Great Lakes Regional Needs Assessment

Overview

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) and NOAA Coastal Services Center (Center) have formed a partnership to conduct a needs assessment for the Great Lakes Region.

The needs assessment aims to identify regional (Great Lakes wide) needs/gaps within...........

• Coastal community development;
• Data information integration and distribution; and
• Ports and navigation.

That could be addressed by.............

• Center
• GLC; and
• Other agencies and organizations

Utilizing and delivering services such as...............

• Regional coordination and facilitation
• Data integration and distribution
• Decision support tools
• Training

Outcomes

Coastal Community Development

• Coastal Community Development Needs Assessment  Consultant Report, July, 2006

Data Information Integration and Distribution

• Data Information Integration and Distribution Consultant Report, July, 2006

Ports and Navigation

• Final Draft Interim Report, August 18, 2006
• Appendix G:  Ports & Navigation Survey Numerical Results (August, 2006)

NOAA Coastal Services Center will use the needs assessment to inform deployment of staff to the Great Lakes region.

The Great Lakes Commission will use the needs assessment to inform the Commission's new strategic (5-year) plan

Other agencies and organizations can also use the results of the needs assessment to inform their workplans and priorities.

Implementation of recommendation will be guided by the principles of:

• providing services based on justified need;
• preventing duplication of services;
• leveraging resources and funds, and;
• building partnerships.

Project Work

Desotelle Consulting, PLC, based out of Duluth, Minnesota conducted the regional needs assessment for the Coastal Community Development (CCD) and Data Information Integration and Distribution (DIID) issue areas. Dave Knight of the Great Lakes Commission lead the needs assessment for the Ports and Navigation issue area.

February 13-14 Planning Team Meetings, Ann Arbor, MI

• Agenda
• Center Presentation
• GLC Presentation
• Desotelle Presentation& Working Slides
• Summary
• Analsysis of DIID and CCD issue discussion

May 8 Planning Team Conference Calls

• CCD Conference Call Agenda
• CCD Conference Call Summary & Findings
• DIID Conference Call Agenda
• DIID Conference Call Summary & Findings
• P&N Conference Call Summary & Findings

Other Resources

• CCD Literature Review
• DIID Literature Review
• Ports and Navigation Literature Review