Kent County Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program contact: Kendra Wills title: Extension Educator/Land Use phone: (616) 336-3265 email: willsk@msu.edu
Michigan Environment Council contact: Lana Pollack title: President phone: (517) 487-9539 email:
Michigan Land Use Leadership Council
No contact information. Council has not met since August 2003.
United Growth for Kent County contact (for rural components): Kendra Wills title: Rural and Project Coordinator phone: 616-336-2028 email: willsk@msu.edu contact (for urban components): Carol Townsend title: Urban Component Coordinator phone: 616-336-2029 email: townse36@msu.edu
Robert B. Annis Water Resource Institute contact: Alan D. Steinman, Ph.D. title: AWRI Director phone: (616) 331-3749 email: steinmaa@gvsu.edu website: http://gvsu.edu/wri/ description: The Robert B. Annis Water Resource Institute (AWRI) is located on Muskegon Lake and exists to,
“integrate research, education, and outreach to enhance and preserve freshwater resources.” AWRI seeks to accomplish this mission researching water resources, educating groups ranging from elementary school children

to graduate-level college students, and providing outreach to interested members of the community and decision makers.
West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission contact: Sandeep Dey title: Executive Director phone: (231) 722-7878 email: sdey@wmsrdc.org website: www.wmsrdc.org
description: The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) is the Federal- and
State-designated regional planning and development agency for the counties (and jurisdictions located therein) of Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties, as well as the northern portion of Ottawa County.
The Federal/State designations of the WMSRDC are as follows: “Economic Development District (EDD) for the counties of Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Muskegon County and Northern Ottawa County, Areawide Water Quality Management Agency, Solid
Waste Management Planning Agency for the counties of Newaygo and Oceana, Local Census Affiliate,
Regional Clearinghouse, Air Quality Planning Agency for Muskegon and northern Ottawa Counties.”
Macatawa Area Coordinating Council contact: Sue Higgins title: Executive Director phone: (616) 395-2688 email: shiggins@the-macc.org website: www.the-macc.org
description: The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) defines its mission as “encourag[ing] cooperation among neighboring units of government on area wide issues.” Focusing on seven townships
(Fillmore, Holland Charter, Laketown, Olive, Park, Port Sheldon, and Zeeland Charter) and two cities (Holland and Zeeland) within Ottawa and Allegan Counties, MACC is involved in many issues including transportation, the environment, crime prevention, and community communications. MACC is also a federally designated
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) that, “is responsible for carrying out the metropolitan transportation planning process” within its boundaries.
The Right Place, Inc. contact: Birgit Klohs title: President phone: (616) 771-0324 email: klohsb@rightplace.org website: rightplace.org description: The Right Place, Inc., “is a regional, non-profit economic development organization…Its mission is to promote area economic growth through high-quality employment, productivity, and technology.” The Right
Place, Inc. does this through offering a variety of services (i.e., acting as a local and state government liaison, assisting with site selection, workforce development, customized market research, manufacturing assistance, etc.) to existing and potential business in the Greater Grand Rapids Area.

The Delta Strategy contact: Connie Bellows title: Director phone: (616) 234-3428 email: cbellows@grcc.edu website: www.grcc.edu/deltastrategy description: The Delta Strategy mission is to “build the capacity of our community to solve our challenging and complex problems by engaging in the Delta Strategy community improvement process with people and organizations seeking change.” Formal and informal community leaders are encouraged to participate through
Dialogue/Action Groups, Outreach Events, and by serving on various steering committees.
Rural Partners of Michigan contact: Mike Green title: Programs Manager phone: (989) 550-7430 email: mpg@tds.net website: www.ruralmich.org description: Rural Partners of Michigan (RPM) is a public/private partnership that exists “to develop new, collaborative approaches to build sustainable communities and to enhance the future of Michigan citizens.”
RPM classifies itself as an “umbrella organization” that gives representatives from local government. state government, the non-profit sector, private sector, tribal government, and federal government a forum to address partnership, education, assistance, and leadership issues in order to “implement a comprehensive and integrated policy for building sustainable communities.”
West Michigan Clean Air Coalition contact: Andrea Dewey title: Transportation Planning Intern phone: (616) 776-7601 email: andrea.dewey@gvmc.org website: www.wmcac.org description: The West Michigan Clean Air Coalition (WMCAC) “is a partnership of businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, industry, and non-profit organizations in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, and
Kalamazoo counties working together to achieve cleaner air in the region.” The WMCAC operates under the purview of the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) and is directed by the West Michigan Clean Air
Coalition Steering Committee.
Muskegon Area First contact: James B. Edmonson title: President & CEO phone: 231.724.3172 email: jedmonson@muskegon.org website: www.muskegonareafirst.org

description: Founded in 1999, Muskegon Area First (MAF) serves as the Muskegon County economic development corporation, whose main focus is to maximize public and private expenditures and resources to create, “high-quality employment opportunities” in the County. MAF attempts to accomplish their mission by
“Main Street” Websites
Muskegon: downtownmuskegon.org
Grand Haven:
Grand Rapids, Heartside:
Grand Rapids,