Cheboygan County

Economic Development Corporation

 

The Cheboygan County Economic Development Corporation is a County authority that provides information and facilitates expansion of employment opportunities in Cheboygan County. We can provide you with assistance in making the best contacts with economic development resources. We can also assist in obtaining the necessary permits from various government agencies.  The EDC is supported through the Cheboygan County Community Development Department.  Please contact Steve Schnell, Community Development Director, at (231)627-8485 or Scott McNeil, Community Development Planner, at (231)627-8475, with any questions.

 

Strategic Plan

The Cheboygan County EDC operates with the guidance of a Strategic Plan, that was adopted in late 2009 and reviewed and updated annually.   The EDC's Plan sets forth the goals of the Board and guides staff activities.  The following are the 7 Action Items which is the focus of the EDC:

 

  1. Create a coordinated branding message that emphasizes a sense of place.
  2. Create a thorough natural asset inventory and create appropriate sustainable economic development opportunities utilizing those natural assets. 
  3. Support local industry clusters such as small agricultural production, wood products, health services, tourism, construction, and manufacturing.
  4. Explore local financing opportunities through micro-loans, local angel investors, and locally financed venture capital funds.  
  5. Support expansion of entrepreneurial support services.
  6. Support expansion of broadband throughout the county.
  7. Promote and expand the use of the county’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

If you would like to be part of this process, please join us at our monthly meetings. The meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month, at 1:00 PM in our County Commissioners' Room.


Cheboygan County Naturally!

See why Cheboygan County is the natural choice.

 

 

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

News

  • NEW  A Cheboygan County Bike Shop Business Planhas been prepared for anyone interested in selling bikes.  Over the years since the North Central State Trail opened (fall 2007) we’ve had lots of folks saying we need a bike shop in Cheboygan County. To that end  you will find the “Business Plan for Cheboygan Bike Shop”. This plan was prepared by Tom Erhart of the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance with assistance from Steve Schnell, Bud Laughlin, Mark Oberman and Jim Conboy. It is worth noting that Steve, Bud and Mark all have had experience working in bike shops in various locations in the country. Typically a business plan is developed by a party interested in starting a particular business, the attached is a “plan in search of an owner”. We hope that the plan will inspire someone to start a bike shop in Cheboygan County and may give them a leg up on understanding what it will take. Please distribute the plan far and wide.
  • Please visit the www.northernhomes.org website. Northern Homes Community Development Corporation was founded to create and preserve quality affordable housing in Northern Michigan.  Their specialty is bringing together public grants and private loans to provide quality affordable housing, both rental and homeownership, for local residents working at local jobs.  Northern Homes Community Development Corporation assists communities in creating quality affordable housing in their communities.  They have helped local businesses by providing financial education classes to their employees and they have helped individuals and families realize their financial and housing goals.  
  • Please visit the US23 Heritage Route website.  This website provides valuable information about the attractions along one of the most beautiful drives along the Huron shoreline.
  • Our population is always changing. We are gaining more people aged 55 years or older every year.  People in all age categories are important in our community.  those 55 and older are choosing to move north earlier than retirement.  They are brining more expertise to our area and, thereby, bringing more value to our community.  An interesting animation shows our changing population's characteristics.  Here you can see a comparison with surrounding counties.  This graph shows two selected age cohorts: those 25-29 years of age and another for those 55-59 years of age.  Click on the play button and see how it changes from 1980 to the present.

 

Economic and Demographic information

 

Cheboygan County's Economic and Demographic Profile (This link will take you to the MEDC website.)

Jobs and our economy - Want to know where the jobs are and where they're not?  View an informative animation on jobs gained and lost since 2004 across the country.

 

 

Partners

In order to serve our customer most effectively, we partner with other entities who serve a variety of functions that may benefit that customer.  We work closely with local and regional entities such as:

 

Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA)

Northeastern Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG)

Michigan State University Extension

Townships of Cheboygan County

City of Cheboygan, Villages of Wolverine and Mackinaw City

Land Information Access Association (LIAA)

Michigan Association of Planning

District #4 Health Department

Cheboygan County Soil Conservation District

Top of Michigan Trails Council

Cheboygan Chamber of Commerce

Mackinaw Area Chamber of Commerce

Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau

Indian River Chamber of Commerce


 

Documents