On the Road: PSC uses its nonprofit expertise to sow economic seeds in the Sunshine State
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 Gibson confirmed that fact for the Florida Nonprofit Alliance when she and her project team completed an analysis examining the size and contribution of charitable…
Is Michigan’s environment on the federal chopping block?
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 punch to our state’s environment. Hear what PSC senior vice president Julie Metty Bennett — fresh from completing an impact analysis on behalf of the…
2017 Environmental Programs Budget Analysis
Federal and state programs and funding are critical to protecting Michigan’s economy, environment, and quality of life. Michigan relies on the federal government to develop and enforce regulations, provide funding, and study environmental issues. Changes at the federal level directly affect the State of Michigan’s ability to enforce regulations, fund important efforts, issue permits, and…
Does zoning matter? It does to Michigan’s natural rivers
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 care about preserving and protecting Michigan’s waterways, it’s an important piece of the resource management puzzle. Just ask the Kent Conservation District, which is working…
PSCers don their vagabond shoes for an early childhood project in New York
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 logging more than 700 cold, but not too snowy, miles across Western New York to hear from parents, early childhood educators, child care providers, nonprofit…
Benefits of Michigan Apprenticeship Programs
A new, comprehensive study examines the important role and value apprenticeships can play in filling the rapidly increasing need for skilled trades workers facing communities and industries across Michigan and the rest of the country. The Benefits of Michigan Apprenticeship Programs report provides a unique, long-term look at apprenticeships and spans data over a 15-year…
Michigan’s Infrastructure: How Bad is it?
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 prepared by President Trump’s transition team that included about 50 possible priority projects across the country — three of which are in Michigan — that…
The U.S. Department of Education: What does it do?
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 U.S. Department of Education—and what Secretary DeVos will be responsible for—than PSC vice president Michelle Richard? https://vimeo.com/210464743
The Best Education System for Michigan’s Success
From 2016 to 2017, Public Sector Consultants (PSC) staffed Gov. Rick Snyder’s 21st Century Education Commission. Under the leadership of chair Thomas Haas, president of Grand Valley State University, PSC facilitated an inclusive, multistep visioning and consensus-building process with 25 commissioners representing stakeholders in the education community. First, the commission reviewed research and data about Michigan’s existing P–20…
A New Approach to Fund Watershed Management: An Evaluation of Funding Mechanisms
A New Approach to Fund Watershed Management: An Evaluation of Funding Mechanisms. Client: Macatawa Area Coordinating Council. Contact: Kelly Goward, Watershed Project Manager, 301 Douglas Ave., Holland, MI 49424. 616-395-2688, [email protected] Watershed management is a collaborative, comprehensive process that assesses conditions and implements land use and water management practices for protecting and improving the quality and quantity of watershed…