Posted by on February 13, 2024

Winter is a time that we shine in the Upper Peninsula. From skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding to ice caves, sled dogs, and outhouse races, we embrace winter unlike anyone else. Our embrace of a season only tolerated by many others brings significant economic benefits. From filling hotel rooms and restaurants to retail sales and outdoor recreation, our businesses count on the snow and Heikki Lunta spirit. Embracing winter can even lead to population growth as we show off our region’s year-round outdoor paradise.

You probably know where this is going: with record-breaking temperatures and a lack of snow this year, our businesses and organizations who count on a robust winter season are hurting.

It can be challenging to get exact impact numbers, but we know a few startling statistics. The big one: approximately 40% of a winter resort’s revenue can come between the beginning of December and the first week of January. While that statistic may be limited to specific businesses, their services drive significant visitor traffic and encourage local socializing, which spills over to others. Looking at real-time hotel data available to us thanks to our friends at Travel Marquette, we know that from Christmas to the end of January, there was an 18% decrease in revenue across Marquette County hotels, with a decline every week in 2024 compared to 2023. When you factor in that hotel costs commonly only consume about 20% of a visitor’s spending on average, that additional 80% of missing revenue from other local businesses is felt across a wide swath of businesses in our area.

Many organizations have been able to pivot, such as updating routes for the Noquemanon Ski Marathon or activating downtown Marquette via the Festival of the Sled Dog. Tackling challenges and finding solutions is in our nature up here, part of our sisu spirit. And for those efforts, I believe those organizations – and the individuals who make them possible – deserve much praise. Thank you for all you do.

On January 26, I attended a Marquette Climate Adaptation Task Force event at NMU focused on identifying timely topics around resiliency and sustainability to dive into further. Ideas around diversification of food sources, building materials, and more could all be translated to the idea of our economy adapting to new trends around unreliable winter weather or extreme storms. Many of our businesses have already been working to add new revenue sources that can offset tough months like we’re now experiencing.

But we’re still working to adapt, and we’ll likely need help from outside sources to address the impacts of this year’s historically warm season. At the LSCP, we hope that our state or federal partners consider providing relief to businesses severely impacted by this year’s historic weather. With some going as far as to consider loans to keep their existing teams on payroll, the situation is very real for some.

Despite the UP200 race cancellation, we expect many policymakers and state officials to be in our area this week to enjoy the Festival of the Sled Dog. While they’re here, we’ve worked with our partners to build multiple opportunities to ensure they understand our needs and see the incredible work happening here around workforce development, housing, small business support, and more.

It’s been a rough winter for those businesses who rely on the snow. There’s no doubt about it. But we’ll continue to root for a turnaround in the weather while working with businesses to adapt, plan, and recover as best they can. The vibrancy of our local and regional economy – our primary mission at the LSCP – depends on it.

Posted by on January 30, 2024

January 30, 2024

MARQUETTE COUNTY – The Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) and the Greater Ishpeming Negaunee Chamber of Commerce (GINCC) have announced a shared vision for continuing and expanding direct, local access to business support services in western Marquette County. Ensuring the continuation of on-the-ground business support services – including Business After Hours, ribbon cuttings, and informational events – has been a priority for both organizations to maintain the economic momentum in western Marquette County as the GINCC addressed internal matters.

“Ensuring that West End businesses and communities are able to continue accessing critical local networking and business support services has been top of mind for the GINCC Board during these past few months,” said GINCC President Angela Hentkowski. “Through this vision, we are turning a challenging situation into something positive, not only re-establishing services many of our businesses value, but enhancing them through the LSCP’s deep bench of business development tools. The outcome of these discussions is a natural extension of other conversations which had already been taking place under new leadership at the LSCP.”

