Bright Ideas

The Muskegon community is in the midst of a cultural renaissance Exactly one year ago, residents across the county came together to understand — and address — the root causes [...]

The conclusion of our three-part series looks at the utility cliff looming ahead for many Michiganders and addresses the rising cost of water bills and how to keep residents from [...]

This is part two in a three-part series that takes a look at the utility cliff looming ahead for many Michiganders and the state and federal assistance available to keep [...]

This is the first in a three-part series taking a look at the utility cliff looming ahead for many Michiganders and the state and federal assistance available to keep them [...]

Unprecedented. First in our lifetime. Never seen before. The superlatives used to describe the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are employed so often they almost sound cliché. There is no escaping it, [...]

Like many of you, we have been following the twists and turns of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and working to be as helpful as possible. Here at Public Sector Consultants, [...]

Have you ever wondered what we really do every day at Public Sector Consultants (PSC)? Some people suspect we spend a lot of time sitting in meetings, reading stuffy intellectual [...]

Just how big is 1 percent? Well, when it comes to caring for our state’s aging population, a 1 percent change in services or outcomes is bigger than most of [...]

Michigan isn’t exactly a stranger to distressed and blighted properties. Many homes across the state have lain abandoned for years — some serving as decade-old reminders of the Great Recession [...]

According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, about a quarter of American adults report they have not read a book — in whole or in part — in the [...]

Powerful policy solutions and compelling marketing and communications products don’t take shape overnight. They’re the result of copious research, countless development meetings and a lot of hard work. But at [...]

A year ago this month, Public Sector Consultants launched its new brand — a fresh, sunny look that we thought better reflected our enthusiasm for and commitment to creating innovative, [...]

As usual, PSCers have been busy gobbling up all kinds of reading material to inform our work, stretch our minds and feed our inner geeks. Below are a few of [...]

As you might guess, we’re voracious readers at PSC. We can’t tell you how many kitchen, hallway, lunch and after-work conversations center around the interesting things we’re reading, why we [...]

Okay, we admit it. Zoning isn’t sexy. People don’t swap stories about it around the office water cooler or make witty posts about it on Facebook. But to those who [...]

In the dead of winter, when most Michiganders are dreaming of trips to sunny Palm Springs or steamy Key West, PSC vice president Jeff Guilfoyle and consultant Eric Pardini were [...]

Earlier this year, the 21st Century Education Commission issued a warning: Our education system is not preparing our young people to compete with their peers in other states and developed [...]

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2014, there were 14.5 million people in the U.S. living beyond a cancer diagnosis; this number is expected to reach almost 19 million [...]

Ask any Michigander why they choose to live here and chances are their answer will include access to world-class outdoor recreation assets. Whether you’re a skier, biker, hunter, camper, golfer, [...]

Canine scent work isn’t just reserved for bomb detection and police investigations. Dogs with savvy sniffers are increasingly being used to detect the presence of human waste in our lakes, [...]

You can’t escape it; nearly every day there is a disturbing report or news story warning us about the worst drug crisis in American history — the rampant opioid epidemic. [...]

These days, it seems like everyone — whether inside or outside of Michigan — is talking about infrastructure. In late January, for example, news sources reported on a preliminary list [...]

In January 2017, we refreshed our brand, giving PSC a refined focus and sunny new look. Now, we’re doing the same for Bright Ideas. To start, we created a new [...]

Like Michigan, Florida is well known for its thriving tourism industry. But did you know that its nonprofit sector also plays a prominent role in the state’s economy? PSC’s Melissa [...]

Earlier this spring, President Trump proposed significant cuts to environmental spending at the federal level. Michigan’s legislature then followed suit with its own substantial state-level reductions, effectively delivering a one-two [...]

The highly publicized confirmation of Michigander Betsy DeVos as the country’s education secretary left many people wondering what exactly that position entails. Who better to explain the role of the [...]

Every day, parents across Michigan make difficult decisions about who will care for their children. What moms and dads want is a safe place where their kids are happy, healthy [...]

An oil refinery in Detroit Automobiles. Agriculture. Tourism. These are probably the words that come to mind when people think of industries that contribute most to Michigan’s economy. But what [...]

On a regular day inside any Michigan nonprofit, from huge hospitals to tiny foundations, business as usual is exactly that: business. Staff members make purchases and pay bills. Funds for [...]

To increase the area’s prosperity, the University Research Corridor (URC) has been actively engaged in Detroit-focused research projects and initiatives for a number of years. But are its efforts working? [...]

