EDA University Center for
Regional Economic Innovation
Current Projects
Co-Learning Plans | Co-Implementation Plans | Student-Led Projects
Co-Learning Plans 
- Public Infrastructure and Economic Development
- Social Entrepreneurship in Legacy Cities
- Successful Innovative Ideas in Rural Areas
- The Fledge
Co-Implementation Plans
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Triple Bottom Line
In regions of the state where entrepreneurial innovation is more established, the emergence of the Triple Bottom Line business model is driving growth of companies that are decidedly place-based, pay better wages and prefer purchasing local goods and services. This innovative business trend implies a shift from the current focus of reducing the negative impacts of economic activity to the deliberate generation of positive impacts. It is the goal of this REI Fellows initiative to actively introduce and help implement the TBL approach in the East Central Michigan region consisting of: Clare, Gladwin, Arenac, Bay, Midland, Isabella, Gratiot and Saginaw counties. Although not widely described as a disadvantaged community, this 8-county region has an average ALICE rating that indicates 43.25% of the population live below income levels needed to achieve minimal living standards. Bill Stough, President of Sustainable Research Group, will be leading this Innovation Fellowship.
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Women Who Weld and Focus Hope
Women Who Weld is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, based in Detroit, that teaches unemployed and underemployed women how to weld and find employment in the welding industry. Women Who Weld's 6-week welding program is funded through donations and grants and is subsidized for participants. Women Who Weld was founded in 2014 and has hosted two workshops; graduating 8 women and helping them find employment. The Women Who Weld program teaches participants how to weld using MIG (metal inert gas) welding, and how to drill, measure, and cut metal. Additionally, Women Who Weld participants receive training for the American Welding Society Certified Welding (CW) test. Focus HOPE, a non-profit civil and human rights organization based in Detroit, is in the process of building a welding facility on its campus. Women Who Weld's training program will be located in this facility. Women Who Weld will resume the 6-week training program in February 2017 and expects to graduate 75-100 women each year. Samantha Farr, Founder and Instructor to Women Who Weld, will be leading this Innovation Fellowship.
Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Projects
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Ecotourism in the UP
A student research team at Michigan Tech researched and developed an inventory of the Upper Peninsula's eco-tourism resources and gaps. They compared these with similar successful eco-tourism regions and suggested a stronger business model.
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Fairlane Town Center
This project focused on the automobile-oriented Fairlane Planning Area located in the center of the City. Dearborn planners inspired the students to develop a redevelopment project to integrate the mall site with the rest of the Dearborn community. It was the City's goal to partner with MSU student planners to create a Vision Plan and Economic Development Strategy that will include recommendations for connectivity, beautification, urban design and redevelopment opportunities. The City would like to attract commercial and residential redevelopment, improve connections between the east and west Dearborn, identify underutilized land, and enhance pedestrian access.
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Impacts of Big Box Stores
This study helps not only to understand and assess the impact of more than half big box tax abatement on local communities, and governments, but also to assess solutions. The study explores as well new forms of partnership/collaboration between communities and big box stores, including community benefits agreements (CBAs). It is also interested in the overall impacts of big box tax abatement on Michigan. A geographical focus will be on the upper peninsula of Michigan, where major adverse impacts have been seen including shut down of public spending (education, fire department, road infrastructure) due to the tax cut.