To guide implementation, the LSCP will establish a West End Advisory Council comprised of 6 – 8 small businesses from western Marquette County who will work directly with LSCP staff to develop a West End Services Strategy for delivering on-the-ground networking and informational events that consider the unique priorities and needs of the business community in western Marquette County. Additionally, the LSCP will establish the West End Business Hub in the current office space occupied by the GINCC. The updated space will be staffed part-time by LSCP staff and be available for other economic development organizations to provide a convenient local space for in-person meetings and services.

For 2024, the LSCP will offer discounted membership to businesses who were GINCC members as of the day its operations ceased if they join the LSCP before July 1. Details will be announced at an event scheduled for February 12th.  Membership in the LSCP comes with significant value, including affiliate memberships with the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Full details can be found at https://marquette.org/become-a-partner/.

LSCP CEO Christopher Germain expressed excitement for the new agreement.

“Since I joined the LSCP in 2022, we have worked to strengthen our relationship with the GINCC and communities and businesses in western Marquette County. From our enhanced partnerships with the cities of Ishpeming and Negaunee to our work with Partridge Creek Farms, the West End Health Foundation, and major west end businesses like UPPCO and Cleveland Cliffs, the LSCP has deep roots in the area. We know there is true economic momentum in the West End. While LSCP services have always been available in the West End, we’re excited to expand our on-the-ground presence to maximize the momentum we can help push forward. Creation of the advisory group and the new physical office space will allow us to do that while ensuring we’re appropriately tailoring services to meet local needs.”

Separately, the GINCC Board of Directors has voted to recommend to its full membership that the organization dissolve and name the LSCP as the receiver of its assets. A membership meeting will occur on February 12th to conduct the vote. Full details will be announced via a separate GINCC meeting notice.

Work is underway to establish the advisory council and open the West End Business Hub. Updates on West End activity will be available throughout the year. Businesses and the public are encouraged to attend a “West End Looking Forward” event on February 12 to learn more about the vision, the LSCP’s work, and west end economic development highlights for 2024. LSCP staff will be on hand to meet businesses and answer any questions. More details can be found at marquette.org/WestEndForward

Media Contact:

LSCP Contact:
Ashley Szczepanski
Ashley@marquette.org
906-226-6591
GINCC Board of Directors Contact:
Nate Heffron
nheffron@cityofnegaunee.com
(906) 475-7700 Ext. 11

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Prepared by Ashley Szczepanski. For more information, contact the Lake Superior Community Partnership at (906) 226-6591. The Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) is Marquette County’s resource for economic development, providing a wide variety of affordable and effective development services. The LSCP helps our partners make the connections that matter – between businesses, organizations, leaders, and legislators, and provides a powerful legislative voice for programs and policies that strengthen our regional economy. More information on the Lake Superior Community Partnership can be found at www.marquette.org.

 

Posted by on January 16, 2024

Ensuring a vibrant local and regional economy involves many moving pieces, from a clear flow of capital to ensuring sufficient housing and amenities to create a high quality of life that retains and attracts residents to the area. Housing is a complex piece of that equation with many moving pieces.

Since 2022, the Intergovernmental Housing Taskforce has been meeting to coordinate discussions between local governments on ways the public sector can play a role in addressing the housing shortage. A key outcome of that work is just about ready: a detailed, up-to-date Target Market Analysis (TMA). A TMA provides vital insight into the actual state of a housing market and – most notably – its potential for absorbing new and rehabilitated units. The initial overall findings suggest we can safely absorb up to 1,400 new units annually countywide between owners and renters who are actively looking to be in the area. That number increases to 1,940 when you factor in rehabilitated units to help retain existing residents. The TMA includes demographics, housing types, rent and sale price tolerance, and various other factors to enhance precision in targeting outcomes. It further delves into specific geographic subareas for a more detailed analysis.

We will provide opportunities to dive deep into the data in the coming months, but an initial look at the overall findings will come at the LSCP’s first Breakfast and Business event on January 26 from 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. at the Ramada Marquette. This new quarterly event series will focus on bringing together business and community leaders to receive economic development updates, learn about critical issues, and build networks to tackle our challenges together. Tickets are only $25 for LSCP members and $35 for non-members and include a full hot breakfast. You can learn more and register at www.marquette.org/breakfast.

