The Success of REI

From 2016 to 2019 REI supported 7 Innovation Fellows, 12 Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Projects, and 21 Co-Learning Plan Projects. Multiple success stories have come from the completion of these projects and they are having very beneficial impacts on local communities.

The project started by the North Flint Healthy Food Initiative creates a self-sustainable, resident-owned aquaponic system in the West Pulaski neighborhood of Flint that allows neighbors to work together to improve their well-being. The aquaponic (soil-free fish and vegetable production) system will be used to grow foods that mitigate the effects of lead poisoning in people, especially children. The system will be built into a house owned by the block club and maintained by themselves for themselves.

In 2017 Samantha, founder and instructor of "Women Who Weld" was chosen to lead an Innovation Fellowship. Women Who Weld is a nonprofit, based in Detroit, that teaches unemployed and underemployed women how to weld and find employment in the welding industry. In 2014, Women Who Weld was founded and hosted two workshops; graduating 8 women and helping them find employment. Samantha Farr intends to create a nationwide or international network of female welders, as creating a network can offer support and advice for women in the welding industry or those looking to break into it.

Read more about how Samantha is making a difference across the country  here! 

Over 450 people have completed Women Who Weld and are achieving success! There is currently a waiting list of over 500 people eager to receive training. A recent graduate from Farr's program states that, “this is showing me you can do anything you put your mind to and you’re never too old to go out and start living and doing what you want to do, to make a living the way you want to. They’ve given me everything.” (University of Michigan, 2020)

An Alma College student team worked with the local community to convert an abandoned 'big-box' retail location (K-Mart) to a year round fresh vegetable and fruit production facility. Launching a cooperative controlled by local consumers and workers will benefit both urban and rural poor in the region.

In 2018 the students who participated in this project earned international recognition as Millennium Fellows through the Millennium Fellowship which is a partnership between the Millennium Campus Network and the United Nations Academic Impact Initiative.

• Bill Stough, Sustainable Research Group-Personal growth, networking with innovative economic development professionals and new regional cooperation opportunities with REI. Development of a grass-root regional group; expansion of innovative economic development concepts to small- and medium-sized businesses and economic development organizations.

• Kristine Ranger, Knowledge Navigators-By presenting my research and knowledge at conferences, I am beginning to change the behavior of small business owners. They have increased awareness and knowledge about my topic area and have shared my concepts more broadly. I received work contracts based on my work.

• Kevin A. Johnson, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments- REI is a collaborative community that is helpful in conveying information on current projects and research.

• Jane Fitzpatrick, East Michigan Council of Governments-As the result of an REI Fellows project we've established a Great Lakes Bay Zero Waste to Landfill Consortium. Membership includes the private sector, manufacturers associations, nonprofits and local governments such as EMCOG. Our first forum is coming up in November.

• Dayne Walling, 21Performance Policy & Management Consulting-disseminated infrastructure policy solutions to public officials, policy-makers and advocates incorporated REI tools into creation of the Flint Forum for Social Business

• Sara McDonnell, University of Michigan-Flint Economic Development Administration-it ignited conversation about solutions for the communities we work in, particularly around youth entrepreneurship. It led to funding in the Flint area to implement youth entrepreneurship programs. Joel Rash led this work when he was at UM-Flint.

• Norman Christopher, Grand Valley State University-The student led project "Development Fund Opportunities for Community Investment" provided the Seeds of Promise inner city residents of Grand Rapids the background information and willingness to start a "community investment club" of their own. This initial work has now led to other philanthropic investors and institutions to also pursue social impact investment strategies in conjunction with Seeds of Promise residents.

• Cheryl Peters, Generation E-The Generation E Institute expanded its reach into new communities based on the research that was done during the REI project.

• John Hopkins, Michigan Inventors Coalition-REI is a fantastic partner helping us help inventors and entrepreneurs in Michigan city's and in the rural areas find pathways to succeed. There is no better group in Michigan

• City of Dearborn- The REI partially funded student project provided the City of Dearborn with a Planning report and study that assisted in creating and implementing a vision for a business corridor.

• Nat Hooper, MSU School of Social Work-Have started working on a proposed 'pocket community' development in Lansing, based on research completed for my CLP.

• John Egelhaaf, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission-We can more effectively use funding we currently receive for economic and community development planning because of our work with REI.

• Ed Lorenz, Alma College-We have created a community controlled non-profit to launch a larger community controlled year-around food production facility.

• Britany Affolter-Caine, University Research Corridor-Our organization was able to gauge impact via projects in communities across the state, often times far from our physical campuses.

• Dong Zhao, School of Planning, Design, and Construction-REI provided great networking with relevant stakeholders to collaborate, creation of Flint Forum for Social Business ($10,000 invested by private partners to date)

• John Hopkins, Michigan Inventors Coalition-Getting community involvement with the small business and small community in a cooperative way. I we call them the MSU co-op for Michigan small business.

University Center for Regional Economic Innovation

Center for Community and Economic Development

1615 E. Michigan Ave

Lansing MI, 48912

(517) 353-9555

 rei@msu.edu