Thriving Communities

As a longstanding advocate for the importance of placemaking in community design, the Michigan Municipal League expanded its place-based work to encompass the totality of community development through our Community Wealth Building focus.

Community Wealth Building allowed the League to draw a direct line between quality placemaking work, and economic progress and advancement. Wealth is not only economic; it branches into health, culture, and other quality-of-life factors.

The data behind the positive impact of placemaking and Community Wealth Building was largely categorical (e.g., wonderful places have these things; struggling ones don’t) and often anecdotal (e.g., we built a park, and good things happened).

A line of bikes parked near people dining in the street in downtown Northville.

A group of people watching a band perform outside Croswell city hall.

According to older frameworks, if a community just had a certain tax base, so many store fronts filled in downtown, and one main employer, that was a “healthy” community. Obviously, that’s not true. The life of a place is wrapped up in public spaces, programming, safe and equitable transportation, micro businesses, childcare access, and other factors.

The concept of “thriving communities” is the evolution of our work to address factors in a community we believe are crucial to creating economically sustainable and livable places. Our Labs and State & Federal Affairs Teams are conducting site visits and developing interactive tools to help members reassess their communities’ assets and values so they can deliver more holistically on what it takes for people to live successful lives.

A Vision for Thriving Communities

For Michigan to grow and succeed in the coming decades, we must have communities that offer the opportunities and high quality of life that both attract new residents and businesses, while also supporting those who already call Michigan home. This path to a thriving Michigan requires strong partnerships between state and local governments, businesses, nonprofits, and philanthropy, where each partner is committed to the work of delivering the key indicators contributing to long-term prosperity.

Key Indicators for Long-term Prosperity

Strong public health and safety systems that ensure the well-being of people living and working there

Economic and financial security for all—families, entrepreneurs, and the institutions that provide them with critical services

Responsibly managed natural resources, protecting outdoor recreation, agriculture, and natural beauty for future generations

Reliable, high-quality virtual and physical infrastructure that meets the needs of different people in the community

Abundant arts and cultural amenities that entertain and enrich people’s lives

First-rate lifelong learning opportunities, including quality primary and secondary schools, lifelong learning opportunities, and informal skill and social enrichment programs

Appropriate housing options for the full range of households’ needs and budgets

Thriving Michigan Briefs

Thriving Michigan evaluates how well Michigan is fostering thriving communities—places where people want to build their lives. This series benchmarks the state’s performance across key indicators that contribute to long-term prosperity. Each report presents a clear, data-driven snapshot of how state policies and investments are affecting one of the key indicators in Michigan communities: health and safety, economic and financial security, natural resources, virtual and physical infrastructure, arts and culture, lifelong learning, and housing.

Economic Security

Infrastructure

Public Health and Safety

Sustainability