A lot can happen in 37 years — just ask anyone who has ever been part of the Public Sector Consultants (PSC) family. Since its inception in Jerry Faverman’s basement [...]

In February 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder shocked the health care community when, in Section 298 of his Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) budget, he proposed that the [...]

The Farm to School and Hoophouses for Health programs are working hard to help Michigan farmers grow more vegetables and get them onto the tables of families with children who [...]

When people hear the word "infrastructure," roads, bridges, airports and railroads immediately come to mind — the things we see and use every day. It’s much less common, at least [...]

We’ve all heard the adage: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Jacquie LaFay, a consultant with Public Sector Consultants (PSC), believes the saying applies equally to [...]

Data can be used to make decisions and drive change, but only if it can be easily accessed, understood and manipulated. That’s why Public Sector Consultants (PSC) utilizes Tableau, an [...]

With so many headlines broadcasting the challenges facing our cities — from struggling schools, crumbling infrastructure and a lack of affordable housing to food insecurity and precarious finances — it [...]

This article originally appeared in Capital Gains, an online magazine and website showcasing the growth and investments transforming the Lansing region, on February 24, 2016. It has been edited by PSC staff for this reprint [...]

As any Michigander knows, our state has abundant and diverse natural resources that everyone can enjoy. These resources contribute significantly to the state’s culture, history, identity and economy—attracting visitors, residents [...]

For an entire day, no phones were answered, no e-mails were replied to and no texts were sent. Instead, Public Sector Consultants’ staff unplugged for a daylong retreat to make [...]

Michigan Radio and Public Sector Consultants (PSC) presented voters with a diverse set of questions in its latest quarterly poll, with topics ranging from robot cars to carrying concealed weapons. [...]

This article originally appeared in Second Wave, a Michigan-focused online magazine, on November 9, 2015. In early November, Gov. Rick Snyder signed new rules for evaluating teacher performance into Michigan law. Senate Bill [...]

Before ringing in the new year and making resolutions, we asked staff, “What is the best thing about PSC?” A whole lot of wonderful ensued. Check it out! Share:

PSC president Peter Pratt Public Sector Consultants’ president, Peter Pratt, has been with the firm for 29 years. In honor of PSC’s 36th birthday this past month, he reflects on [...]

An interactive conversation hosted by Public Sector Consultants Talent retention, recruitment and development are key to a healthy workforce. On Oct. 29, Public Sector Consultants will bring together experts in [...]

Come hear from leaders of successful regional economic partnerships about how they have moved their talent and economic agendas forward, discuss how these models could be applied in Region 9 [...]

Effective policy does not end with implementation; programs, initiatives and policies must be continuously evaluated to make sure they are reaching their milestones and goals. At PSC, consultants work with [...]

Redistricting made national headlines this past June when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s independent redistricting commission -- a bipartisan alternative to having the state legislature draw voting lines. In [...]

High school seniors have some big decisions to make before they put on their caps and gowns. And because of tuition hikes in Michigan, these decisions are getting more difficult. [...]

Downtown Chelsea, Michigan. Defining problems and solutions through facilitation, strategic counsel and strategic planning is the focus in this installment of In the Gears, a series that highlights the tools [...]

Participants engage at a Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association energy fair. Communities throughout Michigan are making clean energy efforts, but it’s important to take a closer look at what’s actually [...]

Michigan’s economic future depends on the state’s ability to produce a talented workforce that can both create new businesses and jobs and attract them from around the world. But despite [...]

Most Michiganders think the state doesn’t give returning veterans adequate services, according to a recent poll from Michigan Radio and Public Sector Consultants. According to the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency [...]

As spring comes to a close, students across the nation will pour out of the hallowed halls of colleges and universities to launch their careers and their futures. As tassels [...]

Fostering an idea into a fully implemented project is the focus in this installment of In the Gears, a series that highlights the tools PSC uses to turn the gears of public [...]

Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented by basic immunizations. When a child catches measles or whooping cough, there is an obvious threat [...]

Growing Michigan’s philanthropic impact is a primary goal for the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF). The organization depends on its members, investments in Michigan’s charitable organizations, collaboration and more to [...]

Source: Midwest Independent System Operator via Public Sector Consultants. Electricity shortages, rolling blackouts, and surging electricity prices were the order of the day in California back in 2000 and 2001. California's [...]

North Star Organics cherry orchard in Frankfort, MI. Recession hit Michigan earlier and deeper than most states during the last decade, digging an economic hole that residents and businesses have [...]

The Michigan Film Office has been active since 1979, serving as a bridge between the state government and those interested in bringing images from the Great Lake State to the [...]

