A business environment that is supportive of entrepreneurs and small businesses is a key asset of 21st Century Communities. The Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) recently released its newest Entrepreneurship Scorecard, which tracks Michigan’s progress in creating that environment. The report shows progress in a number of areas, but much work in this area remains to be done.

Two projects of the Michigan Municipal League were highlighted by SBAM as bright spots. The Economics of Place was cited several times, including on page 125, highlighting the connections between entrepreneurship, placemaking and economic growth. Our Green Communities program was mentioned on page 140 as a key driver of green economic development. Thank you to SBAM and the report's authors, Mark Clevey and Graham Toft, for the recognition and for continuing to push Michigan in new innovative directions.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him via email or Twitter.

The Center for Community Progress is soliciting proposals for the 2012 Land Bank Conference, which takes place October 14-16 in Kalamazoo. If America’s cities and towns are to realize their greatest potential as attractive and welcoming – as drivers of the new American economy – they must be able to repurpose their vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed properties. A critical approach to this mission is the development of land banks: public authorities created to efficiently acquire, hold, manage and develop tax foreclosed property. The annual Land Bank conference attracts professionals involved with land banks such as: land bank staff and board of directors, for-profit and nonprofit developers, community foundations, real estate, greening initiatives, neighborhood revitalization, staff members from local and state government and elected officials.

Categories

• Activating Leadership and Forming Strategic Alliances

• Creating Effective Processes

• Organizational Development

• Reusing Land Sustainably

Suggested Topics

• Building coalitions; public–private partnerships; engaging the business community; citizen engagement; intergovernmental collaboration

• Land banking policy; tax foreclosure policy; property information tracking; coordinating public services

• Leveraging resources and financial stability; strategic planning; federal and state resources; marketing and communications

• Rethinking place; environmental impacts; historic preservation; urban agriculture; code enforcement; green infrastructure

Key Dates

• Submissions due | April 13, 2012

• Acceptance notification | June 15, 2012

• Schedule notification | Aug. 15, 2012

• Presentations due | Oct. 5, 2012

• Conference | Oct. 14-16 2012

Submit your proposal here.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him by email or Twitter.

The Michigan Municipal League is supporting a statewide initiative to help communities plan for a transition to electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles. Led by the Clean Energy Coalition (CEC) and supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, we are collaborating with more than 40 partners to develop a statewide electric vehicle charging infrastructure preparedness plan. One of the goals of this plan, the Plug-In Ready Michigan Plan, is to provide local governments with the necessary tools and resources to begin including electric vehicle charging stations in public and private parking spaces.

Local government officials and staff are critical to this effort and ultimately will be the ones to implement whatever policy and procedures are recommended in the plan. Consequently, CEC does not want to move forward with this important planning process without your support and counsel. They have designed a survey to help ensure your voice is heard and help them better understand your requirements and perspectives on the future of electric vehicle infrastructure in Michigan.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Green Communities Challenge. Contact him by email or follow him on Twitter.

Funding is available through the Michigan Community Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant Program for the development of ongoing household drug collection programs. These programs should include strategies and projects that promote environmental stewardship and awareness through the collection and incineration of unused household medications. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will provide matching grants to non-profit organizations, local and tribal governments, local health departments, municipalities, and regional planning agencies to fund drug collection programs.

Evidence of pharmaceutical waste has been detected in groundwater and drinking water in the Great Lakes region. The technologies and equipment required to remove these compounds from drinking and waste water are expensive and are currently not widely deployed by communities. Successful drug collection programs will prevent pharmaceutical waste from being released into and accumulating in the environment and reduce the incidence of abuse of prescription drugs. The purpose of these grants is to increase public access to free, convenient, safe and environmentally optimal drug collection programs, and to foster the development of successful models and approaches that can be implemented in other areas of the state.

A total of $250,000 in funding is available. A match requirement of at least 25 percent has been established by law. Applications are due March 30. More details available at the MDEQ website.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Green Communities Challenge. Contact him by email or follow him on Twitter.