{"id":8,"date":"2021-03-24T20:12:32","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T20:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2026-01-30T15:58:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T15:58:06","slug":"university-center-for-community-economic-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/university-center-for-community-economic-development\/","title":{"rendered":"University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-umflint-templates umflint-template-default\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"800\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-154 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-1536x1200.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/82\/files\/2025\/07\/Blue.UCEN_-2048x1600.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#FFF\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8716f8a85f780f660b7a58180f2d5b7f\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-size:clamp(31.152px, 1.947rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 1.863), 55px);font-style:normal;font-weight:600;text-transform:uppercase\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-color\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-color\">University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development<\/mark><\/mark><\/h1>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-row row\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-3\">\n\t\t\t\n<button class=\"btn btn-section w-100 px-0 wp-menu-block-toggle mobile-nav-toggle d-none\" data-target=\"wp-menu-block-side-menu\">\n          <span class=\"h-100 mr-3 mt-1 d-block mobile-nav-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t  <\/span>\n          Office of Economic Development<\/button><nav id=\"wp-menu-block-side-menu\" class=\"wp-menu-block sidebar-nav wp-block-umflint-menu-block\"><div class=\"nav-sidebar-title-container\">\n                <div class=\"nav-sidebar-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\">Office of Economic Development<\/a><\/div>\n                <a class=\"nav-sidebar-title-close\" href=\"#\" data-target=\"side-menu\" aria-label=\"Close\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"50\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                        <title>close<\/title><path d=\"M19,6.41L17.59,5L12,10.59L6.41,5L5,6.41L10.59,12L5,17.59L6.41,19L12,13.41L17.59,19L19,17.59L13.41,12L19,6.41Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n            <\/div><ul id=\"menu-side-menu\" class=\"menu nav nav-sidebar flex-column\"><li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-10\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-10 nav-item\"><a title=\"University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/university-center-for-community-economic-development\/\" class=\"nav-link\">University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-19\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-19 nav-item\"><a title=\"Applied Research Fund\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/university-center-for-community-economic-development\/applied-research-fund\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Applied Research Fund<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-78\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-78 nav-item\"><a title=\"CEDS Plan\" href=\"https:\/\/mistartgate.com\/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy-ceds\/\" class=\"nav-link\">CEDS Plan<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-29\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-29 nav-item\"><a title=\"MI Start Gate\" href=\"https:\/\/mistartgate.com\/\" class=\"nav-link\">MI Start Gate<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-38\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-38 nav-item\"><a title=\"MWIN\" href=\"https:\/\/mwin.org\/\" class=\"nav-link\">MWIN<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-44\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44 nav-item\"><a title=\"Student Research Assistants\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/university-center-for-community-economic-development\/student-research-assistants\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Student Research Assistants<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-27\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-27 nav-item\"><a title=\"Innovation Incubator\" href=\"http:\/\/umflint.edu\/innovation-incubator\" class=\"nav-link\">Innovation Incubator<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-28\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-28 nav-item\"><a title=\"GIS Center\" href=\"http:\/\/umflint.edu\/gis\" class=\"nav-link\">GIS Center<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-136\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-136 nav-item\"><a title=\"Community Relations\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/community-relations\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Community Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-25\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-25 nav-item\"><a title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/contact-us\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Contact Us<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-9\">\n\t\t\t\n<nav aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb mb-3\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\">Office of Economic Development<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item active\" aria-current=\"page\">University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development<\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6acf84a5f449af6eb963fd071bfd34e3\">Our Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-2\">The mission of the University Center for Community &amp; Economic Development is to coordinate, inform, and contribute to economic development efforts that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cultivate innovation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a path for proof-of-concept development and commercialization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide employer-identified workforce development programs to build and sustain a resilient and inclusive economy throughout the I-69 thumb region of Michigan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-secondary-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-secondary-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-838775b350c4b93d2aa1594e43776ae1\">Focus Areas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-bdc49eee7a21a6baed206dc61f3396a5\"><strong>Economic Development<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Applied research to support the work of economic development partners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data collection &amp; analysis, freely accessible to the public<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mapflint.org\/EDAUCRegion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I-69 Thumb Region Comprehensive Economic Development Asset Mapping Platform<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mistartgate.com\/dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regional Data Dashboard<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-8a3feee3ffa787662fa8de8a28d3c492\"><strong>Community Development<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/applied-research-fund\/\">Applied research funding <\/a>to support faculty\/student teams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/umflintoutreach\/sets\/72157682236285463\/with\/35345336895\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Community meetings and focus groups<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mistartgate.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dissemination of information to help strengthen local communities<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-24a3f3c7255485a5c9b06cb0bd527b22\"><strong>Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/innovation-incubator\/\">Innovation Incubator [IN] at the Northbank Center<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vRy1DRZITFjGIv6vXAfcbNUz05dyN0L9UeLwe9_rRo7YN1PrbbAuSm0BMOLf0O9HtzFrvfUm8CjIbqW\/pub\">Innovation Incubator [IN] on the Road<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/innovation-incubator\/webinars\/\">Workshops, seminars, business boot camps<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"UM-Flint EDA University Center\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/C85Hk03K3Ps?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/university-center-for-community-economic-development\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/oed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}