
One hundred days, 19 teams and one audacious vision
September 10, 2020
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 [...]

Past due: Confronting the affordable water crisis
August 12, 2020
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 [...]

Past due: Water affordability, public health and COVID-19
July 2, 2020
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 [...]

Past due: Energy shutoffs, affordability and COVID-19
June 16, 2020
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 [...]

Families struggle to keep up as schools remain closed
May 7, 2020
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, [...]

CARES Cash in Michigan: A County by County Look
April 3, 2020
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, [...]

PSC’s Year in Review
February 20, 2019
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 [...]

The Power of 1 Percent
November 13, 2018
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 [...]

Land banks: Drastically reinventing communities, even amidst funding crunches
August 14, 2018
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 [...]

What We’re Reading
July 9, 2018
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 [...]

Why does PSC’s work shine? Its team of wordsmiths and artists, of course
March 27, 2018
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 [...]

Happy Brandiversary PSC!
January 25, 2018
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, [...]

What We’re Reading
September 28, 2017
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 [...]

What We’re Reading
June 7, 2017
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 [...]

Does zoning matter? It does to Michigan’s natural rivers
June 7, 2017
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 [...]

PSCers don their vagabond shoes for an early childhood project in New York
May 11, 2017
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 [...]

Is the American dream dying in Michigan? Can our education system resuscitate it?
August 17, 2017
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 [...]

Cancer continues to have devastating effects on Michiganders
June 21, 2017
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 [...]

12 More Reasons to Love Michigan
October 11, 2018
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, [...]

Five questions with Jon Beard about pups, pollution and policy
May 21, 2018
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, [...]

What kills more Michiganders — guns, cars or opioids?
April 26, 2018
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. [...]

Michigan’s Infrastructure: How Bad is it?
April 20, 2017
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 [...]

PSC Launches New Bright Ideas
April 4, 2017
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 [...]

On the Road: PSC uses its nonprofit expertise to sow economic seeds in the Sunshine State
August 2, 2017
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 [...]

Is Michigan’s environment on the federal chopping block?
July 11, 2017
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 U.S. Department of Education: What does it do?
April 4, 2017
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 [...]

How do you build a better child care system? With greater investment and pure determination
December 6, 2016
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 [...]

Michigan’s oil and natural gas industry is an economic and environmental force. Who knew?
December 6, 2016
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 [...]

Michigan nonprofits pack an unexpected economic punch
September 29, 2016
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 [...]

PSC’s research tells the story of URC’s impact on Detroit
September 29, 2016
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? [...]

Happy birthday, PSC!
September 29, 2016
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 [...]

Q&A: PSC’s Peter Pratt and Jane Powers talk about building consensus on alternatives to Section 298
July 28, 2016
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 [...]

PSC evaluates two innovative food programs’ efforts to help vulnerable children
July 28, 2016
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 [...]

Q&A: PSC’s Jon Beard discusses how much Michigan should be spending on its water infrastructure
May 26, 2016
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 [...]

PSC turns a fun, friendly competition into a statewide behavior-change program for small businesses
May 26, 2016
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 visualization: PSC helps longtime client explore this new frontier
April 28, 2016
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 [...]

Eight placemaking assets show economic promise for Michigan communities
April 28, 2016
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 [...]

Striving for more graduates in Michigan
March 30, 2016
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 [...]

Leveraging Michigan’s natural resources for economic development
March 30, 2016
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 [...]

Q&A: PSC’s Julie Metty Bennett on the firm’s inclusive approach to strategic planning
February 25, 2016
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 [...]

Michiganders’ voices heard on issues ripped from the headlines
February 25, 2016
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. [...]

Beyond evaluation: How Michigan supports its teachers
February 25, 2016
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 [...]

Best Thing About Public Sector Consultants Video
January 28, 2016
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 turns 36!
October 26, 2015
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 [...]

Talent in Michigan: Setting an ambitious agenda
October 26, 2015
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 [...]

Region 9 Prosperity Summit…setting the course for the future!
October 26, 2015
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 [...]

In the Gears: PSC’s evaluation skills inform decision-makers
October 26, 2015
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 [...]

Voters, experts agree: It’s time for an independent redistricting commission
October 26, 2015
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 [...]

Upcoming conference will focus on college affordability and value
October 26, 2015
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. [...]

In the Gears: Defining the problems — and solutions — for Region 9
August 10, 2015
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 [...]

The Michigan Clean Energy Reports: A look at clean energy
August 10, 2015
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 [...]

PSC report makes recommendations to improve Michigan’s education system
August 10, 2015
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 [...]

Beyond the battlefield: Bridging the disconnect between public perception and the state’s efforts
August 10, 2015
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 [...]

Tracking the class of 2015: Where will millennials move post-graduation?
May 15, 2015
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 [...]

In the Gears: Putting PSC’s implementation skills to work for the Great Lakes
May 15, 2015
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 [...]

Why vaccinating matters
May 15, 2015
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 [...]

Q&A: Council of Michigan Foundations President and CEO Rob Collier
May 15, 2015
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 [...]

Powering the Mitten: Report warns of looming electricity capacity shortfall
February 11, 2015
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 [...]

Meet the Michigan economy: Cars, chairs and cherries, oh my!
February 11, 2015
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 [...]

Michigan in the movies: Q&A with Michigan Film Office director Margaret O’Riley
February 11, 2015
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 [...]

Q&A: PSC’s Shanna Draheim and Amanda Menzies on the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative
February 11, 2015
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 [...]

In The Gears: Turning the implementation gear with the Michigan Department of Education
February 11, 2015
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 [...]

Visualizing Data: The performance of nonprofits in a new tableau
December 9, 2014
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 [...]

In The Gears: Finding the right research to turn the gears
December 9, 2014
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 [...]

Is Michigan finally getting serious about fixing our crumbling roads?
December 9, 2014
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 [...]

Global Detroit: Leveraging the talent of Michigan’s immigrants
December 9, 2014
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 [...]

Where do Michiganders stand on immigration?
December 9, 2014
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 [...]

Place-based education motivates students by connecting learning to community
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

A grayer Michigan: How the aging of the Mitten State will impact public policy
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative receives $150,000 EPA grant to support environmental stewardship
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

Smart Policy, Smart Commute: How PSCers get to work
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

Social impact bonds: A new financing tool for public-private partnerships
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

Q&A: Place-based education expert Dr. Doris Terry Williams
October 31, 2014
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 [...]

Oral health initiative helps Michigan kids smile
July 17, 2014
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 [...]

Q&A with Dan Wyant, Director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
July 17, 2014
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 [...]

PSC resumes public opinion polling
July 17, 2014
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 Gears: How PSC’s Amanda Menzies builds consensus for better policy
July 17, 2014
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 [...]

Public Sector Consultants’ ‘special sauce’: deep policy knowledge and the ability to get it done
June 9, 2014
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 [...]

Gerrymandering: Picasso could not have done it better
June 9, 2014
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 [...]

Update on economic benefits of Michigan’s nonprofit sector
June 9, 2014
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, [...]

Charitable giving and doing: part of Public Sector Consultants’ culture
June 9, 2014
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
April 29, 2014
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 [...]

Q&A: Jeff Guilfoyle, vice president at Public Sector Consultants
April 29, 2014
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 [...]

Michigan’s Office of Great Start ready to ‘race to the top’ of early childhood learning
April 29, 2014
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 [...]

Michigan nonprofits make big impact on state’s economy
April 29, 2014
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 recognized for workplace wellness
April 29, 2014
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 [...]

Michigan gets serious about keeping money and jobs out of the landfill through recycling
April 27, 2014
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 [...]