The Michigan Economic Center at the Prima Civitas Foundation has announced a two year project to develop policies for a "public goods" investement strategy in Michigan.

Dubbed the "Dream Restored Project" MEC Director John Austin, notes that the time is past for Michigan to figure out how to invest in critical assets such as great universities, good roads, clean water, public safety, and overall quality of life. The projects goal is to provide research-driven, policy ideas through citizen input to inform future debate on state and budget and legislative priorities and offer additional solutions.

The project comes at a time when other states are making large investments in such areas, such as Ohio's $2.3 billion Third Frontier innovation initiative or Minnesota's Clean Water, Land, and Legacy act that is investing $6 billion over 25 years in clean water, parks and the arts. 

The MEC is led by a multi-sector advisory board that will help guide the project.  Along with League's own CEO, Dan Gilmartin, others on the board include leaders from business, labor and the non-profit sectors. The work associated with this project will complement the League's own initiatives in several areas including transportation and community development.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.

Congratulations to the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments for receiving a 2012 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation for the Northern Michigan Community Placemaking Guidebook.

The guidebook was released earlier this year to provide information and resources to help communities implement placemaking. It includes case studies of placemaking projects in six Northern Michigan communities.

The NWMCOG is also a facilitator for the Grand Vision Project in Northwest Michigan. 

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail

The National Endowment for the Arts is making available grants of $25,000 to $200,000 for creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities through the arts.

Our Town will invest in creative and innovative projects in which communities, together with their arts and design organizations and artists, seek to improve their quality of life, encourage creative activity, create community identity and a sense of place, and revitalize local economies. 

Eligible applicants must be in the form of a partnership between a local unit of government and a nonprofit organization which must be a cultural (arts or design) organization. Michigan projects that have been awarded in the past include Dearborn, Greater Flint Arts Council, University Cultural Center Association and ArtPrize.

Applications must be submitted no later than January 14, 2013

The "Our Town"program is aligned with the cultural economic development asset of the League's "Center for 21st Century Communities" program.

Arnold Weinfeld is Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail