Community Growth Academy

The Michigan Community & Worker Economic Transition Office is working with 10 local or regional coalitions as members of the Community Growth Academy, an 18-month program helping Michigan communities impacted by transitions in the auto and utility sectors plan for long-term economic growth and prepare for future change.

Academy members receive dedicated support from a technical assistance team, access to competitive grant funding to help implement projects, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, support from state employees with resource navigation, and a dedicated, full-time fellow to assist with implementing the strategies designed and developed through the program.

The fellowship program is supported by the Community and Economic Development Association of Michigan. Communities also have access to a draft version of the Community Transition Playbook, a resource that the Transition Office is developing for communities to use for planning and growth. Feedback from Community Growth Academy members is being used to refine the playbook before it is published for all communities to use.

Cohort members were selected based on impacts from economic transitions, the strength of their participating coalitions and ideas for project areas to support their community growth. The result is a diverse cohort of communities from across Michigan, representing communities with a wide range of economic goals and community needs.

The lead organizations and their communities include:

• 100K Ideas (Flint)
• Detroit Future City
• Downriver Community Conference (Wayne County cities of River Rouge, Ecorse, Wyandotte, Riverview and Trenton)
• Huron County Economic Development Corporation
• Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
• Lake County Economic Development Alliance
• Lake Superior Community Partnership (Delta and Marquette counties)
• Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development
• Middle Michigan Development Corporation (Clare, Isabella and Osceola counties)
• Southwest Michigan First (Branch and Saint Joseph counties)

Program History

The Community & Worker Economic Transition Office was created in 2023 to help Michigan’s workers, businesses and communities prepare for and succeed in a changing economy. The Transition Office focuses on supporting those most at risk from economic disruptions, helping them access new opportunities and build a stronger, more resilient state.

To launch its work, the Transition Office held listening sessions, roundtables, and regional meetings to hear directly from communities and identify gaps in support. It also formed an ongoing Advisory Council made up of leaders from labor, business, education, local government and community organizations to guide its work.

Through this local engagement, the Transition Office has heard from many communities that have a vision for their future, but need better data, tools, and coordination to bring that vision to life. Instead of offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the Transition Office works alongside communities to help them build their own strategies.

One of the Transition Office’s key tools is the Community Transition Playbook, designed to help communities respond to plant closures or business losses and build long-term plans for economic growth. The playbook includes flexible tools for using data, mapping local assets, responding to closures, long-term planning and identifying sustainable financing strategies.

To put the playbook into action, the Transition Office is creating the Community Growth Academy, which gives selected communities hands-on support to create and carry out their own local growth plans. The feedback from these communities will help improve the playbook before it’s shared more broadly across the state.

Communities that join the program will receive:

• Access to a strong network of peers, including other cities, nonprofits and economic development groups facing similar challenges.
• Dedicated support from a team of consultants with expertise in supporting economic growth.
• Help from state staff to connect with funding, programs and other resources.
• A full-time fellow placed in each community to provide extra support throughout the program.
• Priority access to a competitive grant fund to help carry out local projects.
• A deeper understanding of their region’s economic and social strengths and challenges
• A clear framework to guide and track their growth strategy.
• Tools to help diversify their local economy.
• New, tailored strategies for economic growth, community resilience and workforce development.