A healthy home is crucial for educational and economic success — unfortunately, many families live in substandard housing, plagued by hazards like mold or chipping lead paint. The national nonprofit [...]

Bringing projects from thought to practice takes a special set of skills in implementation. How implementation benefits our clients is the focus of this installment of In the Gears, a series that [...]

Melissa Gibson, senior consultant at PSC crunches the numbers to beautiful effect. When it comes to high-quality information analysis, the numbers can become overwhelming. But Public Sector Consultants has always [...]

Informing public discourse with research is the focus of this installment of In the Gears, a series that highlights the tools PSC uses to turn the gears of public policy [...]

For anyone driving into Michigan from a bordering state or from Canada, the situation becomes immediately clear: Michigan's roads are crumbling beneath their tires. While that's nothing new, officials say [...]

Elda and Rafael Castellanos own El Comal, a restaurant in southwest Detroit featuring Salvadorean, Guatemalan and Mexican fare. Global Detroit helped connect the Castellanos to partner organization ProsperUS Detroit, a [...]

Public Sector Consultants’ quarterly public opinion poll asked several questions on the topic of immigration. The poll, which ran September 11–13, is the second installment of an effort by PSC [...]

Black heaps of illegally dumped tires pockmark the landscape around Hope of Detroit Academy. They are unsightly, attract pests, and make the community less safe. But teachers and students at the [...]

Demographer Kurt Metzger As we enter into this midterm election season, policymakers and the public are grappling with issues that will chart Michigan's course for years to come. But just [...]

From Left to Right: Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, Susan Hedman, EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager, and Mary Whitmore, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative coordinator As teachers [...]

The sound of a loud engine accelerating reverberates through the quiet neighborhood as Shanna Draheim gets ready to leave for work. Breakfast bar and a change of clothes secured tightly [...]

PSC’s Jeff Guilfoyle writes about what’s possible with social impact bonds (SIBs). Mr. Guilfoyle specializes in school finance, tax policy, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and issues pertaining to Michigan’s economy and [...]

On November 6, hundreds of educators and community leaders will converge in Grand Rapids, Michigan to kick off the 2014 Great Lakes Place-based Education Conference. This fourth annual conference will [...]

Michigan's children are suffering a dental crisis. To help address the crisis, Public Sector Consultants is helping the dental insurance provider Delta Dental to develop a campaign called the Brighter [...]

Dan Wyant On June 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new proposed rule under the Clean Air Act that will regulate carbon emissions from new and existing power [...]

Public Sector Consultants is launching this month a new polling partnership to assess the views of likely voters on key topics in Michigan. The quarterly poll restores a PSC tradition. [...]

In the June edition of Bright Ideas we started In The Gears, a series on how PSC turns the gears on public policy innovation: research and analysis, program implementation, evaluation, and [...]

For more than 30 years, Public Sector Consultants has provided services that help advance Michigan. While the nature of those services have evolved over time, two things remain constant: a [...]

CEO Jeff Williams stepped before the Lansing Rotary Club May 16 to talk about politics. His first presentation slide was dominated by a work of art by Pablo Picasso. Say [...]

To most people, the term “nonprofit” conjures visions of benevolent institutions doing good work in communities, perhaps feeding the homeless or providing job training to ex-convicts on a shoestring budget, [...]

PSC President Peter Pratt enjoys the 2014 Greater Lansing Food Bank fundraiser in East Lansing along with Colleen McNamara (left) and Leslie Brogan. Pratt is a longtime member of the [...]

Welcome to Bright Ideas, the newsletter of Public Sector Consultants, the premier public policy and program management firm in Michigan. Thirty-five years ago, PSC began in the mind of Jerry [...]

Nina Ignaczak Jeff Guilfoyle joined Public Sector Consultants in early April as a vice president after an already impressive career in the public policy arena, most recently as president of [...]

A partnership among Michigan's Office of Great Start (OGS), Public Sector Consultants and early childhood organizations has yielded $52 million in new federal funds to help hundreds of thousands of Michigan [...]

For nearly two decades, PSC has been tracking and detailing the effects of the nonprofit sector on the economy and life of Michigan. In May, PSC will release its latest [...]

Public Sector Consultants’ long experience with health data and research has propelled the firm into an aggressive employee wellness program – a program that just drew state acclaim and responds [...]

Recycling in Michigan   Michigan gets serious about keeping money and jobs out of the landfill through recycling Along with trash, Michigan has buried dollars and jobs in landfills for [...]