Small municipal governments across Michigan and the United States face numerous challenges in implementing sustainability practices within their management structures. The City of Rockford has achieved several successful sustainability initiatives led by its Sustainability Committee. However, local leaders have recognized the need to integrate sustainability leadership more effectively within the city's organization.

To address this, CLC Fellow Samuel Howard provided research and recommendations for implementing sustainability management at the staff level. His guide, How to Implement Sustainability Leadership in Municipal Management, outlines six primary options for a sustainability manager and includes templates for a Sustainability Coordinator job posting and an interlocal agreement. This guide helps other Michigan municipalities assess the feasibility of each option in their communities, with the aim of making sustainability leadership a standard practice in municipal government.

• Location: Rockford, MI
• Project Team: Samuel Howard (Fellow, Eastern Michigan University), Thad Beard, Mindy Miner, & Cheryl Scales (Mentors, City of Rockford), Jan Culbertson (Technical Advisor, Ann Arbor 2030 District)
• Project Presentation (PDF)
• Project Deliverable: How to Implement Sustainability Leadership in Municipal Management (PDF)