Resources & Research

 (Imagine the Captain America “I understood that reference” meme here. This post is dedicated to long-time readers of the League’s old Placemaking blog who have been waiting five years since my last post, before that publication’s sunset; you knew this had to be my first post here.) When you’re...

Many municipalities are working to become more sustainable, including steps towards cleaner energy. With newly available state and federal funding, there are opportunities to jumpstart decarbonization initiatives and projects for the betterment of their communities. By making changes now, communities will reap financial and tangible environmental benefits now and long...

Download the guide: This Used To Be Normal What's old is new again—and a beloved chapter in architectural history can be a part of our strategy for tackling Michigan's shortage of homes. To that end, the League offers This Used to be Normal: Pattern Book Homes for 21st Century Michigan,...

Placemaking has continued to show the importance of creating a quality of life that attracts people to a community. This draw allows for better economic development. Without place, there is no community – no development. The Michigan Municipal League is a firm believer of building community wealth. We have taken...

Written by Morgan Schwanky and posted by Matt Bach The DTE Energy Foundation granted $1 million to The Nature Conservancy to fund a variety of projects that will aid the maintenance of Michigan’s natural resources, help continue to fund a fellowship program, advance urban environmental initiatives, and help educate communities....

The Michigan Municipal League’s 2021 Convention is taking place in person later this month and this year’s focus is around the Community Wealth Building work the MML started last year. The Convention, happening Sept. 22-24 in Grand Rapids during ArtPrize, centers on helping our local leaders spark a community revival...

“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus City leaders from across Michigan discuss how climate change will impact their communities and how they will address those impacts. Chances are good you have heard that famous 2,500-year-old quote from a colleague or relative. You may have even uttered it...

We stand at a unique juncture in history. Across the globe, every country is in the midst of a global pandemic. While we attempted to grapple with the fallout from this health crisis, collective passions have been inspired to action by the injustices we have witnessed. Across America and beyond,...

As we evolve the Michigan Municipal League’s work into community wealth building, we’ve organized our approach into four focus areas, or “pillars.” These four pillars work together to support healthy and thriving communities, and can be found at various scales. From the League’s traditional position working at the municipal scale,...

The stay-at-home order has made such a difference for so many staying healthy during the pandemic, but, if we’re being honest, it’s been hard. We’ve felt disconnected, and sometimes bored. We miss our friends, our families and our coworkers. We miss being part of a social fabric that is made...