Events

Community Exchange

Great ideas for tackling municipal challenges and maximizing opportunities come from many places, including neighboring communities. But how will you know if you don’t visit them?

We’ll help you facilitate a community exchange. Get a group of your elected officials and/or employees together to host another community and then visit them in return. Municipalities can benefit from the sharing and gathering of ideas, solutions, initiatives and processes. Learn more.

Read about some communities’ experiences with the Community Exchange program (formerly called Mayors’ Exchange) at the links below:
March/April 2017 issue of The Review magazine:

November/December 2022 issue of The Review magazine

March/April 2017 issue of The Review magazine

Previous Workshops

Summer Workshop

2025, Portage – Building Age-Friendly, Affordable, & Alert Communities
2024, Big Rapids – Thriving Communities
2023, City of Northville – Connecting with Community
2022, Cadillac – Strong Leaders: Prepared and Aware
2021, Sault Ste Marie – Attracting Economic Prosperity to Local Communities
2020, Marketing Your Community (Virtual)
2019, Port Huron – Taking Charge of Your Community’s Future
2018, Bay City – Emergency Preparedness for Mayors
2017, Monroe – Better Leaders
2016, Muskegon
2015, Battle Creek – The Modern Mayor
2014, Midland – Placemaking Firsthand
2013, Frankenmuth – The Modern Mayor: Innovating at the Local Level (click here for photos from the workshop)
2012, Traverse City – The Modern Mayor (click here for photos from the workshop)
2011, Port Huron – Placemaking: Creating A Catalyst for Change
2010, Saint Ignace – Using Technology to Save Your Community Money
2009, Grand Haven – Capitalize on Community
2008, Sterling Heights/Utica – Legacy Costs
2007, Frankenmuth – Our Hometowns Matter

Mayors & Presidents Institute

2021, Mt. Pleasant
2023, Frankenmuth
2025, Bay City

Upcoming Workshops

Summer Workshop
August 5–7, 2026
Farmington