By Carly Thompson, Administrative/Communications Assistant NLEA welcomed over 400 elected officials and representatives from local chambers, communities, and businesses to celebrate regional economic development on Friday, May… read more

By Janet Koch, Community Development Director We all know the amazing natural resources in northern lower Michigan are an economic boon to our communities—all you have to do is look for a parking spot in July to recognize that! But the economic… read more

Representatives from the Community of East Jordan gather on stage to accept their award for Maniac of the Year. By Amanda Baker, Downtown Development Coordinator At Northern Lakes Economic Alliance the term “Maniac” is a badge… read more

The Village of Central Lake will soon be home to two revamped outdoor spaces. By Jessica Lovay, Office Manager/Grant Administrator The Village of Central Lake is gearing up for some outdoor space renovations this year. They have been working… read more

By Hannah Sanderson, Business Attraction & Growth With a new product on the horizon and production ramping up pace, Manthei Veneer was met with a very unexpected disaster. In August of 2017, Manthei Veneer suffered the complete loss of… read more

By Carly Thompson, Administrative/Communications Assistant Arts organizations contribute more to their local economies than you might realize. Within rural communities, the cultural hub of arts centers and arts industries create an… read more

By Ethan Duffield, AmeriCorps Vista Community Liaison  The Village of Central Lake is the beneficiary of a unique gift, the Cleo M. Purdy Endowment. As a result of a generous donation to the community allocated to the growth of young families… read more

Two buildings in downtown Cheboygan will be receiving face-lifts with owner investments and matching grants. By Jessica Lovay, Office Manager/Grant Administrator The City of Cheboygan has been working over the past few years with owners… read more

By Janet Koch, Community Development What, exactly, is a smart city? Though there’s no definitive answer, there seems to be general agreement that the goal of a smart city isn’t to add technology for the sake of adding technology; rather,… read more

By Buck Love, Business Retention & Growth In a study conducted by Center for American Progress (CAP), average costs to replace an employee can range from 16 percent of an annual, low-paying job salary to upwards of 213 percent of executive… read more