DETROIT, Mich. (April 23, 2026) – The Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP), in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Detroit, MiSide and SER Metro Detroit, has released a community engagement playbook for new companies moving to the Detroit region.
The playbook – titled Building Bridges: An Employer’s Guide to Community Engagement in Detroit – guides new and prospective employers in Detroit as they establish operations and seek to build lasting connections with the local workforce and community. By providing clarity, practical steps and proven approaches, the playbook helps employers tap into local talent, meet their employment goals and benefit from incentives tied to community engagement.
“When companies enter a new region, building strong relationships with community-based organizations is a powerful, yet often underleveraged, driver of long-term business success,” said Sarah Gregory, vice president of strategic partnerships & talent at the DRP. “Deeper local connections unlock access to underutilized talent pools, strengthen recruitment and retention and support more sustainable, inclusive growth. Our playbook helps employers understand the true business case for community engagement while providing practical guidance to make those connections intentional and effective.”
Businesses often arrive in a region focused on immediate hiring needs without considering the benefits of engaging with community-based organizations (CBOs) as part of their hiring plan. This leads to employers missing out on top talent as well as missed opportunities for residents.
“For more than 30 years, LISC has been committed to strengthening Detroit’s neighborhoods and economic future,” said Jacqueline Burau, Director of Economic Opportunity at LISC Detroit. “We’re proud to have led this collaboration with the Detroit Regional Partnership, MiSide and SER Metro-Detroit to develop this playbook. Strong local economies depend on connecting residents to opportunity, and this playbook is an important first step toward building the partnerships needed to expand access to good quality jobs for Detroiters.”
Employers who connect with Detroit’s communities early and consistently benefit from a host of perks, from increased access to incentives to reduced costs as they build a reputation as employers of choice. And with the Detroit region’s robust network of CBOs, prospective companies have a variety of partners and resources to help guide their investment.
To read the full playbook, click here.
About the Detroit Regional Partnership
Launched in 2019, the Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP) is a public-private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit economic development partnership focused on marketing and business attraction for the 11-county Detroit Region. The DRP works to attract investment in the region from out-of-state and international companies, serves as a convenient single point of contact for all regional resources and works with companies and site selectors to help manage their projects and support their transition into the region. It specializes in helping companies understand and access the competitive advantages of our region – from workforce data to state and local incentives.
