“At LEO, we’re focused on expanding economic opportunity for all Michiganders and helping communities thrive in a changing economy,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “The Community Transition Playbook gives local leaders practical tools to build resilience and create new opportunities for workers, businesses and families. Through the Community and Worker Economic Transition Office, we are building a stronger, future-ready Michigan by equipping workers with in-demand skills, preparing existing businesses to compete in emerging markets and building thriving resilient communities in every corner of the state.” 

The playbook will help communities build capacity through:  

• Building strong local coalitions to create and implement economic growth and resilience plans that are tailored to a community’s unique values and identity. 

• Helping communities prepare for economic disruption so they can quickly recover if a local business closes or downsizes. 

• Providing resources to address the long-term challenges that arise when a major source of local jobs and revenue is lost. 

“As economic transitions continue to occur, there is a need for statewide effort and coordination to ensure that all Michigan’s workers, businesses and communities can shape and benefit from a changing economy,” said Community and Worker Economic Transition Office Director Luke Forrest. “We created this playbook through feedback from communities across the state to turn it into a useful, scalable tool to make sure communities of all sizes can prepare for and respond to economic changes.” 

The Community Transition Playbook is divided into two sections: one section provides communities with a framework to develop a shared vision for economic resilience that factors in local goals and priorities, and the other is focused on resources for navigating and responding to economic disruptions. 

“The playbook will be an important resource for communities, encouraging local governments to take a holistic approach to transition events beyond a single site or closure and prepare for broader impacts,” said Michigan Municipal League Executive Director Dan Gilmartin.  

Feedback from the Community Growth Academy was used to refine the Community Transition Playbook. Academy members have utilized playbook resources to increase their local capacity to plan and execute projects, including creating development guidebooks for municipalities, launching local talent attraction and retention programs, developing industrial ready sites and workforce development and barrier removal programs.  

“This playbook better prepares our local stakeholders for successfully addressing economic transitions through effective systems, communication and collaboration,” said Executive Director of the Lake County Economic Development Alliance Jodi Nichols “Lake County is stronger and ready for future possibilities because of our work with LEO’s development of this resource.”  

View the Community Transition Playbook and learn more at Michigan.gov/EconomicTransition.