Focus Areas

Arts & Culture

From small pop-up galleries to large cultural institutions to national attention-grabbing events, Grand Rapids' arts and culture scene has a diverse mix of offerings that will appeal to people of all stripes. read on…

Development

Grand Rapids has seen a downtown development boom in the last 10 years, with over $2 Billion in new construction. Take a look at some of the highlights. read on…

Dining & Nightlife

The Grand Rapids dining and nightlife scene is bursting at the seams, it seems. read on…

Entrepreneurship

Grand Rapids is becoming the entrepreneurial hotbed of the Great Lakes. Find out why in this section. read on…

Michigan Nightlight

Michigan Nightlight is a series of stories about the programs and people that positively impact the lives of Michigan kids. read on…

Reuse / Rebuild

Just because a space has been abandoned does not mean it is no longer useful. Entrepreneurs, artists, city officials, activists and neighbors, with the right amount of ambition and innovation, can take vacant spaces and turn them into opportunities. By transforming what we already have into sustainable properties, we revitalize neighborhoods and stimulate local economies. read on…

Small Business

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our national economy, and refueling a boom in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Read about just a few of them in the Small Business section. read on…

Sustainability

Sustainability, green built, LEED Certified, recycling, local food: it's not just a bunch of buzzwords to these West Michiganders. read on…

Talent

The Talent Dividend is a calculation of how much economic impact college grads have on a city. By increasing the number of college graduates in Grand Rapids by one percentage point of our population, $559 million would be generated in personal incomes. That's like attracting a billion dollar company to this region. read on…

Technology and Innovation

Grand Rapids is a rising star in the U.S. as a technology hub. Web development, design, bio-tech, social media, testing, security and an endless list of applications are flowing through the veins of the tech community. read on…

Urban Innovation Exchange

read on…

Across Our Network

Sleepy Dog Books and local businesses give gift of literature to schools for National Reading Month
Source: Epicenter - Mount Pleasant
Ric Mixter chronicles maritime history through the stories of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes
Source: Route Bay City
Glen Arbor mill finds new life as cafe, restaurant and hotel
Source: Rural Innovation Exchange
A conversation with St. Pete urbanist and author Peter Kageyama
Source: 83Degrees
Recent Michigan housing legislation incentivizes more housing developments
Source: Model D
Ohio Sea Grant offers funding for Lake Erie research, education, and informational outreach
Source: The Helm Sandusky
How mentorship and art are creating beautiful spaces in Port Huron
Source: The Keel
Bucking college enrollment trends in the U.P.
Source: Upword - UP
What does affordable housing mean in Washtenaw County?
Source: Concentrate
Dana’s, Night Train and Blue Bottle usher in a new era of nightlife on The Landing
Source: Input Fort Wayne