ELEVATE STRATEGIC PLAN
2026-2028
40 Years in Service
Founded in 1985
$6.5B In New Capital Investment
50,000 New Jobs
ABOUT THE RIGHT PLACE
2023-2025 STRATEGIC PLAN 3-YEAR METRICS
Key 25-34 Age Demographic
- Kent County is winning key 25-34 year old demographic
2000 POPULATION
2020 POPULATION
TOTAL CHANGE
% CHANGE
85,767
101,273 +15,506 +18.1%
- Michigan lost 57,510 over the same period
- Only 22 of 83 counties grew this demographic
DATA SOURCE: US Census Bureau
Kent and Ottawa counties are two of four Michigan counties that are especially thriving
All Other Counties Prime Age Population Increasing, Total Population Increasing, AND Prime Age Employment-to-population ratio >= 80%
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year tables B23001, DP05, 2013 and 2023, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural-Urban Continuum Codes
COUNTY-LEVEL TOTAL POPULATION CHANGE 2020-2050
Source: University of Michigan RSQE, November 2022
COUNTY-LEVEL TOTAL EMPLOYMENT CHANGE 2019-2050
Source: University of Michigan RSQE, November 2022
POPULATION GROWTH RANKINGS
2021-2024
City
2024 Rank
2024 Growth
Change in Rank
Raleigh, NC
1
7.6% 7.2% 5.8% 4.6% 4.5% 4.3% 3.7% 3.6% 3.5% 3.2% 3.0% 2.9% 2.4% 2.4% 2.1% 1.8% 1.6% 1.0% 0.7% 0.7%
0 0 3 -1 3
Jacksonville, FL Greenville, SC Des Moines, IA Knoxville, TN
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Lansing, MI
14
Oklahoma City, OK Columbus, OH Chattanooga, TN Indianapolis, IN Salt Lake City, UT Greensboro, NC Ann Arbor, MI
2 2 4
10
-3 -6
11
12 13 14
2 4
Louisville, KY
1
Grand Rapids, MI Colorado Springs, CO
15
-4 -12
16 17 18 19
Kalamazoo, MI Birmingham, AL
1
-6 -3
Detroit, MI
Milwaukee, WI
20
-1
Source: US Census
EMPLOYMENT GROWTH RANKINGS
2021-2024
City
2024 Rank
2024 Growth
Change in Rank
Chattanooga, TN
1
13.2% 12.2% 10.3% 10.1% 9.9% 9.6% 9.4% 9.4% 8.7% 8.2% 7.7% 7.5%
7
Raleigh, NC Lansing, MI Knoxville, TN
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0
17
1
Oklahoma City, OK Greenville, SC Jacksonville, FL Colorado Springs, CO
5
1
-4 -4 -3
Indianapolis, IN Des Moines, IA Salt Lake City, UT
10
1
11
-10
Grand Rapids, MI
12
3 0
Ann Arbor, MI Kalamazoo, MI Louisville, KY
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
7.3% 7.1% 6.7% 6.5% 6.1% 5.4% 3.5% 3.3%
2
-1
Detroit, MI
2
Columbus, OH Birmingham, AL Milwaukee, WI Greensboro, NC
-8 -6
0
20
-3
Source: US Census
GRP GROWTH RANKINGS
2021-2024
City
2024 Rank
2024 Growth
Change in Rank
Jacksonville, FL Raleigh, NC Greenville, SC
1
10.89% 9.51% 6.99% 6.53% 6.37% 6.27% 6.20% 6.09% 5.95% 5.56% 5.02% 4.86% 4.30% 4.13% 3.63% 3.35% 3.33% 3.13% 3.07% -0.45%
1 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
3 9
Lansing, MI
Oklahoma City, OK
15
Knoxville, TN
-1
Colorado Springs, CO
-3
Indianapolis, IN Salt Lake City, UT Ann Arbor, MI Chattanooga, TN Kalamazoo, MI Milwaukee, WI Louisville, KY Greensboro, NC Birmingham, AL Detroit, MI
0
-8
10
-1
11
1
12 13 14 15 16 17
6
-2
3 -1 3 -1
Grand Rapids, MI
18
-3 -12 -10
Columbus, OH Des Moines, IA
19
20
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
TECH JOBS GROWTH RANKINGS
2021-2024
City
2025 Rank
2025 Concentration
Change in Rank
1
Raleigh, NC
13.7% 11.6% 11.2% 10.7% 10.3% 7.0% 6.8% 6.6% 6.5% 6.5%
0 0 2 -1 -1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Colorado Springs, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Ann Arbor, MI
Detroit, MI
Knoxville, TN Columbus, OH Des Moines, IA Milwaukee, WI Greenville, SC Indianapolis, IN Jacksonville, FL
1 1 1
-3
Grand Rapids, MI
10
2 0
11
6.3% 6.2% 5.9% 5.7% 5.0% 5.0% 4.9% 4.8% 4.5% 4.0%
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
-2
1 1
Lansing, MI
Birmingham, AL Louisville, KY Oklahoma City, OK Greensboro, NC Kalamazoo, MI Chattanooga, TN
-2
0
1
-1 0 0
20
Source: Lightcast
PEOPLE
PLACE
PROSPERITY
STRATEGIC PILLARS
The Strategic Plan Process
Throughout the strategic planning process, The Right Place met with 550+ stakeholders throughout the region including:
375 business leaders 70+ municipal officials 90 community leaders 30+ educators
PEOPLE
PEOPLE INITIATIVES
Expand employer engagement with K-12, higher ed institutions, and workforce development orgs. Position Greater Grand Rapids as a premier destination for talent. Serve as a central resource leveraging our Talent Report and business intelligence gained from our local business retention visits.
