As cities deal with tight budgets and look for creative ways to provide the amenities that make communities healthy, happy and viable places for Michigan residents to live, municipal leaders are getting a helping hand from philanthropic foundations. Around the state, almost every city has benefited from foundation grants, whether for the arts, education, parks, healthy lifestyles, or other areas. On this month’s Prosperity Agenda radio show we talk to the people who work for the foundations that do so much good in our communities, and we talk with those who have received philanthropic support. This month’s guests are Karen Aldridge-Eason,  foundation liaison for the State of Michigan on loan from the C.S. Mott Foundation; Renee Johnston, president and CEO of the Saginaw Community Foundation; Cathleen Edgerly, director of the Howell Downtown Development Authority; and the League’s own Samantha Harkins, President of the Michigan Municipal League Foundation. The Michigan Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It has aired on News/Talk 760 WJR since 2010. The hour-long radio program is hosted by me, Dan Gilmartin, CEO of the Michigan Municipal League (the League). The show is sponsored by the League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The League’s next show airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the placemaking concept here as well as on this blog.

We are right in the middle of another great Michigan summer – one that gives you a chance to get out, see the state – and maybe visit your favorite festival to see your town or a town nearby in a little different way. Some Michigan cities are really well known for their festivals. It’s hard to think of Traverse City without the National Cherry Festival, or Battle Creek without its world famous Balloon Festival. Around the state, almost every city and village has a festival of its own – a chance to carve out its own little sense of place, provide an economic shot in the arm, make its people feel welcome and to attract visitors from around the county, around the state or even around the nation and world. Just as important, a festival can help a community create an identity that has long-lasting benefits not only year-round but for decades. So I hope you kick back, enjoy the lighter side of our show, and listen as we talk to experts about the festivals just over, those to come, and some worth visiting in your region. My co-host for this month’s show is mlive entertainment reporter John “Gonzo” Gonzalez, who covers the state’s festivals, food and beverage scene. Our guests are Sue Bila, executive director of the Michigan Festivals and Events Association; David Lorenz, acting vice president of Travel Michigan at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation; and Jon Witz, president of Jonathan Witz and Associates and a founder of the Arts Beats and East festival in Royal Oak. The Michigan Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It has aired on News/Talk 760 WJR since 2010. The hour-long radio program is hosted by me, Dan Gilmartin, CEO of the Michigan Municipal League (the League). The show is sponsored by the League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The League’s next show airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, 2015 on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the placemaking concept here as well as on this blog.

Michigan’s push to become a national leader in providing residents good-paying jobs, excellent universities, and vibrant places to live, is propelled by communities across Michigan that are embracing redevelopment and innovation. On this month’s Prosperity Agenda radio show on News/Talk 760 WJR we talk with community leaders across Michigan who using creative thinking and new ideas to improve their cities and towns. My co-host for this month’s show is journalist and author, John Gallagher. He previously covered urban and economic efforts in Detroit and Michigan and is known for his book “Reimagining Detroit: Opportunities for Redefining an American City.” Our guests are Jennifer Rigterink, manager of the Redevelopment Ready Communities Program at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation; Bill Wild, Mayor of Westland; and Elizabeth Schultheiss, executive director of the Albion Community Foundation, which helped restore the Bohm Theatre in downtown Albion. The Michigan Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It has aired on News/Talk 760 WJR since 2010. The hour-long radio program is hosted by me, Dan Gilmartin, CEO of the Michigan Municipal League (the League). The show is sponsored by the League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The League’s next show airs at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, 2015 on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the placemaking concept here as well as on this blog.

Farmers markets have existed in Michigan for more than a 100 years, but are now experiencing a resurgence by more than doubling in numbers in the last decade. They are great places to buy fresh produce and meet-up with friends and family. But they can also provide an economic boost to a community and offer healthy-food options for those in need. On this month’s Prosperity Agenda radio show on News/Talk 760 WJR we talk about the importance of farmers markets to our state’s economy and our local communities.  My co-host for this month’s show is Detroit Free Press reporter Matt Helms and our guests are Dru Montri, director of the Michigan Farmers Market; Jennifer Holton, director of communications for the Michigan Agriculture and Rural Development, and Karianne Martus, market manager of the Flint Farmers Market. The Michigan Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It has aired on News/Talk 760 WJR since 2010. The hour-long radio program is hosted by me, Dan Gilmartin, CEO of the Michigan Municipal League (the League). The show is sponsored by the League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The League’s next show airs 7 p.m., May 27, 2015 on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the placemaking concept here as well as on this blog.