Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM)

Our next webinar, The Nonprofit Advocate, is next Monday, October 21 from 1-2pm. You don’t want to miss it! Advocacy is a critical part of the community economic development field's work. Join us to discuss how nonprofit organizations can advocate for their work and on behalf of their communities. This webinar, led by CEDAM’s policy team Jessica Acmoody and Sharanya Pai, will differentiate between key terms such as education, advocacy, and lobbying; discuss advocacy strategies; and make sure your organization is empowered to build strong relationships with elected officials. Register today: https://ow.ly/rMEM50TMFIt

Are you interested in making an impact locally while gaining professional experience in municipal government? Applications are now open to become a fellow in CEDAM’s fifth Community Development Fellowship cohort! Fellows are placed in host communities engaged with, or certified in, the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) Program for 15 months to expand their organizational capacity. In their full-time position, fellows work on a variety of projects within their host community to increase local collaboration and remove barriers to development within their community. Fellows receive a $60,000 annual salary with a benefits package and will have access to numerous professional development opportunities, including webinars, trainings, and conferences across the state. The cohort term starts January 22. Apply by November 18 at 11:50pm! CEDAM manages the Community Development Fellowship in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC MiPlace). https://ow.ly/kY1e50TL7v5

We’re celebrating five years of the Community Development Fellowship with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. As we prepare to open applications for our next cohort, we caught up with previous fellows to see where they are now. The exciting news: Of the 40 fellows who have completed the Fellowship, 36 have stayed in Michigan working in community development or an adjacent field. Learn more in our latest blog post: https://ow.ly/nr5350TJhGO

The Flint & Genesee Group recently released their 40 Under 40 list and we see some familiar faces! The 40 Under 40 list shines a light on 40 professionals in the Flint and Genesee area who are under 40 making positive changes in the region, excelling in their careers, and volunteering in the community. More than 150 professionals were nominated, and honorees were selected by a committee comprised of local business and community leaders. Congratulations to friends of CEDAM Joel Arnold, Emily Doer, Samantha Fountain, Kathryn Linehan, and Ashley Strozier on being selected and honored! Read more: https://ow.ly/7Vcm50THKHo

The inaugural cohort of MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program has officially started! Last week, the 10 fellows attended their three-day orientation in Detroit at Newlab and Michigan Central. This week, they started their full-time positions at host sites across the state. Throughout their time as a fellow, they will also engage in professional development, mentorship, and leadership development. The MMF Program is a highly selective 15-month fellowship to gain real-world experience in transportation planning and mobility innovation. This fellowship has two unique career tracks that will expose them to the public and private sectors to advance and grow mobility innovation in Michigan. Both tracks of fellows will address mobility barriers in ways that can improve people’s daily lives with solutions that can positively impact the future of our economy. Congratulations to the 10 inaugural fellows! We’re excited to see your growth and impact in this field. The MMF program was created in partnership with CEDAM, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, Michigan Central, and Wayne State University. Read the full press release: https://ow.ly/jnu150THlMR

Do you want to make an impact locally? The application to be a Community Development Fellow opens in one week on October 14! Fellows are placed in communities engaged or certified in the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program for 15 months. Fellows work on a variety of projects to expand organizational capacity, increase local collaboration, and remove barriers to development. If you want to see the type of projects Fellows carry out, check out our Community Development Fellowship 2023-24 Final Impact Report! This report highlights the accomplishments of our latest cohort throughout their 15 months in their host communities. More information is available on our website. Interested individuals can sign up on our website to be notified when the applications goes live. CEDAM manages the Community Development Fellowship with support from the MEDC. https://ow.ly/sgin50TG434

For today's #FellowFeatureFriday, we're sharing the Community Development Fellowship 2023-24 Final Impact Report! This report highlights the accomplishments of our 10 fellows throughout their 15 months in their host communities. The fourth cohort submitted 71 grant applications and secured more than $5.6 million in grant funding for their host communities. Four of the communities created new positions as a result of the program and 100% of the communities agree that having a fellow increased their capacity to manage projects. Of the 10 fellows, six have secured full-time positions and four of them are remaining with their host communities. Read more about the impact each fellow made in our final report: https://ow.ly/7cYq50TCj5f Are you interested in making a similar impact? The application for fellows for our 2025-26 cohort opens October 14!

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's Office of Climate and Energy and Office of the Environmental Justice Public Advocate want to hear from you! The public is invited to participate in an in-person engagement session regarding ways to integrate justice and equity into climate action planning, specifically the implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan (MHCP). This is a free event offered in person in Detroit and virtually! Snacks and beverages will be available at the in-person event. Registration is required for attendance to either. Register to attend in person: https://ow.ly/NQp250TBsFC Register to attend virtually: https://ow.ly/pLcQ50TBsFz

If you find yourself near the corner of N. Grand Ave and Saginaw Street, a new art feature in the City of Lansing, Michigan is sure to catch your eye. This six-foot-tall Lansing sign features art by six local artists and showcases the versatility of the city of Lansing! This new sign was the implementation project of Lansing Community Development Fellow Kahleea Washington. Kahleea envisioned bringing this sign to life and thought it would be an excellent tribute to the rich culture and community of the city while showcasing local artists. A member of the 2023-24 Community Development Fellowship cohort, Kahleea was placed in Lansing with the Lansing Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) where she focused on updating the branding for Lansing's four corridor improvement authorities and drafted both Lansing Gateway’s Corridor Improvement Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plans. She is now a full-time community development specialist at LEDC. All 10 of CEDAM's Community Development fellows completed an implementation project in their host communities, ranging from placemaking to park revitalizations. Look out for more information about all the projects in an upcoming blog post later this fall.

The deadline to register for CEDAM’s 2024 Regional Event in Lansing is approaching quickly! CEDAM’s regional events provide our members and network at large the opportunity to connect with peers, industry leaders, state agency representatives, and the CEDAM team. From new State housing funding to capacity building programs, we look forward to sharing resources and initiatives with you that can help advance your work. One of our featured speakers, Amber Paxton, director of the City of Lansing's Office of Financial Empowerment, will share insights on the success of the Lansing SAVE program within the BOLD Lansing program. You’ll also hear about VITA services, CEDAM’s Real Estate Development programming, as well as MSHDA, LEO, and EGLE updates. Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is required in advance. The last day to register for the Lansing event is next Tuesday, October 8. We hope to see you there this fall! https://ow.ly/o3yJ50TAqOz