Economic Development

Coverage of projects, big and small, and the people who create them, which promote the economic health of a community, including manufacturing, retail, office, and hospitality developments.

New platform to share ‘Common Ground’ from community ideas and solutions

Issue Media Group, a multilocal network of solutions-based, issues-focused digital publications, has launched a new national platform for increasing the reach and impact of its journalism.

Latest in Economic Development
Pulse collaboration with MiLeap seeks to transform child care access in Michigan

The Pulse initiative is transforming early childhood in Michigan by bridging the gap between research and practice.

How two entrepreneurs are bringing health innovation to the Midwest

Two entrepreneurs from Mexico with a history of building successful operations are preparing to move their company, VITIA, to Michigan.

How two entrepreneurs are bringing health innovation to the Midwest

Two entrepreneurs from Mexico with a history of building successful operations are preparing to move their company, VITIA, to Michigan.

How two entrepreneurs are bringing health innovation to the Midwest

Two entrepreneurs from Mexico with a history of building successful operations are preparing to move their company, VITIA, to Michigan. Their company’s mission is ambitious but straightforward: to help patients with chronic conditions better manage their health.

Sanilac County CMH CEO Wilbert Morris presents iPad to Sanilac County Sheriff Paul Rich
Meeting rural Michiganders’ mental health care needs

Michigan’s rural residents face different challenges when accessing mental health care than residents of urban areas. Transportation issues, loneliness, and limited group therapy options can compound their mental health needs. To address these challenges, community mental health (CMH) agencies like Sanilac County Community Mental Health innovate community-based solutions that meet their populations where they are at.   

Monica Smith, Yevgenia Gazman, and Christine Sauvé, MIRC Detroit Office.
الهجمات على العائلات المهاجرة وما تعنيه لتعليم الطفولة المبكرة

Community-based organizations report that approximately 15% of students  withdrew from preschool programs within weeks due to immigration enforcement activity. 

Parkridge Summer Learning Experiences students present their projects.
From oral history to fishing, kids share highlights of Parkridge Summer Learning Experience in Ypsi

On Friday, Aug. 8, almost 60 campers ages 6-13 presented the lessons they'd learned during a five-week science, technology, engineering, and math immersion summer camp at Parkridge Community Center in Ypsilanti.

Green tech firms in Washtenaw County clean up PFAS, restore soil, and turn waste to fuel

Washtenaw County startup companies are innovating in "green technology" with efforts that range from cleaning up PFAS contamination to converting waste into environmentally friendly fuels.

Bright Futures Project Director Suzie Staley and Bright Futures Assistant Director RJ Quiambao.
EMU’s Bright Futures after-school program faces federal funding rollercoaster and uncertain future

The program, which supports more than 5,000 students in 22 schools, has had its funding temporarily restored through summer 2026, following a national hold on nearly $7 billion in federal funding.

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