The state's 21st Century Jobs Trust Fund has had a strong return on investment since launching in 2005, but Michigan is at a crossroads in its efforts to diversify its economy, according to a study commissioned by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
The fund's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program has created 26,839 jobs in the decade since legislation in Lansing allowed proceeds from the state's portion of tobacco settlement revenue to fund various diversification programs, according to the 73-page report by Columbus, Ohio-based TEConomy Partners LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on analysis and strategy for innovation-based economic development.
