REI’s mission is to create and support a new economic development ecosystem by leveraging higher education assets in partnership with community and economic development scholars and practitioners with a specific focus on supporting the creation and application of innovative economic development strategies that promise to yield job creation and wealth generation in distressed communities in our State.
The Summit is the summation of past year's co-creation efforts​ and marks the beginning of next year’s process to identify new Co-Learning Plan Topics. It is also a time to build our network with practitioners from across the state and change the way we do economic development in Michigan!
A great THANK YOU to all the attendees, speakers, and moderators – YOU are what make the Summit a success!! The theme of equitable economic development was heard throughout sessions on what Michigan will look like in the next five to ten years, our roles and experiences to ensure equity in economic development as practitioners, opportunities to advance these strategies, how to encourage the next generation of economic developers into the field, and what tools, models, policies, and programs are being utilized and/or are needed.