Glossary
- B
- Benchmarking
- The process of setting “benchmarks,” which means identifying accurate historical data against which a data set can be compared now and in the future. In our case, it is the process of comparing our region's performance against the practices of other regions for the purpose of improving performance.
- Biodiversity
- The diversity, or variety, of plants, animals and other living things in a particular area or region. It encompasses habitat diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity.
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- C
- Charrette
- A brief but intense design workshop where stakeholders and citizens are invited to contribute to the work of an interdisciplinary team during the early stages of design and planning.
- Collaboration
- When individuals or a group work together in a joint intellectual effort or on the same endeavor. Working together on a common enterprise or project.
- Common Framework, The
- A comprehensive document created as a result of two years of objective data gathering, analysis and strategic planning conducted by more than 250 volunteers across ten essential activities: Environment, Economy, Education & Research, Health & Human Services, Tourism, Arts & Culture, Land Use, Infrastructure, Transportation/Logistics, and Governance.
- Community
- A community is a set of people with some shared element — in particular a group of people who live in the same geographical area is a community. The substance of shared element varies widely, from a situation to interest to lives and values. The term is widely used to evoke sense of collectivism.
- Conservation Easement
- A voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land conservancy or government agency that permanently limits development of the property in order to retain conservation values of the land.
- Contributing Factors
- Casual relationships or driving forces.
- CRI
- GVSU Community Research Institute (CRI)'s mission is to assist nonprofit organizations in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland Metropolitan area with the acquisition of information and technical skills that will help them to understand the evolving needs of the community, plan programs, solve problems, and measure outcomes.
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- D
- Data
- Individual facts, statistics or items of information.
- Data Dictionary
- A catalog or table containing information about the data stored in a database. A data dictionary might contain the full names of attributes and meaning of codes.
- Data Element
- The smallest unit of information used to describe a particular characteristic of a data set. A data element is a logically primitive description that cannot be further subdivided.
- Data Mining
- The process of analyzing data to identify patterns or relationships.
- Data Sets
- A collection of data records that includes facts, statistics or other items of information.
- Delta Strategy, The
- Delta Strategy enhances community effectiveness in addressing seemingly intractable issues through cross-sector dialogue and collaboration.
- Demographics
- Statistical data of an area's population such as age, sex, income, education, etc.
- Diversity
- Diversity is the term used to describe the relative uniqueness of each individual in the population. This includes characteristics or factors such as personality, work style, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, having a disability, socioeconomic level, educational attainment, and general work experience. Diversity refers to all of the characteristics that make individuals different from each other.
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- E
- Economic Prosperity
- Depends upon business, trade and employment. A strong economy provides us ithe the resources we need to improve life and achieve sustainability (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
- Educational Attainment
- The annual estimate of the percentage of persons aged 25 - 34 years with a bachelors degree or higher.
- Environmental Integrity
- Values the health functioning of biological organisms within the ecosystem they inhabit (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
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- G
- GILC
- The GILC is made up of individuals who represent leadership from conservation organizations, businesses, and local government in West Michigan, serving in an advisory role for the Green Infrastructure Initiative, providing information and ideas to catalyze change.
- Globalization
- The increasing interconnectedness of people and places as a result of advances in transport, communication and information technologies that cause political, economic, and cultural convergence.
- Governance
- The act, process or power of governing by committees formed to administer and exercise authority and control of something.
- Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
- Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) is an alliance of governmental units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area that are appointed to plan for the growth and development, improve the quality of the communities' life, and coordinate governmental services.
- Grand Valley State University
- A four-year university established in 1960 offering a strong liberal education that includes undergraduate and graduate programs. Visit www.gvsu.edu for more information.
- Green Infrastructure Leadership Council
- The GILC is made up of individuals who represent leadership from conservation organizations, businesses, and local government in West Michigan, serving in an advisory role for the Green Infrastructure Initiative, providing information and ideas to catalyze change.
- Green Roof
- A roof covered with vegetation and soil, or a growing medium. Benefits include reduced stormwater runoff, reduced urban heat island effect and air and water filtration.
- Greenway
- A corridor open space that often follows a natural feature such as a stream, valley or floodplain and is used for recreation, conservation and non-motorized transportation to connect amenities.
- GVMC
- Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) is an alliance of governmental units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area that are appointed to plan for the growth and development, improve the quality of the communities' life, and coordinate governmental services.
- GVSU
- A four-year university established in 1960 offering a strong liberal education that includes undergraduate and graduate programs. Visit www.gvsu.edu for more information.
- GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute
- The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) is a multidisciplinary research organization committed to the study of freshwater resources. The mission of the Institute is to integrate research, education, and outreach to enhance and preserve freshwater resources.
- GVSU Community Research Institute
- CRI's mission is to assist nonprofit organizations in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland Metropolitan area with the acquisition of information and technical skills that will help them to understand the evolving needs of the community, plan programs, solve problems, and measure outcomes.
- GVSU Sustainability Initiative
- The GVSU Sustainability Initiative helps to model sustainability on campus in a fully integrated fashion through university expertise, education and curriculum, facilities management and administration, student involvement, and community engagement.
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- I
- Indicator
- A numerical measure of quality of life. Indicators are used to illustrate progress in meeting a range of economic, social, and environmental goals. A feature or phenomenon that can be objectively measured in quantitative or qualitative terms as a means of gauging progress toward achieving a goal or measuring the impact of a specific intervention.
