06/22/2026
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI., June 22nd, 2026 – The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) is inviting residents to share what they think are the current needs and priorities of our community. The survey will inform the County, community partners, and other stakeholders and help guide programs and funding.
Adults who live in Washtenaw County are encouraged to complete the online survey at www.bit.ly/wccna26. The survey is available in English and Spanish and will be open for several months.
The survey asks participants to rank the most important needs in the Washtenaw community regarding education, employment, housing, health, hunger, finances, and civic engagement. The survey is intended to inform funding and program decisions and consider the priorities of community members. The survey will also help identify where there are strengths to build upon and where improvements are needed.
OCED Director Toni Kayumi says, “Poverty can impact people in the same county differently, depending on their zip code. While a rural resident who can’t afford a car might struggle with a lack of reliable public transit, a person who lives in an urban neighborhood on a bus route could contend with food insecurity because of a lack of affordable housing. OCED’s Community Needs Assessment will gather localized data directly from Washtenaw County residents to help ensure public funds are directed towards documented needs, rather than assumptions, and that our programs are built with low-income individuals and not just for them, by giving people with lived experience a voice in the process.”
Participation in this survey is completely voluntary. The survey has 29 questions and will take about 10 minutes to complete. The survey is completely anonymous; however, participants can input their name and email address at the conclusion of the survey to be entered into a raffle to potentially win one of two $50 Visa gift cards.
The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development is the County’s Community Action Agency. There are 27 Community Action Agencies in Michigan, five of which are government entities, including OCED. As a Community Action Agency, OCED receives Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding. Completing a Community Needs Assessment is a requirement for agencies receiving CSBG funding and is a federal requirement. A Community Needs Assessment should be completed every three years.
Complete the 2026 Washtenaw County Community Needs Assessment.
To learn more about the 2026 Community Needs Assessment, visit https://www.washtenaw.org/4741/Community-Needs-Assessment. For any questions or concerns, contact Nicole Kennedy at [email protected].
