Evaluation of the Michigan Energy Assistance Program: Successes and Options for Improvement
Michigan’s energy assistance programs support hundreds of thousands of low-income households each year. For many, these programs are the difference between heating their homes on the coldest of winter nights and having their services disconnected. Recognizing the need for a sustainable energy assistance model, in 2013, the state’s legislature created the Michigan Energy Assistance Program […]
Q&A: PSC’s Jon Beard discusses how much Michigan should be spending on its water infrastructure
Unseen infrastructure, such as water pipes, is vital despite going unnoticed. That’s why Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association enlisted PSC to determine how much Michigan was investing in its underground infrastructure and whether that investment was sufficient to meet necessary repairs and replacements.
Engaging Detroit: URC’s Contributions to Resurgence in the Motor City
Detroit is Michigan’s iconic city, with a diverse population and a rich cultural history. Its innovation helped create the auto industry and America’s middle class. Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC) is an alliance of Michigan State University (MSU), the University of Michigan (U-M), and Wayne State University (WSU). The URC ranks as one of the […]
Michigan’s Water Infrastructure Investment Needs
PSC evaluated the adequacy of water infrastructure investment in the state, determining the funding necessary to upgrade statewide systems and facilities to meet current standards while also evaluating whether the current investments made by communities are adequate to address challenges.
Striving for more graduates in Michigan
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 in Bright Ideas. Ezekiel Moreno, a college adviser at Everett High School in Lansing Jeff Guilfoyle of Public Sector Consultants Brandi Johnson of the Michigan […]
Leveraging Michigan’s natural resources for economic development
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 and businesses to the state. Michigan is not, however, a top ten state in terms of its natural resource economy (i.e., an economy based on […]
Creating 21st Century Communities: Making the economic case for place
The Michigan Municipal League (MML), through its public policy forums, research, and education, identified eight assets that Michigan’s communities need to grow and strengthen in order for our state to prosper in coming years. In 2015, MML hired Public Sector Consultants (PSC) to evaluate the relationship between these eight assets and economic growth indicators like […]
Q&A: PSC’s Julie Metty Bennett on the firm’s inclusive approach to strategic planning
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 sure the company was on track with executing a strategic plan to achieve its 2023 vision. The plan is organized around four goals that focus […]
Early Childhood Inventory Program
The Early Childhood Program Inventory is a comprehensive look at state and federal investments that support Michigan’s children (from birth through age 8 or grade 3) and their families. The first version of the inventory was published in 2013. This version, published in 2015, provides a more up-to-date review of state and federal investments supporting […]
Roadmap for Implementing Michigan’s New Energy Policy: Baseline Research Report
Prepared for the Michigan Energy Office by Public Sector Consultants, with contributions from the Michigan Public Service Commission and 5 Lakes Energy. The state’s future energy policy is at the forefront of dialogue among Michigan’s policy and business leaders, advocacy groups, and stakeholders. To address the changing landscape for the electric power sector and allow […]