GREAT LAKES—Great Lakes Islands Alliance (GLIA) has released its strategic plan for the next decade spanning 2024 to 2034. The comprehensive plan outlines a focused approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities facing Great Lakes islands.
The plan will help GLIA achieve the four primary goals in its foundational charter: facilitating connection between island communities, improving information access, encouraging multi-island collaboration and amplifying island voices. Strategic action steps will support and grow GLIA’s central operations and capacity; its environmental and socio-economic program areas; a range of diversified communications; and GLIA’s long-term sustainability through fundraising. While focusing on the island communities themselves, GLIA also recognizes the importance of raising awareness and appreciation of island life among mainland audiences, including government leadership and the general public.
“GLIA’s growth these past five years has been amazing, but we have so much more room to grow,” says Angela LeFevre-Welke, a Beaver Islander who serves as chairperson of the GLIA Steering Committee. “The new Strategic Plan is a major milestone for us and will help ensure our activities are targeted and impactful.”
The strategic plan was developed over the course of a year by GLIA’s leadership team following extensive conversation with island residents and stakeholders to ensure it is aligned with the actual needs and objectives of the communities it serves. The development of the plan, and the sustaining of GLIA itself is supported by its major partners: the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation; the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; The Stewardship Network; and the Island Institute.
The release of the plan comes as GLIA is poised to host its fifth Great Lakes Islands Summit, September 22-25, 2024 near the Les Cheneaux Islands of northern Lake Huron. The Summit provides opportunity for islanders from around the Great Lakes to come together in person to learn about each other’s communities and share solutions to the various economic, social and environmental challenges facing islands. This year’s event will feature more than 20 speakers. Panel discussions, guided tours and breakout sessions with cover a range of topics, including tourism, island schools, youth engagement, media, biodiversity, and emergency preparedness. This year’s keynote speaker comes from the Island Institute, a respected non-profit organization out of Rockland, Maine. Individuals interested in attending may visit glialliance.org for registration and logistical information. Registration closes September 9.
GLIA is a voluntary, bi-national, collaborative network that brings together individuals from year-round island communities across the Great Lakes. These are culturally, socially, and ecologically rich communities with deep connections to place, each in their own way. Living and working on islands comes with a unique suite of challenges and these are often markedly different compared to the mainland. Through GLIA, islanders benefit from regular information sharing, peer-to-peer learning and relationship development. Islanders benefit from hearing about solutions and experiences from other islands.