In addition to the TMA, the LSCP is excited to see the Marquette County Land Bank Authority’s (MCLBA) Housing Specialist, Antonio Adan, officially begin his role. This position is a partnership between the MCLBA, LSCP, InvestUP, and the Community Foundation of Marquette County.  In its first weeks, it’s already paying dividends as Antonio hits the ground running, turning several initiatives that have been on our radar into actual action. Many of these actions are part of the LSCP’s newly adopted Strategic Framework for Housing which will be discussed at the breakfast event.

With the Regional Housing Action Plan now in place – a shout out to our friends at the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Commission (CUPPAD) and Community Action Alger Marquette (CAAM) for their work coordinating that initiative – and more resources locally, expect more updates on this issue throughout the year. From new financing tools (both public and private), updated technical assistance support from the state, the increased willingness of local governments to take a hard look at local zoning and permitting process, and interest from developers working on all types of housing, the pieces are coming together. However, it will take all of us working together to find the right combinations that allow for new units to come online.

The LSCP exists to ensure a vibrant local and regional economy, and housing is just one of several issues we work on. The team also provides a robust set of programming and resources to support business startup, retention, and growth. All this is only possible thanks to the 300+ members who invest in our work annually. If you’re already a member, please let us know how we can help. If you’re not, still reach out. We’d love to meet you and see how we can work together.

Posted by on January 2, 2024

Welcome to the new year! I hope everyone had a safe and healthy holiday season. While it was a rare Christmas without snow here, traffic across the county in the days leading up to Christmas seemed to suggest that didn’t deter many of us from our holiday traditions. And where else can you see a giant meatball drop at midnight on New Year’s Eve? Only here in Marquette County.

As we all settle into the year and seek to stay strong on our resolutions, I’d like to share the commitment the LSCP team made to our partners and all Marquette County organizations via our recently adopted strategic plan. In particular, our eight guiding principles:

  • We are accessible
  • We follow through
  • We collaborate with partners
  • We take initiative
  • We are nimble and adaptive
  • We are resourceful
  • We invest in our organization
  • We do the right thing

It is our intent that as we roll out updates from the strategic plan throughout 2024, the team’s commitment to living these guiding principles in every interaction we have with current and future partners will be felt throughout Marquette County.

I’d like to highlight a few of these principles today. First, our accessibility to businesses, organizations, and communities of all sizes and areas of the county. We are one of several organizations working in the economic development field in Marquette County, but we’re the only one without a specific type of client, meaning we have the flexibility to work with everyone regardless of their size, industry, experience, etc. Being as accessible as possible is an important principle for advancing our mission to ensure a vibrant local and regional economy. While we’ve always been out and about throughout Marquette County, you’ll find that to be even more evident in 2024.

Second, we are committed to being nimble and adaptive. In 1998, the LSCP was born out of a need to collaborate and adapt to changing economic conditions and it continues to do so to this day. In 2020, the team pivoted to help hundreds of businesses in the county access pandemic-related information and resources. In 2022 and 2023, initiatives such as the Intergovernmental Housing Taskforce and Childcare SPARK were housed within the LSCP due to its nimbleness. In 2024, we’ll continue to adapt to meet businesses where they are and to tackle new emerging challenges to economic prosperity.

Third, we invest in the organization. We commit to ensuring our team is well-informed, connected, and has the tools they need to maximize the impact of our 300+ partners’ valuable funds which are invested toward the advancement of our shared mission. Like any business or organization, the LSCP is strongest when it is able and willing to invest in its own team so they can best serve businesses and communities throughout the county.

The other five guiding principles are just as important, but I only have so much room to write today so we will visit those in future columns.

