Building More Than A Building

​Big things happen when communities have the resources and partners to turn possibility into progress.

Lionbear Ventures was proud to help Burns Township and the Community District Library secure grant funding for a project that brought a new Burns Township Hall and the Byron Branch of the Community District Library to Lehring Road in the Village of Byron.
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​Together, these new spaces create something far greater than additional square footage. They provide residents with expanded access to local government, library services, technology, educational programming, community gatherings, elections, and essential resources.

This is what meaningful community development looks like.

It is not simply about constructing a building. It is about creating access, strengthening connection, supporting local leadership, and investing in infrastructure that will continue serving people for generations.

Projects like this are only possible when vision is matched with collaboration. Burns Township, the Community District Library, the Village of Byron, the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership (SEDP), local contractors, community leaders, and residents each played a role in moving this project from an idea to a lasting community asset.

At Lionbear Ventures, we believe strong communities are built by helping local leaders navigate funding, remove barriers, and bring important projects across the finish line. We are honored to have played a part in this one.

Congratulations to everyone who helped build more than buildings for Burns Township and Byron.
You built places where people can gather, connect, learn, access resources, and belong.

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​CASE STUDY
Burns Township & Byron Village Community Center and Library Partnership

Through funding from a USDA Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant secured and administered by the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership (SEDP), Lionbear Ventures provided grant-writing and planning assistance at no cost to some of Shiawassee County’s smallest communities and nonprofit organizations.

As a contractor for SEDP, Lionbear Ventures helped ensure communities with limited staffing and professional capacity had a more equitable opportunity to compete for state and federal funding.

Among the communities served through this initiative were Burns Township and the Village of Byron.

When the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity announced its Community Center Grant program, Lionbear Ventures recognized an opportunity to address two significant community needs through one collaborative project.

Burns Township had been planning a new township hall for years. Its existing offices shared space with the growing Burns Township Fire Department, creating limitations for municipal operations, document storage, election administration, and the department’s future expansion.

The Byron Branch of the Community District Library faced a different but equally pressing challenge. Its location inside Byron High School created significant public-access restrictions during school hours. This limited the branch’s ability to serve residents despite a strong demand for its programming, technology, educational resources, and community services.

Lionbear Ventures helped develop an application proposing that the township and library needs be addressed collaboratively. The project would relocate the Byron Branch and establish new township facilities at a shared, accessible location within the Village of Byron.

Community District Library Director Jami Cromley remembers Ashley Connelly’s support during that critical early stage:
“For the library, she helped with the application at the time and was very supportive.”

The partnership created a stronger and more competitive grant proposal. The library brought established programming, public access, technology, and services for children, families, and older residents. Burns Township brought years of planning, significant local investment, and the municipal leadership needed to move the project forward.

The resulting application secured a $500,000 Community Center Grant from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

Today, the new Burns Township Hall and the Byron Branch of the Community District Library stand together on Lehring Road in the Village of Byron. The Byron Branch now offers full library services, public Wi-Fi, computers, expanded programming, and more accessible hours from a location designed to welcome the entire community.

For Lionbear Ventures, the project represents what is possible when communities stop viewing their challenges in isolation and begin building solutions together.

By identifying shared needs, facilitating collaboration, and providing the grant-writing expertise necessary to compete, Lionbear Ventures helped local leaders transform long-standing challenges into lasting community infrastructure.

It is more than a township hall. It is more than a library. It is proof of what can be built when local vision is given the support, access, and opportunity it deserves.

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Click here to read more about the ribbon-cutting from The Argus-Press.