PEOPLE INITIATIVES: Ways to Get Involved
Help secure 100 employer–education partnerships Join our virtual strategy session and play a direct role in connecting companies with local education and workforce partners. Welcome and retain new talent in Greater Grand Rapids Serve as an Ambassador to connect emerging professionals to opportunity, community, and resources. Invest in the next generation of leaders Participate in Intern Connect and engage up to 600 interns exploring careers in our region.
PLACE
PLACE INITIATIVES Support the creation and activation of build-ready sites across industrial, office, commercial, mixed- use, and residential housing sectors. Drive investment into vibrant public spaces across Greater Grand Rapids, expanding on the region’s existing placemaking assets. Collaborate and support municipal partners to make Greater Grand Rapids one of the most connected, growth-oriented regions across the country. Work with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport to expand and increase nonstop service supporting the business community.
PLACE INITIATIVES: Ways to Get Involved
Influence the next wave of development Join the Real Estate Development Council and collaborate with leading developers and real estate professionals. Advance catalytic infill projects Help identify, evaluate, and move forward transformative urban development opportunities across our six-city metro area. Position West Michigan as an outdoor destination Serve as an Outdoor Recreation Resource and help elevate regional investment and visibility in outdoor assets .
PROSPERITY
PROSPERITY INITIATIVES
Support the existing business community with proactive outreach and programming to ensure they grow and remain in Greater Grand Rapids. Conduct extensive, proactive business attraction campaigns focusing on our target industries of advanced manufacturing, health science, and technology. Support manufacturers to diversify their customer base, adopt new technologies, and expand the region’s manufacturing expertise.
PROSPERITY INITIATIVES: Ways to Get Involved
Support manufacturers entering aerospace and defense Participate in our defense diversification initiative and help companies expand into high-growth sectors. Strengthen key industry networks Join our Manufacturers, Supply Chain, or Technology Council(s) and help drive innovation and regional competitiveness. Elevate Greater Grand Rapids as a tech hub Host an event or join a committee for Tech Week Grand Rapids and help showcase our innovative ecosystem.
REGIONAL PARTNERS
PEOPLE Assist county partners to build talent and leadership capacity throughout their communities.
PLACE Connect county partners with the resources and tools to strengthen communities and improve infrastructure through housing and mixed-use development, business site development, placemaking, and municipal support. PROSPERITY Support economic growth and long-term regional prosperity throughout the seven-county region.
2026-2028 REGIONAL PARTNER KEY METRICS
PLACE GOAL 6 Sites In partnership with local
PEOPLE GOAL 25+ More companies engaged in talent pipeline programming
municipalities, identify sites for future industrial development opportunities
PROSPERITY GOAL 500 New Jobs
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES
TECH & INNOVATION
HEALTH SCIENCES
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
4,500 Jobs Created/Retained $700M Capital Investment $30 Per Hour Average Payroll
$200M Community Development 100 Industry Education Partnerships
2026-2028 KEY METRICS
READY TO GET INVOLVED?
Scan the QR code to discover the specific ways you can engage. Submit the form and a Right Place team member will connect with you directly. And don’t hesitate to find one of us in the room — we’d love to talk more about how you can be part of what’s next.
ELEVATE STRATEGIC PLAN
2026-2028
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