15-MONTH PAID FELLOWSHIPS WITH INNOVATION-SECTOR EMPLOYERS. ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE DETROIT AREA TALENT FUND AND COMMUNITY BUILDERS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM REMOVED FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND EXPANDED ACCESS TO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED EDUCATION, REMOVED BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY, AND STRENGTHENED DETROIT'S WORKFORCE PIPELINE IN FURTHERANCE OF MCCMS'S MISSION TO RELIEVE POVERTY THROUGH EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 2023.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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