Registration closing for annual Small Town & Rural Development Conference in June

What’s happening: Registration closes Monday, May 25, for the 2026 Small Town & Rural Development Conference sponsored by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) and other organizations. The annual event is being held June 1-3 at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville.

About the conference: For more than two decades, the conference has served as “the primary catalyst for positive change in rural Michigan,” serving as “a collaborative hub where you can connect with fellow leaders, learn from expert speakers, and discover actionable strategies (from outdoor recreation, impacts to rural health policy, to revitalize your local economy,” organizers say. The conference also features the Consumers Energy Put Your Town on the Map pitch competition, which rewards three communities for innovative ideas that attract visitors to downtowns, advance housing, education or employment, cultivate community pride, and more. Fowlerville was last year’s big winner.

About the agenda: The three-day conference includes a variety of speakers from across Michigan and breakout sessions about issues important to rural areas of the state. Topics includ housing solutions, infrastructure and energy, economic resiliency, food waste solution, data and AI for rural success and more.

About CEDAM: CEDAM is a statewide, nonprofit membership association dedicated to building vibrant, equitable, and economically inclusive communities across Michigan. Founded in 1998, CEDAM serves as a major coalition and resource network for organizations working on affordable housing, economic growth, and wealth-building.

For information and to register, go to: https://cedamichigan.org/rpm/conference-rpm/.