The Review Magazine : May-June 2022

City of Ironwood "Depot Park Project."

Changes to the Program In autumn 2021, we decided to redesign the CEAs to align with our Community Wealth Building initiative. We also instituted some changes that will simplify the entry process. The MML team conducted research and analysis on previous CEAs, similar programs, and former CEA participants. We utilized both an internal and external steering committee, and final changes to the application process were implemented in March 2022 and announced at MML’s Capital Conference. The following revisions apply in 2022 and going forward: • Shifting from placemaking to Community Wealth Building as suggested submission topics; • Eliminating the online “fan favorite” vote; • Changing the judging. A small panel will individually score each project then come together as a group to choose the final four; • Offering more tech help and webinars. (e.g., taking photos, PowerPoints, marketing); and • Simplifying submission criteria. Members will only be required to submit a 150-word description (photos and PowerPoints are optional). We hope these changes will make the CEAs evergreen, inclusive, and forward thinking. Start submitting your projects today!

Since 1983, the inception of the award recognition program, we’ve had submissions from 155 members:

Niles Norton Shores Novi Norway Oak Park Ontonagon Ovid Owosso

Garden City Gibraltar Gladstone

Adrian Albion Algonac Allen Park Allegan Alma Alpena Ann Arbor AuGres Auburn Hills Baroda Bay City Battle Creek Beaverton Belding Berkley Bessemer Birmingham Blissfield Boyne City Bridgman Brighton Buchanan Byron Cadillac Camden Caro Center Line Charlevoix Charlotte Clare Clawson Coldwater Coopersville Crystal Falls Davison

Grand Blanc Grand Haven Grand Rapids Grandville Grosse Pointe Grosse Pointe Park Hancock Harbor Beach Hastings Hazel Park Hillman Holland Holly Howell Houghton Hudsonville Huntington Woods

Paw Paw Petoskey Pigeon Plymouth Port Austin Port Huron

Reed City Riverview Rochester Rochester Hills Rogers City Roscommon Rothbury Royal Oak Saginaw Sandusky Sault Ste. Marie South Haven Southfield Spring Lake Sterling Heights St. Joseph St. Ignace St. Louis Southfield Sturgis Tawas City Tecumseh Three Rivers Utica Vassar Vermontville Walker Walled Lake Warren Wayne West Branch Westland Whitehall Wolverine Lake Wyoming

Imlay City Ironwood Ithaca Jackson Jonesville Kalamazoo Kalkaska Kentwood Kingsley Lansing

Lapeer L’Anse Lathrup Village Lexington Linden Livonia Ludington Manistee Madison Heights Marquette Marshall Marysville Mason Meridian Twp Middleville Milan Monroe Muskegon Mt. Clemens Mt. Pleasant Negaunee New Baltimore

Kim Cekola is a research specialist/editor at the League. You may contact her at 734.669.6321 or kcekola@mml.org.

Dearborn Delhi Twp Delta Twp DeWitt Dimondale Durand Eastpointe East Lansing Elk Rapids Evart Farmington Hills Fenton Ferndale Flint Fraser Fremont

Ypsilanti Zeeland

St. Joseph "Art on the Beach."

MAY / JUNE 2022

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THE REVIEW