Envisioning a Dynamic Network for Great Lakes Islanders

Inhabited islands within the Great Lakes region represent some of the most unique communities in North America. Local cooperation, volunteering, and resourcefulness are essential components of everyday life; however, these communities have long been underrepresented in state, provincial, and regional affairs due to demographic constraints, economic turbulence, and relative geographic isolation. The Great Lakes Islands Alliance (GLIA), a network of U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes Islands, was founded in 2017 to develop links across these extraordinary communities and provide islanders with a support network to communicate more effectively and connect on issues that matter to them. This report was created to help develop dynamic structures and processes within GLIA to guide the Alliance as it grows and evolves in the coming years. Our recommendations are based on 18 months of data gathering including islander interviews and surveys, professional outreach and networking, and analysis of current organizational structures. This has culminated in the creation of an Action Plan for GLIA, in which we have laid out detailed strategies and recommendations for enhanced member communication, funding techniques, outreach tactics, and more. Additional organizational capacity gained from this report will assist GLIA in developing platforms for action and discussion within the Great Lakes region while providing a valuable space for connection across states, provinces, and nations.Master of Science (MS)School for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/176174/1/GLIA_Action_Plan_Report.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/176174/2/GLIA Action Plan Flyer.pdfDescription of GLIA_Action_Plan_Report.pdf : GLIA ReportDescription of GLIA Action Plan Flyer.pdf : GLIA Action Plan Flye