Wayne Forward

Wayne Forward is a Wayne County Economic Development Department (EDD) initiative to convene and connect local communities with the County as well as with one another.

The Sustainability & Innovation Division leads this effort to build capacity, strengthen alignment with existing sustainability goals, and increase access to resources and opportunities for all 43 communities.

Wayne Forward is a Wayne County Economic Development Department (EDD) initiative to convene and connect local communities with the County as well as with one another.

The Sustainability & Innovation Division leads this effort to build capacity, strengthen alignment with existing sustainability goals, and increase access to resources and opportunities for all 43 communities.

  • January 21 - Dearborn [Upcoming]

    Join us for our next Wayne Forward engagement session hosted in the City of Dearborn. We will host Danielle Beard from the Michigan Municipal League who will be sharing more about the Michigan Green Communities (MGC) program. Additionally, we will be sharing a small resource on electric vehicle infrastructure tailor to your community.


    Date: Wednesday, January 21st

    Location: Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126

    Complementary parking is available, and we will simultaneously host in a virtual format via Teams.


    8:30am – Coffee & Networking

    9:00am– Welcome to Dearborn - County Commission District 13

    9:05am – Introductions & Previous Meeting Recap

    9:15am – Community-level Data

    9:25am – Featured Program: Michigan Green Communities

             Presentation & Discussion

    10:10am – Resources & Opportunities Updates

    10:20am – Announcements & Housekeeping

    10:30am – Adjourn


    Learn more about the Michigan Green Communities Challenge here.

  • November 19 - Plymouth

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    This Wayne Forward engagement session hosted in the City of Plymouth centered around energy and flooding. The meeting featured presentations on available resources from Floodwise and Detroit 2030 District, followed by interactive discussions on Wayne County communities' priorities and needs when addressing flooding and energy infrastructure in their municipalities.

    Presentation Slides

    Agenda

  • September 17 - Ecorse

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    This Wayne Forward engagement session hosted in the City of Ecorse centered around the State of Michigan's MI Healthy Climate Plan (MIHCP). The meeting featured a presentation from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on the MIHCP, followed by interactive break-out-group-style discussions on how Wayne communities can align with the state’s climate goals through local planning, infrastructure investments, and community-focused initiatives. The discussions centered around exploring local implementation opportunities and resources across Wayne County.

    Presentation Slides

    Agenda

  • July 23 - River Rouge

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    The inaugural Wayne Forward meeting was hosted at River Rouge’s City Hall on July 23rd, 2025, to engage municipalities across Wayne County in discussion around their sustainability needs and priorities. This event consisted of a share-out and review of findings on community priorities. Data from the Focus Groups held in May 2025, as well as the results of the Wayne County Sustainability Priorities Survey were presented and discussed. The County cross-checked data with participants and obtained further input to design effective technical assistance initiatives. Relevant available resources were also shared and sent out. 15 communities were represented between the 20 attendees present.

    Presentation Slides

    Agenda

Page last updated: 14 Jan 2026, 03:18 PM