CEDAM: The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan

10/15/2026

Moving a community’s housing and redevelopment goals forward takes properties, local knowledge, and people with time to follow through. In Marquette County, an established partnership between the Land Bank Authority and County Planning Division is bringing those resources together—and adding a n...

10/14/2026

CEDAM is dedicated to offering training and professional development opportunities to equip community and economic development champions with the knowledge and skills they need to continue driving impact across Michigan communities. Through our continued work across the state, we’ve learned that strong, effective volunteer engagement is essential to building thriving communities.

We are seeking proposals for presenters and speakers for our Volunteer Experience & Management Series next summer. This monthly webinar series is for volunteer coordinators, free tax preparation staff, and nonprofit leaders who want to learn how to recruit, retain, and manage volunteers effectively.

Prior speaking or workshop training experience is not required. We actively welcome submissions from frontline practitioners, volunteer coordinators, site/program managers, and community leaders who are doing this work every day.

Does this sound like you (or someone in your network)? View the RFP and submit your proposal today: https://ow.ly/8a4i50ZXI7e

10/14/2026

📣 DEADLINE EXTENDED: Are you interested in being a part of Cohort 3 of the MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program? We have good news! We've extended the deadline to submit a fellow application to next Monday.

The MMF Program is designed to kickstart the next generation of mobility professionals while advancing projects that respond to real needs across the state. We are looking for emerging professionals eager to launch their careers and help shape Michigan’s mobility future. Throughout the cohort term, fellows will work collaboratively with host site partners on regionally-centered mobility projects, gain meaningful professional experience, build a statewide network, develop essential skills, meet and learn from industry experts, and contribute to impact projects that are ready for implementation. This opportunity is open to all degree fields and backgrounds, as long as you have demonstrated mobility experience.

🚨 Applications are now due on Monday, October 19, by 11:59pm ET. Apply today: https://cedamichigan.org/programs/mi-mobility-fellows-program/

10/13/2026

Four Southwestern Michigan College information networking students partnered with Cass Kickstart to Careers, Cassopolis Public Schools’ children’s savings account program, to develop an application designed to improve the deposit process and help Cass Middle School students engage with the program.

The real-world project gave students hands-on experience while making a meaningful impact in their community!

Visit https://www.swmich.edu/news/smc-codes-for-cass-kickstart-to-careers.html to read the full article and learn more about this exciting partnership!

10/12/2026

Time is running out to submit a fellow application for Cohort 3 of the MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program!

The MMF Program is designed to kickstart the next generation of mobility professionals while advancing projects that respond to real needs across the state. We are looking for emerging professionals eager to launch their careers and help shape Michigan’s mobility future. Throughout the cohort term, fellows will work collaboratively with host site partners on regionally-centered mobility projects, gain meaningful professional experience, build a statewide network, develop essential skills, meet and learn from industry experts, and contribute to impact projects that are ready for implementation. This opportunity is open to all degree fields and backgrounds, as long as you have demonstrated mobility experience.

🚨 Applications are due TONIGHT by 11:59pm ET.

Apply:

https://cedamichigan.org/wp-content/files/mi_mobility_fellows_update_2026_v9-1080p.mp4 The MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program is a highly selective fellowship designed to strengthen Michigan’s transportation and mobility ecosystem. The program aims to make Michigan’s mobility future more inclusiv...

10/12/2026

What if the first step to serving more students is figuring out who your program is missing? That's exactly the question Lansing SAVE, a children's savings account (CSA) program managed by the City of Lansing's Office of Financial Empowerment, set out to answer.

The City amended its program rules so students completing non-traditional graduation pathways could still access their CSA funds, and expanded its Community Navigator role to build relationships with special education staff across three high schools—groundwork that led to an Accessibility Resource Fair welcoming 54 families in a single Saturday.

Made possible in part by the Innovation & Sustainability Grant administered by CEDAM and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Lansing SAVE's work is a powerful example of how identifying who's being left out can reshape a program's reach. Congratulations to the whole Lansing SAVE team!

To learn more about Lansing SAVE's growth and the resources they developed, check out our blog post: https://ow.ly/RNVJ50ZWXeQ

10/08/2026

📣Time is running out to submit a fellow application for Cohort 3 of the MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program!

The MMF Program is designed to kickstart the next generation of mobility professionals while advancing projects that respond to real needs across the state. We are looking for emerging professionals eager to launch their careers and help shape Michigan’s mobility future. Throughout the cohort term, fellows will work collaboratively with host site partners on regionally-centered mobility projects, gain meaningful professional experience, build a statewide network, develop essential skills, meet and learn from industry experts, and contribute to impact projects that are ready for implementation. This opportunity is open to all degree fields and backgrounds, as long as you have demonstrated mobility experience.

🚨 Applications are due by 11:59pm ET on Monday, October 12.

Learn more & apply today: https://ow.ly/RqYa50ZVUsv

10/08/2026

Have you registered yet⁉️

We just added a new close-out session: Who Finance's The Future? With a fireside chat with some of Detroit's own CDFI's!

Registration closes Friday, October 9, at midnight...

Register here:
https://app.glueup.com/event/pathways-owning-our-future-189542/

10/05/2026

The deadline has been extended to be part of the MI Healthy Climate (MHC) Fellows Program!

Starting in January 2027, MHC Fellows will be placed at host sites across Michigan for eight months, moving climate action forward and building a foundation for a career invested in Michigan’s sustainable future. As a fellow, you will accelerate climate action by providing capacity, connecting your host partner to key resources, and supporting your community in reaching its climate goals. This is the final planned MHC Fellows Cohort—now is the time to join this movement!

📅 Apply to be a fellow by Sunday, October 11 at 11:59pm ET.

Each host partner will focus on a different project; we encourage you to review them to learn more about each. Learn more & apply today: https://ow.ly/jggx50ZUBkq

10/02/2026

Yesterday, CEDAM's Teresa Gillotti presented at MAP's Planning Michigan Conference on a panel discussion: "The Ins and Outs of Creating a Local Housing TIF Policy in Kalamazoo." It was a great discussion, with Christopher Germain reminding us why local Housing TIF policy can create predictability, allow local government to lead, and welcome development on their terms. Pete Dame, City of Portage, followed by sharing examples of how their Housing TIF Policy has led to five housing developments in the last few years—one with the city as lead developer! Teresa rounded out the panel to share CEDAM's guide detailing how local units new to using the incentive can go through a process to identify priorities and goals, and put a policy in motion. Thank you to all who joined and engaged with us, and a special thank you to Jim Tischler for your audience support! Find the guide and other Housing TIF resources on our website: https://cedamichigan.org/programs/housing/housing-tif-creating-a-policy/