Looking forward to the first quarter of the year, you’ll see more information come out about the new strategic plan. You’ll also see some refreshed branding, the launch of our quarterly breakfast series, the official launch of the Central Upper Peninsula Small Business Support Hub, updates on efforts to enhance air service, and much more. This is all in addition to events like the Operational Action UP Annual Meeting, UP200-related events, Business After Hours, and more.

It’s never a dull day at the LSCP and we encourage anyone to reach out and let us know how we might be able to support your business or community’s economic development goals.

 

Posted by on December 20, 2023

It’s hard to believe that this will be the last LSCP Perspectives Column of 2023. Where did the year go? We’ll have the full results of 2023 to share when we issue our annual report, but I’d like to take some time today to recognize the highlights and look at what’s next.

Legislatively, 2023 was a year for the record books. From the signing of bills early in the year (the earliest a bill had been passed and signed in more than 50 years!) to the ongoing flurry of activity, changes, committee hearings, and votes the LSCP tracked as part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, the year kept us on alert in historic ways. In particular, the passage of new energy legislation will have a profound impact on our region. The final version – while far from perfect – looked significantly different than initial versions and that has a lot to do with the coalition of partners from our area who spoke up to advocate for reliable, affordable energy and to protect existing jobs. I’d like to give special recognition to LSCP’s Director of Business Development, Mary Myers, for her above-and-beyond efforts to support our advocacy work this year. We expect another busy session in 2024.

On the small business front, we focused our efforts on the collaborative grant for setting up the Small Business Support Hub. We couldn’t have done it without the other six strategic partners, and we remain excited about the impact the funds will have over the next three years. You can expect to hear more about the Hub’s operations in early 2024. In the meantime, www.marquette.org/thehub has the most up-to-date information.

The LSCP team also continued to ramp up our involvement in housing efforts throughout 2023. We talked about housing practically every day, from supporting the Intergovernmental Housing Taskforce’s efforts to facilitate dialogue, to administering the Target Market Analysis which will provide valuable data to further target housing development opportunities. All this work culminated in a recently adopted LSCP Strategic Framework document to further guide our housing efforts and we’re excited to talk about that more in 2024. Furthermore, the partnership with the Marquette County Land Bank Authority, InvestUP, and the Community Foundation of Marquette County to hire a Housing Specialist will pay dividends into 2024 and beyond.

Childcare SPARK, the home-based childcare business incubator made possible through an investment from Marquette County and the Statewide Equity Fund, helped move the needle on adding new availability for childcare. We’ve been updating the program and are excited to launch a refreshed version in 2024 to build on the success we saw this year.

And we continued to partner with public and private sector partners to enhance air service our of Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport. The updated demand and leakage study – a crucial data tool – should be complete in 2024 and will guide efforts to further address this critical barrier to additional population and business growth.

All of this happened while the LSCP team continued to provide our on-the-ground business support and networking programs which support our businesses and communities by forging strong connections to people and resources. Those are such a core part of what we do, and we have a robust list of events and programming coming your way in 2024.

There is so much more the team does that we could talk about – and we will. But for now, on behalf of the entire LSCP team, we wish everyone a peaceful and joyous holiday season. We all have so much to celebrate, and we look forward to hitting the ground running in 2024.

 

 

Posted by on December 4, 2023

Marquette County – like nearly all other areas – has focused a majority of its economic development efforts on creating jobs, continually fighting the perception that employment opportunities were scarce or low paying. While it is true that we have taken our punches over the years up here, the story today is that we have more jobs than people. There are more than 1,022 current job openings in the County today.

But where are those 1,022 job openings? And how much can one expect to earn in these top career fields? Jenna Smith, Market Manager for Manpower in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has been analyzing the data and suggests the following:

“There are a wide variety of jobs available in our area, including in the manufacturing industry, food service, medical, and professional services. The salaries for these roles will vary widely based on industry standards and your experience level, but it is safe to say wages have been increasing across our region over the past few years. Earnings are important when considering a new job, but I would also encourage folks to review the benefits offered – health insurance, retirement, and time off offerings can make up for differences in salary over the long-term. My best advice for taking that next step in your career would be to gain transferrable skills and relevant experiences in the field you would like to advance in. Skills can be obtained in several ways, through entry-level jobs, temporary positions, internships, formal education, informal mentorship, or a career zigzag. At Manpower, we have many opportunities to allow candidates to build on their skills to position them for that next step in their careers.”

