Fiscal Year 2007

OVERVIEW: In 2005, the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) launched a Cultural Economic Development Strategy to leverage Michigan's talent and cultural assets to spur economic growth and build community prosperity. Jobs and investment are created at the local level. The state's role is to help communities and economic developers leverage resources and adopt best practices in revitalization efforts. Cultural resources, such as historic buildings, cultural magnets, and creative workers can help drive economic development. Community Cultural Economic Development Readiness is the "initial preparation" of a community to successfully undertake culturally-based economic development. It is an integral component of the strategy that supports the state's priorities, increased economic activity and jobs.

VISION: The HAL Community Cultural Economic Development (CED) Readiness Initiative provides strategic assistance and resources to small communities that may have experienced economic decline, but possess significant historical, cultural and natural assets that have high potential as catalysts for economic growth.

GOAL: To guide small communities through key steps toward engaging in productive cultural economic development and creation of initiatives that value and support culture and its economic potential. Enlist and engage appropriate local, county, state, federal and other partners to accomplish the following objectives.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Build community capacity and expertise
2. Strengthen community commitment to cultural and natural resources management
3. Engage residents in strategic cultural economic development planning
4. Increase community access to local, corporate, private and governmental resources
5. Support community demonstration projects
6. Identify best practices for cultural economic development implementation and sustainability

COMPONENTS:

·        Technical Assistance Services

Technical Assistance Services (e.g., asset inventory, community benchmarking, consultancies, workshops, planning, etc.) are delivered by CED Partnership Teams to participating communities. The Community CED Readiness Initiative works in collaboration with HAL agencies and partners, state departments and community development programs (e.g., Cities of Promise, Main Street, Blueprints, Cool Cities, MSHDA CAT Team) to accomplish services development and delivery. The Community CED Readiness Initiative is developing a Small Town Vitality Tool Box to provide CED information. Access to state agency resources will be one important aspect of the tool box as well as community models, best practices, other resources and local examples. An Interagency Team Plan for services delivery will be developed for each participating community.

·        Peer Community Collaboration and Mentoring

Peer Community Collaboration and Mentoring connects participating communities with other communities who have similar visions, faced similar challenges and engaged CED resources to accomplish their goals. Mentoring consists of community to community dialogue, coaching, training and exchange.

·        Cultural Economic Development (CED) Demonstration Projects, Planning, and Implementation Funding

Demonstration projects are short-term deliverables, developed from community priorities and planning team recommendations, designed to promote cohesion, commitment, investment and advancement. Examples include community-wide trash removal, local paint-up/fix-up projects, community web-site development, cultural exhibits and performances, recreation and road enhancements, signage and wayfinding, visitor guide, etc. Funding sources include local businesses, foundations, HAL and other state departments, and federal agencies. Overall, short-term deliverables are developed to promote cultural economic development readiness. Longer-term projects are specifically developed and implemented as a part of the participating community's master strategic plan.

·        Assessment and Evaluation

The Assessment process begins with the State of Michigan conducting an inventory of its assets and holdings in participating communities. Inter-agency data analysis is conducted to establish benchmarks, trends and key indicators. As with Cities of Promise, "this analysis is intended to provide a snapshot of the demographic, cultural and physical characteristics, and economic conditions of the community; and the capacity of local and state systems to deliver services in the community." Using these findings, future activities will be prioritized and progress measured. Planning team members and consultants are charged with developing an initial body of thought, interpretation, process, structure, resources, networks and vision for community response, which could serve as a strategic framework for cultural economic development. Included in this process are site visitation and community engagement. The Evaluation process consists of measuring performance against relevant CED Strategy goals, established benchmarks; with an initial view of short-term progress and a longer-term impact among key indicators, and achievement of other desired outcomes.

IMPLEMENTATION

PARTNERSHIP TEAMS:

The HAL Community Cultural Economic Development (CED) Readiness Initiative involves creation and engagement of partners at the state and local community levels.

·        State of Michigan Partnership Team - meets regularly to review resource and service needs, delivery, and progress. Meetings include key community leadership. Team members also collaboratively and independently conduct site visits, community meetings, and demonstration project planning and implementation; develop relevant policy and procedures; and provide financial and other support. Within this process, the state remains sensitive and respectful of community heritage, identity, dynamics and protocol. State of Michigan partnership team members consist of representatives of state departments and agencies and invited partners and guests.

·        Community Partnership Team - meets regularly, in open public meetings, to discuss priorities and plans. The team includes interested community residents, State of Michigan representation, local unit of government partners and other stakeholders (i.e., social organizations, business community, community development organizations, private developers, human service organizations, churches, schools, libraries, cultural organizations, elected officials, etc.) The Team uses a sub-committee framework formed around existing and future plans, demonstration projects, resources, and priority activities. Sub-committee structures vary for each community. The Team also includes vested "local champions" who broadly advocate for and communicate community cultural economic development short-term and longer-term community cultural economic development planning goals and objectives.

CONSULTANTS

The HAL Community Cultural Economic Development (CED) Readiness Initiative utilizes consultants and special advisors to supplement and enhance partnership team experience, expertise and resources. Consultants may include architects, landscape architects, economists, historians, planners, lawyers, business development, cultural administrators, artists, funding developers, trainers, researchers, humanists, etc.

FUNDING

Funding is necessary to provide needed assistance to State Partnership and Community Partnership team efforts in preparing to successfully undertake culturally-based economic development.  While the Community CED Readiness Initiative does not currently have an implementation budget, it creatively utilizes and leverages a variety of HAL and external funding sources to implement its initiatives.

Funding is necessary for:

• Demonstration Projects
• Consultations
• Planning
• Mentoring
• Training
• Public Meetings and Workshops
• Assessment and Evaluation Research
• Documentation

Updated 5/7/2007

Cultural Economic Development, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
Contact cculha@michigan.gov with your question or comment about this page.