- Infrastructure
- A basic underlying framework or features of an organization which provides fundamental operation and systems used in business, community or the region.
- Innovation (WIRED)
- The name for the 12 WIRED funded projects, ranging from initiatives to retain workers to programs for helping the region create and capitalize on innovative new products or ideas.
- Innovation Champion
- The person(s) charged with implementing and leading each WIRED West Michigan innovation.
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- L
- Land Use
- Is the human modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements (source: Wikipedia.org)
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- M
- Macatawa Area Coordinating Council
- The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, located in the greater Holland/Zeeland, MI area, encourages cooperation among 13 neighboring units of government on area-wide issues and serves as the MPO for these jurisdictions.
- MACC
- The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC), located in the greater Holland/Zeeland, MI area, encourages cooperation among 13 neighboring units of government on area-wide issues and serves as the MPO for these jurisdictions.
- Metadata
- Information that describes the content, quality, condition, origin, and other characteristics of information. It can be classified by subject matter; how, when, where, and by whom the data was collected, availability and distribution information. Metadata is usually stored on a data dictionary.
- Metro Tri-Plex
- A term used when referencing the Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon areas collaborating together as a whole.
- Metropolitan Planning Organization
- A metropolitan planning organization, or MPO, is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process.
- Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Is an area containing a core city with a population of at least 50,000 people, together with neighboring communities that have a high degree of economic and social connection.
- MPO
- A metropolitan planning organization, or MPO, is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process.
- MSA
- A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is an area containing a core city with a population of at least 50,000 people, together with neighboring communities that have a high degree of economic and social connection.
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- N
- Natural Resources
- Any part of the environment that species depend on for their survival. Materials that occur in nature and are essential or useful to humans, such as water, air, land, forests, fish and wildlife, topsoil, and minerals.
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- P
- Policy Council (WIRED)
- A group of 14 diverse leaders in West Michigan appointed as an 'advisory council' for the WIRED West Michigan initiative who play an integral role in the ongoing approval, guidance and development of each WIRED innovation.
- Priorities for Regional Collaboration
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- R
- Region
- A geographical area connected through transportation patterns, commerce, media and other interrelated interests.
- Regional Indicators
- A tool used to help assess the sustainability of West Michigan. Indicators are used to measure trends in social, economic, and environmental systems and to help people see the bigger picture through small details. They represent a 50,000 foot view, not a slide on a microscope.
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- S
- Social Justice
- Involves the identification of issues, the development of standards, and the implementation of programs that address our responsibility for the ethical treatment of individuals, communities and other stakeholders (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
- Stakeholder
- Specific people or groups seen as integral to planning and achieving the vision, goals and objectives because they have a strong vested interest in the outcome.
- Stewardship
- The concept of responsible caretaking; based on the premise that we do not own resources, but are managers and are responsible to future generations for their condition.
- Sustainability
- Meeting the needs of today without compromising the future generations' ability to meet their own needs. From the U.N. Brundtland Report 1987
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- T
- Trend
- A general course of direction demonstrated through observation of data and/or indicators over time.
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- U
- Urban Design
- An aspect of urban or suburban planning that focuses on creating a desirable environment in which to live, work and play. A well designed urban or suburban environment demonstrates the four generally accepted principles of urban design: clearly identifiable function for the area; easily understood order; distinctive identity; and visual appeal.
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- V
- Vital Signs, The
- WMSA formed a collaborative partnership with seven organizations with expertise in identifying, gathering, analyzing, reporting and using data to create the West Mihcigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs. Members of these seven organizations formed a steering committee to plan and oversee this project (see Regional Indicators for more information).
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- W
- Watershed
- A geographical area that acts as a drainage basin for a common waterway, like a river, lake, stream, or wetland.
- West Michigan Region
- A seven-county area (Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo & Ottawa) with the Holland-Muskegon-Grand Rapids metro area at its core.
- West Michigan Regional Urban Design Charrette (WMRUD)
- West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission
- The WMSRDC is a federal and state designated regional planning and development agency serving 127 local governments in Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and northern Ottawa Counties.
- West Michigan Strategic Alliance (WMSA)
- WMSA is a collaborative effort among leaders of governmental units, businesses, institutions and private citizens from around the region who seek to improve the productivity of the region's limited resources; to achieve sustainable communities by balancing economic prosperity, environmental integrity and social justice; and to improve the quality of life for all citizens.
- WIRED
- Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) A $15 million dollar grant awarded to WMSA and supported by the U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA) created to cultivate the creation of high skill and high wage opportunities for American workers.
- WMSA's Mission
- To be a catalyst for regional collaboration.
- WMSA's Vision
- To be the best place place to live, work and play in the Midwest.
- WMSRDC
- The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) is a federal and state designated regional planning and development agency serving 127 local governments in Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and northern Ottawa Counties.
- Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development
- A $15 million dollar grant awarded to WMSA and supported by the U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA) created to cultivate the creation of high skill and high wage opportunities for American workers.
- WorkKeys
- The name given for a series of tests (Applied Math, Reading for Information, and Locating Information) developed by the American College Testing Program (ACT) for the National Career Readiness Certificated (NCRC) program, used throughout business and industry to measure different skills and abilities.
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