Economic Development

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The WMSRDC Pandemic Response and Recovery Plan (PRRP) is a product of CARES Act funding WMSRDC received from the US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA). This funding helped WMSRDC cope with the pandemic and enabled WMSRDC to dedicate supplemental economic development technical assistance to communities within the region.

Three goals of the PRRP include:

  • Document local economic impacts of pandemic.
  • Provide recommendations for short term economic response and economic recovery.
  • Provide recommendations for future resilience to future economic disruptions.

Highlights of the plan include pandemic impacts survey results, data and analysis of economic impacts of the pandemic, and case studies to show how local businesses have weathered the pandemic.

Over time, elements of the PRRP such as regional priorities for economic resilience will be incorporated into the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. In addition, certain data points of interest will be monitored through the ongoing CEDS planning process to obtain a true sense of economic impacts of the pandemic. Overall this effort will support regional economic pandemic recovery and contribute to economic resilience to be better prepared for the next major economic disruption.

 

Pandemic Impacts Survey

WMSRDC conducted an online survey between late September and early November 2021 to document perspectives and experiences that will help the region respond to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future economic disruptions. It is an important component of the pandemic recovery and resiliency plan (PRRP). The survey, which was created and promoted in partnership with local economic development partners from the counties of Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo and Oceana, was comprised of three unique forms targeted to households, businesses, and public/nonprofit entities. Participants were free to complete any form that applied to their personal situation.

View the Pandemic Impacts Survey here.