[1] The foundation works to expand opportunities in America's cities through grantmaking and investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development efforts.

[citation needed] As of early 2019, about 15 percent of the foundation's domestic holdings were in firms owned by women and people of color.

[13][14] Over the following two decades, the conservancy has restored and built out 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of River Walk along the Detroit International Riverfront between Belle Isle and Joe Louis Arena, later to be extended to the Ambassador Bridge.

[18] In 2010, the foundation invested $35 million into the M-1 Rail (now QLine) project to build 3.4 miles (5.5 km) of streetcar service from Downtown Detroit through Midtown to New Center.

[26] The foundation also played a major part in organizing the "grand bargain" to rescue the city of Detroit from bankruptcy in 2013.

[31] In 2017, the Kresge Foundation invested $16 million to stabilize the finances of Marygrove College in Detroit and help develop a plan to transition the 53-acre (21-hectare) forested campus via the Marygrove Conservancy, a nonprofit organization created by the foundation in partnership with University of Michigan and the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

[32] From 2015 to 2020, the Kresge Foundation awarded more than $8.4 million in grants to developments through its FreshLo program which stands for "Fresh, Local & Equitable Initiative".

[33] The program awards grants to development projects around the United States that are food-focused in areas that lack access to fresh foods.

[40] In Detroit, the foundation committed $2 million to back loans from the Paycheck Protection Program to nonprofits organizations.

The education program is focused geographically in Michigan, Florida, California and Texas, and cities such as Detroit, Memphis and New Orleans.