Finding Common Ground: why we’re gathering in Grand Rapids this fall

At Issue Media Group, we’ve spent years documenting the stories of people and projects that are reshaping our cities. We’ve seen first-hand that while every community is unique, the challenges they face — like the growing need for affordable housing, the struggle to find quality childcare, and the race to attract top talent — are remarkably similar. We’ve also noticed that the best solutions rarely happen in a vacuum. They happen when someone steps outside their own silo to see what’s working elsewhere.

In this spirit, we are inaugurating a new event this year — Common Ground Exchange. On October 28-29, we’re bringing a cross-section of community leaders to DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids to move past the usual high-level theories and get into the real how-to of community transformation. I see this as taking our solutions-oriented journalism from our usual medium into a live environment.

Right now, the timing feels more critical than ever. With polarization inhibiting collective progress at the national and even state levels of government, we find it is at the local level where ideological divides fade into the background and where we can come together to move our communities forward. This conference likewise will bridge divides and share actual blueprints — real-world examples of success that can be adapted and planted in new soil.

This event is designed for the people who are doing the work — local government officials, nonprofit doers, healthcare innovators, educators, and the next generation of civic leaders. We want to spend these two days moving between deep-dive sessions with national experts, collaborative “Idea Labs,” and hands-on workshops where attendees can germinate the ideas that will define our future.

We are looking for sponsors to come alongside us and support this new initiative. By joining us as a sponsor, you aren’t just putting a logo on a banner; you are fueling a brand-new engine for regional innovation and helping us bring people together and community blueprints to life. You’ll be positioned at the very center of a conversation involving influential decision-makers and change-agents from across the region.

If you’re interested in being part of this first-of-its-kind event, we’d love to talk to you about sponsorship opportunities. You can reach out directly to Natalie DePhillips, our Senior Account Manager, at natalie@issuemediagroup.com to discuss.