Connecting talent and businesses is constantly on our radar at the LSCP. And to do that, we work with a number of public and private partners including Michigan Works Upper Peninsula, Pure Michigan, Stang Decision Systems, and Manpower. If you’re a business and you aren’t already connected with these talent organizations, we can help make that connection.

In addition to the insight above, we now have access to a comprehensive set of regional and county-level labor data available on InvestUP’s data portal tab on investupmi.com. Additionally, investing Partners of the LSCP can gain access to EMSI Workforce Insight Reports to better understand the market for specific positions; better data makes for better decisions.

Already know the market and looking for ways to advertise a job opening? The LSCP and its partner talent organizations can help with that too. We also have information on training programs, workforce development programs, and educational opportunities. There is a wealth of information and resources out there and the LSCP can help businesses navigate the field to know what fits their needs best and connect you to our public or private sector partners.

A great place to start: marquette.org/hire or just reach out to the LSCP and we’ll get you connected.

Opportunities for career growth continue to expand in our region and Marquette is a great place to start, continue, and grow a career in any number of fields. We encourage those who are sitting outside of the workforce at the moment to consider re-entering and we encourage businesses in our area to remain informed and up-to-date on how to best compete for employees in an ever-changing world. The LSCP – and our many talent partners – can help, so please reach out.

 

Christopher Germain, CEO, writes a bi-weekly column for the Mining Journal.

Posted by on November 20, 2023

As we head into the holiday shopping season, it’s always a great time to plan a strategy for how and where you’ll find the perfect gifts for those on your list. The National Retail Federation expects a 3-4% increase in sales for November and December, amounting to about $960 million. This indicates that shoppers will continue to boost the economy, benefiting businesses of all sizes. 

For many of us, those gifts will come from local small businesses. You’ve likely heard it before, but it bears repeating: $0.68 of every dollar spent at these businesses stays in the local economy. With 96% of businesses in Marquette County being considered a small business (by federal definitions), those cents add up. Considering just three sectors from the 2022 Marquette County Data Booklet—Arts/Entertainment/Recreation, Retail Trade, and Accommodation/Food Services—the impact of this spending could be over $425 million. Although this is an estimate, it highlights the substantial role of small businesses in our local economy. 

With this in mind, the Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) has invested significant time and effort in 2023 to support these small businesses through new and existing programs and resources.  

The most recent achievement: $3.4 million from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to fund a collaborative project, led by the LSCP, to create a Central Upper Peninsula Small Business Support Hub (the Hub). Once up and running in early 2024, the Hub will coordinate resources currently spread across multiple organizations to help small businesses match to the resources they need to achieve their goals. The Hub will include boots-on-the-ground support across seven counties via Resource Navigators to meet businesses where they are at. It will also support the creation of the Northern Michigan University Main Street Program which will connect teams of students to businesses to solve identified challenges. And in 2024, the Hub will include over $400,000 in direct grants to businesses.  

We’re honored by this investment from the MEDC and working quickly with our partners to get the Hub up and running. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank our partners for their time to build out the concept and join us in applying: Accelerate UP, Innovate Marquette SmartZone, NMU, Small Business Development Center Upper Peninsula, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and Sault Tribe Inc. 

But, the Hub is just one of many other services and efforts designed to support our small business community. Since its founding in June 2020, $391,300 has been loaded onto 4,373 Love on Local gift cards to be spent at local small businesses in Marquette County. Love on Local is particularly popular during the holiday season. You can learn more at loveonlocal.com and order cards for your friends, family, coworkers, and others right from the comfort of your computer. 

