Regional Prosperity Initiative Grants: Update, 7/3/08

PAL has developed Six Pillars for Prosperity, an agenda to reinvent Michigan as a global economic player. Individual local units of government do not have the scope or means to tackle these issues. Many could be addressed at the state level, but political leadership is hampered by the state’s ongoing economic malaise and by term limits. PAL believes that the best opportunity for change in Michigan is at the regional level, where economic, environmental, and social concerns converge. Regions are sizeable enough to advance the Six Pillars for Prosperity agenda and are a more potent source of leadership.

To strengthen the voice of regions in Michigan, PAL has launched its Regional Prosperity Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to foster multi-sector and multi-jurisdictional collaboration at the regional level as a means for advancing economic, social, and environmental progress in Michigan. PAL plans to invest in several regional collaboratives around the state. Eligible collaboratives work across multiple counties to provide sustained support and leadership for the collaborative work of opinion leaders in the region. They create and enhance regional identity and advance regional prosperity by responding to specific regional needs and addressing one or more of PAL’s Six Pillars for Prosperity.

Three types of grants were be available in 2008: readiness, mobilization, and sustainability grants. Readiness grants allow key stakeholders within a region to build support and commitment for collaborative regional efforts. Mobilization grants are for regions that lack significant and sustained momentum around regional solutions to land-based economic challenges, but where there is capacity and regional readiness to do so. Sustainability grants are for regions with acknowledged momentum around regional solutions to economic and land use challenges.

Twenty-five proposals were submitted by the May 12, 2008 deadline. These have been reviewed by the PAL Planning Group, and the applicants have been informed as to whether their proposals were denied, accepted, or required ammendment. We expect to publicly announce grantees by the end of July.

For more information and requirements, please download and study the Overview document and Request for Letters of Inquiry. Also see the Memorandum of Partnership.

If you have any questions on the initiative, you may contact Amanda Burmeister at pal@peopleandland.org or (517) 371-7467.