Phase II
Stakeholder Engagement & Comprehensive Framework Exploration
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PHASE II: Stakeholder Engagement & Comprehensive Framework Exploration
A multi-point analysis and needs assessment of the current economic development organizations and their roles will be conducted, as well as an exploration of the economic environment, market conditions, community capacity and organizational feasibility. An in-depth review of existing reports and organizational frameworks will be conducted, as well as research of other similar economic development organizations in Michigan and beyond.
Starting with a Discovery Meeting with the Pontiac Project Team to take an in-depth look at some of the challenges, opportunities, and successes of past and current economic development structures. The team will conduct an assessment of the physical and environmental conditions in targeted areas for economic development and finalize the community engagement outreach plan.
Then, through focused exploratory groups and listening sessions, the Pontiac EDO Framework Initiative seeks stakeholder engagement and input that is forward-looking. These community engagement events will shape what the economic development organizational framework ultimately looks like and how it will function. Building a new organizational framework requires shifting the previous perspectives of "fixing what’s broken" to "designing for the future”. The framework will look for the foundational logic of how work should flow and drive investment, balancing public accountability with private-sector agility.
Each session will focus on collecting input to inform the organizational structure of a future Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and on strengthening or building other economic development-related organizations/Boards (Main Street Pontiac (MSP), Pontiac Tax Increment Financing Authority (TIFA), Pontiac Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA), Downtown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ)).
Insights will shed light on:
- The value, opportunities, and needs of such organizations
- Priority areas of impact and vision
- Organizational roles, needed capabilities, capacity, and resources.
Focus groups and listening sessions seek to uncover where the private sector sees the most friction and the most potential, as well as public-sector insights, and how those converge. Discussion will cover what resources are needed, people/organizations that should be involved if not already identified, and everyone’s willingness and role of their own involvement.
These community engagement opportunities will start in June 2026 with focused exploratory groups and listening sessions made up of key business, community, government, and neighborhood leaders representing a diverse mix of perspectives and areas of Pontiac. There are 9 focus groups, ranging from five to 30 people in each group, and three listening sessions available for the community-at-large. For those unable to attend one of the focus groups or listening sessions, there will be an online survey available to provide your input.
Following these sessions, a summary report of the input collected will be available online, which will help inform the next phases in the project. Stakeholders who participate will then be asked to join a Strategic Planning Session in August - September to better understand the opportunities and determine a clear path forward. A final plan will be provided by January 2027.