Newsletter 
August 2020
Upcoming Meetings
Alliance Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, August 20
7:00 a.m.
Via Zoom Meeting
Alliance Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, August 25
3:30 p.m.
Via Zoom Meeting
Dickinson Area Highlighted by Rural Insights
The Dickinson area was featured in an article on Rural Insights, a web-based research and information source for Michigan’s U.P.  The piece focuses on the economic growth and strength of the Dickinson area along with some recent successes like our rising Micropolitan ranking and our story published by Business In Focus magazine. Many of you may know the leaders behind the site- David Haynes and Brian Cherry, both long-time educators and administrators at Northern Michigan University. Haynes previously served as Interim President of NMU in 2012-2014. 

Boss Snowplow Expansion Plans

Congratulations to the team at Boss Snowplow/The Toro Co. on the news that their recently announced expansion project is moving forward! The project will result in a $12.5 million investment in their facility and the creation of 24 new jobs. We appreciate these positive additions to our local economy and are very pleased that they have selected Iron Mountain for this opportunity to grow their business.
Loyal to Local Update
The Loyal to Local program has kicked-off the third year in a strong way! 106 businesses have joined the movement so far. The group is eager to continue their marketing efforts to remind consumers of the importance of supporting local businesses and organizations. This is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic as businesses adapt to the required safety guidelines and operational changes. THANK YOU to the 106 participants for believing in our mission!
Gift Card Page
We have added a webpage dedicated to promoting the gift card programs of the Loyal to Local participants. Please visit our website where consumers can find many gift card options in one place along with information on how to contact local businesses to purchase gift cards. Great for gift giving and for employee rewards programs!

Business Drawing Winner
Each quarter of the Loyal to Local program year, we randomly select one participating business to receive a $500 advertising certificate from WJMN Local 3 TV. This quarter’s winner is Culver’s of Iron Mountain. Congratulations to Culver’s and thank you to WJMN for supporting our program with this generous donation!
#KEEPUPWORKING
Promoting U.P. jobs, highlighting essential workers and answering questions on why it pays to work now.
#KeepUPWorking highlights the many employers who continue to hire and grow, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The #KeepUPWorking campaign also highlights the benefits of working and keeping the U.P. economy strong during a time of high unemployment. Many Dickinson County area manufacturers are deemed essential, are actively hiring, and have put extensive safety measures in place to ensure safe workplaces

We encourage employers to let us know if they are hiring so we can add those positions to our promotional efforts and to use the hashtag #KeepUPWorking in their social media posts. Check out our website here for downloadable images to use in your own social media posts, like the one shown to the right.
Free CMMC Introduction for all current and potential DoD Suppliers
Wednesday, August 19th
10:30 am eastern/9:30 am central
 
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) CMMC is a new model to measure cybersecurity capabilities across all suppliers. DoD is targeting Certification Levels for RFPs by late 2020. This session provides an overview of the model and what it means for different types of DoD suppliers.
 
This session is being sponsored by:
  • InvestUP
  • Delta County Economic Development Alliance
  • Dickinson County Economic Development Alliance
  • Menominee Business Development Center
 
This session will provide participants:
  • An overview of the CMMC Model
  • What CMMC means for different types of DoD Suppliers
  • Approaches suppliers can use to get ready and then support CMMC on an ongoing basis
Legislative Update

Federal Stimulus
This article from Forbes provides a good summary of the differing proposals from the Senate and the House. Negotiations continue and Forbes updates the information as it becomes available. 

State Budget
Much of this budget year’s deficit is being filled with federal pandemic support funding, state employee furloughs and the state’s rainy day fund. There is talk of deep cuts in the next budget year; of particular concern to economic development efforts, $100 million in cuts to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, including Pure Michigan funding. Budget cuts also depend largely on any federal support to state governments which is part of the federal stimulus negotiations mentioned above.
Pure Michigan Pledge Introduced
The Pure Michigan Pledge is a program from Travel Michigan designed to help keep communities and visitors healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Pledge allows businesses to inform residents and visitors that they uphold the required safety protocols and welcome them to do business safely. With recognizable Pure Michigan branding and a complete toolkit for businesses to utilize, sharing the pledge is easy for all. Examples and details are available here.
FREE Webinar – Marketing & Pivoting During COVID-19

Please join us from 7:30 - 8:30 am CT on Wednesday, September 23 for this informative training provided by the Michigan Small Business Development Center and consultant Nicole Young Potvin. Registration details are coming soon. This free, educational session is hosted through a partnership between the Alliance and the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce.
Professional Development Trainings Offered
Bay College West and Northern Initiatives/ Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center have forged a partnership to offer a variety of timely and relevant trainings to support area companies and their workforce development needs.

Check out the current slate of trainings here.

Employers: If you have a training need, please reach out to Gina Wollner at gina.wollner@baycollege.edu to discuss how Bay West can assist.
Webinar: Understanding the Implications of the FFCRA

Thursday, August 20
8:00 - 9:00 am CT/ 9:00- 10:00 am ET

Tune in to hear from two attorneys from Miller Canfield on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Panelists will touch on what employers' obligations are under this act and what it means for the U.P. business community. 

Panelists: 
Nhan Ho, Miller Canfield Associate
Megan Norris, Miller Canfield Principal
 
Questions for the panelists can be submitted until August 19, 2020 at 5pm ET to invest@investupmi.com.
New Webinar Series on Regional Economic Conditions from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis!

Thursday, August 20
9:00 - 9:30 am CT/ 10:00- 10:30 am ET

Join Ron Wirtz, Regional Outreach Director for the Minneapolis Fed, for a live, free webinar to hear about the latest survey results from Minneapolis Fed’s survey of general businesses in the Ninth District and to learn where and whom the pandemic is hitting the hardest. 
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance | 906-360-4653 | info@daeda.org | www.daeda.org