Michigan State UniversityEDA University Center for Regional Economic

Innovation (REI)

Awards of Excellence Finalist

Leadership and collaboration

Rex LaMore Ph.D., Director&

Jennifer Bruen, Project Coordinator

Background on Michigan

• Traditional economic development has not been sufficiently assisting low to moderate-income families in Michigan.

• …Nor has it effectively increase the number of small businesses in low-income communities.

• Michigan has been behind in the globalized economy.

MSU EDA University Center for REI

In 2011, with support from of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) the Michigan State University Center for

Community and Economic Development initiated a five-year EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation (REI).

What is the Michigan State University EDA University Center for REI?

Highly networked knowledge-sharing hub…leveraging Michigan’s higher education assets.

Disseminating innovative economic development strategies to yield high growth entrepreneurship, job creation, and economic innovation throughout Michigan.

The REI Network

The heart of our university centerOver 1000 public and private sector

professionals engaged in strategic partnerships and collaborative learning to identify, develop, and implement new strategies to improve Michigan’s economy.

Co-Learning Plans (CLP)

Commissioning scholars and practitioners to conduct original, applied research related to innovative economic development strategies, policies, tools, and programs.

What’s Co-Learning???

Co-Learning is Collaborative Learning

Commissioning scholars and practitioners to conduct original, applied research related to innovative economic development strategies, tools, policies, and programs. You learn, I learn, and They learn.

CLP Example #1

Pop-Up Program Development (2014)Michael Forsyth, Detroit Economic Growth Association, REVOLVE

Detroit

This Co-Learning Plan focuses on the tangible tasks, challenges, and best practices

associated with development and management of pop-up programs in Detroit and around the nation. Using 'REVOLVE Detroit' as a model,

Forsyth highlights best practices and challenges.

Policies and Practices to Support Triple Bottom Line Development,

By Terry Link, Staring Now LLC, and Bill Stough, Sustainable Research Group

CLP Example # 2

Student-Led, Faculty-Guided (SLFG) Projects

REI partners with faculty and their students at 12 Michigan colleges and universities to fund and implement Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Projects through practicum courses and service-learning projects to assist communities and regions in completing local research-based technical assistance.

Projects typically include data collection, analysis, development of plans and implementation strategies. Each year students, along with faculty and community partners, are expected to write a report, conduct a webinar or video and present at the annual Innovate Michigan! Summit.

This results in a great learning experience for students and also provides inexpensive help to improve a community's economy.

Supporting 50+ projects at 12 MI Universities and Colleges

1. Michigan State University2. University of Michigan3. University of Michigan- Flint4. Wayne State University5. Grand Valley State University6. Western Michigan University7. Northern Michigan University8. Michigan Tech9. Lake Superior State University10. Saginaw Valley State University11. Madonna University12. Lawrence Tech

IMPACT95% of students surveyed said “their project helped

them prepare for employment”.

64% of students surveyed said “their project increased their desire to stay in Michigan after graduation”.

46% of students surveyed said “the community used the information from the report”.

23% of students surveyed said “they helped implement their project”.

15% of students surveyed said “their project helped them get a job or internship”.

SLFG Example

Afterhouse (2013)Steven Mankouche, Abigail Murray, Edward Sach, Matthew Schulte, Jono

Sturt and Travis Williams, University of Michigan

This project pertains to property abandonment - specifically the reuse of abandoned structures. Afterhouse reuses a specific abandoned home in Detroit. A group of

students, artists, architects, and faculty from University of Michigan’s Taubman College deconstructed the house in

order to reuse the house’s foundation for a semi-subterranean geothermal greenhouse. The project aims at

creating a prototype for effective reuse projects throughout Detroit and in other urban and rural communities.

Before

Afterhouse

NEW Flint Aquaponic Afterhouse

Innovate Michigan! Summit

Every year in September

Economic development practitioners, business leaders, finance providers, scholars, students, local and state government, non-profits and other community leaders

Share partner projects

Rate ideas for next year’s plan of work

Concurrently, REI collaborates with the Michigan Inventor’s Coalition (MIC) to provide a Garage and Basement Inventor Expo.

Innovate Michigan! Summit

Special Thanks to…

Consultative Panel-Represented Organizations: Michigan’s University Research CorridorMichigan Technological UniversityWest Michigan Regional Planning Commission (WMRPC)Washtenaw Community CollegeWayne State UniversityMadonna UniversityConnect MichiganMSU Innovation CenterMichigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)Northern Michigan UniversityTri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC)City of Grand RapidsPrima Civitas FoundationRedInk FlintBerghorn Group

Michigan State University Partners Office for the Vice President for Research and Graduate StudiesOffice of the ProvostOffice of University Outreach and EngagementMSU ExtensionInstitute for Public Policy and Social ResearchCollege of Social ScienceMSU Business – Connect

Other PartnersEast Michigan Council of Governments (EMCOG)Michigan Municipal League (MML)Michigan Suburbs AlliancePublic Policy Associates Inc.Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC)Veteran Enterprise & Job ForumWest Michigan Regional Planning Commission (WMRPC)Corporation for a Skilled WorkforceCrystal MountainDetroit Training CenterThe Engineering Society of DetroitHenry Ford Health SystemLawrence Technological UniversityMichigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA)Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG)St. Clair County EDAStarting NowSustainable Research GroupMSU Broad College of Business Institute for EntrepreneurshipU.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)Mt. Elliot MakerspaceNorthern InitiatiavesSaginaw Valley State UniversityStudio [Ci]Michigan Inventors Coalition (MIC)

Outputs

30 + Innovative Tools, Models, Policies and Practices

Over 1,000 members of the REI NetworkTransferring Knowledge

52 Technical Reports and Feasibility Studies

Outcomes

Private Investment

 $75,000 (2012) Misc.

$442,300 (2013) Makerspace, Idlewild, Michigan Bike Trails,

Afterhouse, Garage Basement Inventors and Going Green for Growth

$127,000 (2014) Expanding Economic Literacy Videos

$137,500 (2015) Afterhouse

 

Public Investment

$ 201,000 (2012) Exporting Assistance and other Misc.

$140,000 (2014)

$5,338,100 (2015) FPIC

Total (2011- Spring 2015) $ 6,460,900.00

Thank youTo learn more about our partner projects

please visit

reicenter.org For more information contact :

rei@msu.edu 517-353-9555