The LSCP also established the Small Business Advisory Council (SBAC) in 2023. While most of our efforts this year were put into designing and funding the Hub, SBAC will meet in 2024 as the Hub is implemented and the LSCP continues to ensure our resources and services – from ribbon cuttings and Business After Hours to economic impact studies, business referrals, and webinars – are available and valuable to businesses of all sizes.  

On Small Business Saturday (November 25) and throughout the year, we hope everyone will continue to support our local small businesses in Marquette County. We’re proud to have so many as LSCP Partners and look forward to a successful holiday shopping and gathering season to come. We’re so thankful for everything our community does to support a vibrant local and regional economy that allows small businesses to thrive. 

Posted by on November 10, 2023

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced grant recipients for its Small Business Support Hub program. Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP), along with several partners, was awarded $3.4 million of these grant dollars, $400,000 of which will be deployed in direct grants to small businesses during 2024.

The funds will be used to create the Central Upper Peninsula Small Business Support Hub (SBSH). The SBSH will amplify existing support for small businesses and entrepreneurship within Marquette County and expand that support to six additional counties – Alger, Baraga, Delta, Dickinson, Menominee, and Schoolcraft – by placing additional staff on the ground to meet businesses in their own communities. The SBSH will offer 1:1 support, access to technical assistance, networking, and education. Among the available technical assistance opportunities will be supporting the creation of the NMU Main Street Academy, a program which will connect teams of students to small businesses to help solve identified issues.

The SBSH will be housed at the LSCP but overseen by an advisory council comprised of strategic partners, all of whom assisted in the application process: LSCP, Accelerate UP, Innovate Marquette SmartZone, Northern Michigan University, Small Business Development Center Upper Peninsula, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and Sault Tribe Inc.

LSCP CEO Christopher Germain had the following to say:

“The economic momentum in the upper peninsula is very real and this is yet another example of what’s possible when we collaborate as partners to bring resources back home. The LSCP is honored to bring together and lead this coalition but we’re most excited for what’s yet to come. Not only will small businesses from across the region benefit from greater access to the system we’ve already built, but we’re adding new tools to the mix and formalizing new partnerships.

The LSCP could not have done this alone and we are grateful to all our partners for committing their own time and resources to this endeavor that will benefit us all for years to come. And of course, we are always appreciative of the investments MEDC continues to make in our region.

Read the official announcement from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation here.

Posted by on November 6, 2023

Electricity is essential to our way of life. When we flip a switch, we expect the light will turn on. That our phones will reliably charge each night. And that our workplaces will function so we can make a living. Ensuring that electricity is affordable, and reliable is a cornerstone of modern-day economic prosperity.

Because of that, we’ve been following closely as the state legislature discusses energy policy. Through the LSCP’s work with Marquette County Ambassadors – and our role as an advocate for economic prosperity – the LSCP has been following a series of bills aimed at mandating a 100% clean energy generation portfolio by 2040. Introduced earlier this year, the bills moved rapidly through the legislative process this past month, culminating in Senate and House votes narrowly passing the bills. Through advocacy efforts, many changes were introduced to address unintended consequences in the initial drafts, including language that could have led to the closure of the largest tax-paying entity in Baraga County. Other changes extended the timeline for achieving 100% clean energy generation and provided some flexibility in the event of technological or financial challenges.

While we are appreciative of those changes, concerns remain, in particular around cost and reliability. The recent local transition made to natural gas following the closure of the Presque Isle Power Plant is still fresh in many of our minds. What most don’t realize: in the final years of the PIPP’s operation, Upper Peninsula customers were paying an additional $8,000,000 a month to subsidize its operation. When the Internal Combustion Engine (RISE) natural gas plant came online in 2019 to replace PIPP, it reduced emissions by 86% and made our grid more stable. Marquette Board of Light and Power also invested heavily in cleaner natural gas to the tune of more than $50,000,000. We have more than 15 years left of payments on these investments.

