(To read more on the debt and equity markets, click here.)

DETROIT-Fourteen automotive heritage projects around Southeastern Michigan have been awarded grants to help finance rehabilitation, planning and other projects. The largest grants were made to restore historic sites in Flint and Rochester and to plan an economic redevelopment effort around an historic site in Detroit.

MotorCities National Heritage Area awarded $57,000 in grants and $13,000 in mini-grants in its fourth annual grants project. "We have incredible heritage in our area," says Mark Pischea, executive director of MotorCities. "Partnering with the grant recipients allows us to support local projects to raise awareness and tell the story of our region's significant role in changing the world through the automobile." The largest grants went to:

• "Durant-Dort Headquarters Foyer Restoration," Flint: Genesee County Historical Society to restore Durant-Dort Headquarters foyer to its original condition ($10,000).
• "An Economic Development Plan for the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant," Detroit: Model T Automotive Heritage Complex Inc. will redevelop the Ford Piquette AvenuePlant ($9,500).
• "Rose Garden Arbor Restoration Project," Rochester: Oakland University's Meadow Brook Hall will restore MBH's Rose Garden back to its original design ($9,500).

• "National Automotive History Collection 'Flexing Muscles' Exhibition," Detroit: Detroit Public Library to bring art and automobile together as a means ofsharing automotive history with a wide audience ($8,803).
• "Interior Restoration of the Historic Fisher Mansion-Five Water Damaged Areas," Detroit: "Friends of the Fisher Mansion" to repair interior water damaged areas and restore them to their original beauty ($8,000).
• "Teaching Flint's Auto Heritage," Flint: "Friends of Sloan Museum" to improve the teaching of automotive heritage to young people in Flint and other MotorCities communities ($6,100).
• "Victory Lane Completion," Jackson: Jackson RaceWeek Festival team will complete work on Victory Lane pocket park commemorating Jackson's automotive heritage ($5,000).