Attract New Industries and Markets for Business to Relocate and Build Stronger Foundations to Support Regional Businesses
The goal here is to convert the Great Lakes Bay Region into an incubator for innovative industries and entrepreneurs. THRIVE will publicize the region’s access to farmland, transportation, inexpensive fresh water, proximity to Detroit, Chicago and Toronto, and favorable tax situations for manufacturing and sales. The combination of the efforts and publicity is designed to attract new industries and markets for the setup or relocation to the region and to reverse the out-migration of young workers.
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If you are interested in learning more about this specific intervention email: admin@thrivegreatlakesbay.org
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Up to Date Progress
The progress-tracking graphic above is a handy visual aid designed for a "quick glance" update. The graphic color will update as we continue towards a path of successful completion of this intervention.
Implementation Stage Expansion Stage Scaling Stage Sustainability Stage
- Red: Signifies no work has been completed
- Orange: Signifies a plan has been created to begin work on the intervention
- Yellow: Signifies action has been created for the intervention
- Light Green: Signifies action has begun towards executing all of the objectives and some strategies are completed
- Dark Green: Signifies significant progress towards completion of all objectives
Intervention Progress per Objective and Strategy
Learn more by exploring the objectives below
Objective 1: Assessment of existing data, assets, marketing efforts, and partner strategies to develop the most strategic execution plan for business attraction
Strategy 1.1 - Working with our local partners to examine their websites and develop consistent messaging
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective
- Target Completion Date: Business attraction is an ongoing activity. We will benefit long-term from the relationships we are building with success along the way.
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Consistent messaging of our assets and understanding that each community has different priorities on what their objectives are for business attraction
Strategy 1.2 - New mapping and improved data to be used by all partners and the region
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: Winter 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Consistent messaging of our assets and understanding that each community has different priorities on what their objectives are for business attraction
Objective 2: Develop the key stories that showcase the top regional assets
Strategy 2.1 - Working with targeted industries to develop key stories
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective. We are taking previous work on regional target sectors, aligning with the State of Michigan's target sectors, and updating them based on current economic conditions.
- Target Completion Date: Winter 2020-2021
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Our customers respond to what has been successful in our region and storytelling adds a more personal layer than excel spreadsheets full of data
Strategy 2.2 - Working with talent in the region to develop key stories
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance along with Region 5 Homecoming Activities
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective
- Target Completion Date: Winter 2020-2021
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Our customers respond to what has been successful in our region and storytelling adds a more personal layer than excel spreadsheets full of data
Objective 3: Proactively meet with influencers, in Michigan and around the US and the world, to evaluate who would be in need of the assets that the GLBR possesses
Strategy 3.1 - Attend the STEM/Site Conference in Chicago 2020
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Projected Completion Date: Spring 2020
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We have to talk to people who need our assets and not wait for them to come to us
Strategy 3.2 - Attend a Site Conference in Germany 2019
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Projected Completion Date: Fall 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We have to talk to people who need our assets and not wait for them to come to us
Objective 4: Participate with specific industry leaders at conferences, trade shows, trade missions, and industry association events to discuss regional assets that will fill their gaps to success
Strategy 4.1 - Attend ANUGA Event 2019
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Proactive strategy to talk about this region outside of the region and to learn what the priorities of those specific targeted industries are. We learn a lot of detailed information about industries that are important to bring front and center if businesses will relocate to the GLBR.
Strategy 4.2 - Attend the MICHauto Annual Meeting 2019
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Proactive strategy to talk about this region outside of the region and to learn what the priorities of those specific targeted industries are. We learn a lot of detailed information about industries that are important to bring front and center if businesses will relocate to the GLBR.
Strategy 4.3 - Represent the region Area Development Site Selectors Event 2020
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective
- Target Completion Date: Convening rescheduled for August 2020
- Progress Highlights and Significance: Proactive strategy to talk about this region outside of the region and to learn what the priorities of those specific targeted industries are. We learn a lot of detailed information about industries that are important to bring front and center if businesses will relocate to the GLBR.
Objective 5: Bring key influencers into the GLBR to see for themselves and meet with the community
Strategy 5.1 - MEDC/MDARD visit in September 2019
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: The region is unknown outside of the region. The experience of being in the region demonstrates the assets available so business leaders can see and talk to the people who make our region work and the success that we have already had, it proves to them that their business can also be successful in this region.
Strategy 5.2 - Influencers coming to Great Lakes Bay Region
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Influencers have been contacted throughout Michigan
- Target Completion Date: Late Summer or Fall 2020
- Progress Highlights and Significance: The region is unknown outside of the region. The experience of being in the region demonstrates the assets available so business leaders can see and talk to the people who make our region work and the success that we have already had, it proves to them that their business can also be successful in this region.
Strategy 5.3 - Consulate General visits to the GLBR
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective
- Target Completion Date: Late Summer or Fall 2020
- Progress Highlights and Significance: The region is unknown outside of the region. The experience of being in the region demonstrates the assets available so business leaders can see and talk to the people who make our region work and the success that we have already had, it proves to them that their business can also be successful in this region.
Objective 6: Be able to respond to RFPs with new messaging and a system to get information to decision makers in a quick and forward-thinking delivery
Strategy 6.1 - Obtain additional RFPs for the Great Lakes Bay Region to Successfully Locate New Investment
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: 4 active RFPs in consideration
- Target Completion Date: Ongoing
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We need to be able to respond to a quickly changing market and we want to make sure our information is available and delivered in a manner that the customer prefers it to be delivered. For example, websites should be smart phone friendly.
Strategy 6.2 - Review properties in the region on GLBR sites to make sure they are accurate and complete
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Great Lakes Bay Regional Sites has a database of sites and buildings in the region which requires updating on a regular basis
- Target Completion Date: September 2020 and an ongoing activity
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We need to be able to respond to a quickly changing market and we want to make sure our information is available and delivered in a manner that the customer prefers it to be delivered. For example, websites should be smart phone friendly.
Strategy 6.3 - Develop updated RFP responses tied to website updates
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Action has begun towards executing this objective
- Target Completion Date: Winter 2020-2021
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We need to be able to respond to a quickly changing market and we want to make sure our information is available and delivered in a manner that the customer prefers it to be delivered. For example, websites should be smart phone friendly.
Objective 7: Maintain an on-going dialogue with influencers and industry experts
Strategy 7.1 - Attend the German American Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: Fall 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We want to be front of mind when key decisions are being made for new business investment and jobs. This is a relationship and not a transaction.
Strategy 7.2 - Attend the Swedish American Chamber Annual Meeting
- Responsible Party: Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
- Data: Completed
- Target Completion Date: Fall 2019
- Progress Highlights and Significance: We want to be front of mind when key decisions are being made for new business investment and jobs. This is a relationship and not a transaction.