Under the legislation as passed by the House, Upper Peninsula residents, and businesses will be on the hook to cover not only that debt but also the debt that will be needed to make even more upgrades to the system. Federal funds encouraging the transition to clean energy may play a role in helping mitigate some of those investments, but there is no guarantee. Renewable energy credit purchases required to meet the renewable energy credit goals will add even more costs. A last-minute amendment to one of the bills requires a study to determine the unique needs of the Upper Peninsula; a step towards acknowledgment of the unique needs, but leaves our region in limbo as to the long-term cost.

Recent shifts away from two major coal power plants were a major step in the right direction. For example, UPPCO’s reliance on coal-generated power is 15% less than the regional average, in large part due to its past investments in hydroelectric power. When the Marquette BLP moved to natural gas, it reduced its emissions by 90% and reduced landfilled ash by 17,000 tons annually. Combined with other natural gas and solar investments, the needle is moving.

Clean energy is a highly-valued objective that many individuals aspire to achieve and enjoys widespread policy support. Many businesses have declared environmental goals related to clean energy. We are also seeing clean energy investments happen across the region. But with fewer people to spread new costs across, we should applaud the progress that has been made and move at a reasonable pace toward these goals. We’ll watch the development of the Upper Peninsula study carefully and continue to fight for a diverse, affordable, and reliable energy portfolio to ensure economic prosperity.

Posted by on October 23, 2023

In October, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved $99.2 million in grant funding through the Revitalization and Placemaking Program (RAP). RAP is an incentive program in Michigan that provides state funding to address COVID-19 impacts and support community revitalization. The program invests in projects promoting population and tax revenue growth, such as rehabilitating vacant and blighted buildings and historic structures, and the development of permanent place-based infrastructure associated with social zones and traditional downtowns, outdoor dining, and place-based public spaces. 

This was the second round of RAP and the second time the grant award list included a project(s) from the Marquette County area. In 2021, Ore Dock Brewing Company received $3.9 million to support the project we see happening on Front Street (among other aspects of the project), and the City of Negaunee received $885,000 to support upgrades to Iron Street, a project which is quickly coming to completion. The Negaunee project was featured during the recent Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) meeting in August. The City of Houghton also secured $1 million in RAP funds during round one, bringing our U.P. total to approximately $5.7 million out of $83.8 million awarded.  

In this newest round of awards, four U.P. projects were awarded: $588,000 in Marquette to support the redevelopment of a building into a cultural trailhead and arts space, $4.5 million to support the Vault project in downtown Marquette, $330,000 to support improvements in downtown Escanaba and $1 million for a project in Sault Ste Marie. Overall, the U.P. flexed its muscles again, bringing in over $7 million in state funding. 

Investments in “place” have become a pillar of economic development. And it only takes a few conversations with business owners and policymakers to understand why: people now choose where to live and then find or create a job there. Efforts to revitalize communities and create thriving places have been ongoing for over a decade now, and most of us know someone who has chosen to accept or turn down a job based on the vibrancy of its location. Because of this, we must continue to make such investments and remain prepared to take advantage of opportunities like RAP when they become available. This type of investment is often called community development, but really, it’s just good economic development. 

In recent years, the LSCP has increased its community development efforts through partnerships like our professional services contract in Ishpeming, our long-standing economic services agreement in Negaunee, meetings with many township partners, and more. We were honored to write letters of support for several RAP-related projects and provide economic impact data for one of the successful applications. Our work in housing, air service, childcare, and more also ties into efforts toward vibrant, investment-ready communities.  

The focus on creating places that naturally attract and retain people and investment is a more complex equation than many strategies historically employed in economic development efforts. It requires more partners, creative thinking, more resources, and the ability to maintain a long-term vision.  

Congratulations to those who poured significant time into their RAP 2.0 applications – we’re thrilled to welcome more investment to Marquette County. We’re honored to be a part of these current efforts and excited for what the future holds not only for these projects but also the countless others which are ideas now, but with collaboration and hard work can become reality in the years to come. 

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