The Upper Peninsula Economic Development Alliance (UPEDA) provides a network for its members and partners to connect and accomplish economic development activities throughout the region. The group works together to share information, provide ongoing education, and support businesses and entrepreneurial growth across the region. The UPEDA also consists of board members across the U.P. that have expertise in the economic development, workforce development, and private sector fields. One of the goals of the organization is to have four quarterly events each year relating to ongoing and emerging economic development issues and initiatives. This gives the organization an opportunity to share useful information and the opportunity to network.

News

Award Presented to Great Lakes Recovery Centers

Great Lakes Recovery Centers was given the UPEDA’s non-profit award at Operation Action UP’s February 2025 meeting.

For over four decades, GLRC has embodied its mission, to empower recovery through hope and change, by providing comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based behavioral health services to those affected by substance use disorders and mental health challenges. GLRC’s breadth of impact is remarkable. Operating numerous outpatient clinics across the region and multiple residential treatment facilities, including the Men’s and Women’s New Hope Houses and adolescent residential services, GLRC offers a full continuum of care tailored to meet individuals where they are on their recovery journey.

Their services include individualized outpatient treatment, group therapy, clinically managed withdrawal support, peer recovery coaching, and community-based prevention programs, all delivered by licensed, certified professionals committed to dignity and respect for every client. Their CARF accreditation, HIPAA compliance, and recovery residence certification reflects a deep commitment to quality, accountability, and ethical care.

What truly sets GLRC apart is not just the scope of services they provide, but the transformative and enduring impact they have on the lives they touch. Personal testimonials speak to GLRC’s power to change trajectories, from helping adolescents make life-affirming decisions early in life to supporting adults in achieving long-term recovery and reintegration into their families and communities. Their innovative Women and Families Program allows mothers to bring children into treatment, fostering healing for entire families and breaking intergenerational cycles of addiction.

In addition to direct care, GLRC works tirelessly to build healthier communities, offering mental health services, trauma-informed care, peer support, re-entry services, prevention education, and collaboration with community partners like United Way chapters across the region. Their holistic approach, treating the mind, body, and spirit, reflects not only clinical expertise but a profound belief in human potential and recovery for all.

Award Presented to Great Start to Quality Upper Peninsula Resource Center

Great Start to Quality Upper Peninsula Resource Center was given the UPEDA’s non-profit award at Operation Action UP’s February 2024 meeting.

The Great Start to Quality Upper Peninsula Resource Center serves Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft counties. Located in Marquette, the Center helps families find childcare in the Upper Peninsula and supports providers with improving their program. 

They offer support to Upper Peninsula childcare providers and educators to improve the quality of their programs by providing individualized consultation, coaching and access to training and resources.  The staff provides professional development opportunities to all provider types across the region on topics related to best practice, developmentally appropriate themes, as well as topics that are required through the State Childcare Licensing Division.  Another aspect of the work that they provide is access and support in utilizing such programs as T.E.A.C.H. a scholarship program to aid individuals in completing a higher education level. They also support all provider types in grant opportunities that are offered by the Federal and State Governments.

The Resource Center also supports families in their search for high-quality child care and preschool. They offer a Lending Library which is a free educational resource for parents and children!  The Lending Library is designed to encourage and enhance the learning experience at home, school, child care and preschool.  

The Resource Center has been very active in supporting the Apprenticeship Program throughout the region.  With its partnership with Upper Peninsula Michigan Works!,  Bay Mills Community College, Ishpeming Public Schools, Marquette Alger RESA there have been several successful programs approved by USDOL.

Award Presented to Portage Health Foundation

Portage Health Foundation was given the UPEDA's non-profit award at Operation Action UP's February 2023 meeting.

The Portage Health hospital system originally established the Portage Health Foundation (PHF) in 1990. It was the intention that PHF would provide a pathway for community support and donations to flow into the hospital and support many healthcare offerings for the benefit of the patients receiving care.

Over the next 20 years, PHF supported several key capital purchase initiatives at the hospital, which included contributions to the dialysis, oncology, audiology, community health and wellness, cardiology, diagnostics and imaging, and rehab departments. These capital contributions strengthened the hospital system's ability to meet the health needs of the community.

In December 2013, LifePoint Hospitals acquired majority ownership of Portage Health hospital. As a result of this sale, PHF -who received the proceeds from the sale of the hospital- was converted from a hospital foundation to a 501(c)(3) charitable community organization whose mission is to support the charitable health needs of Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties. PHF has invested the capital assets from the hospital sale for the perpetual benefit of the community. Through charitable grants and other forms of reinvestment, PHF gives a portion of its investment-earnings back to the community each year.

Current priorities for the foundation include: increasing access to education, mitigating poverty, reducing hunger and poor nutrition, building safe communities, providing access to support health living and supporting medical research and innovation.

Award Presented to Great Lakes Boat Building School

The Great Lakes Boat Building School was given the UPEDA's non-profit award at Operation Action UP's February 2022 meeting.

Great Lakes Boat Building School (GLBBS) was established in 2005, by a group of Les Cheneaux Islands area enthusiasts, with its impressive history of the building and restoration of wooden boats, learned that there was no wooden boat building school in the Great Lakes region. The thought of establishing such a school became a reality as major fundraising began and, soon thereafter, waterfront property was purchased. By the following year, a 12,000 square foot facility was constructed, complementing the unique local character of the historic boat workshops and boat houses that dot the islands. The first student enrolled in the fall of 2006. Flash forward through the years and individuals that paved the way for today, and GLBBS stands as the only accredited boat building school in the state of Michigan.

As of 2020 – 2021 academic year, GLBBS offers two intensive twelve-month programs that prepare students to be industry-ready craftsmen and technicians. Graduates of the Comprehensive Career Boat Building program learn about traditional wooden boat construction, repair, and restoration. Graduates of the Marine Service Technology program are prepared to work in a wide range of marine fabrication and maintenance settings. GLBBS is a Mercury (Marine) University exclusive school. Through this partnership students receive a certificate from the Mercury M-Tech program and have the option to test for 4 Stroke Maintenance Certification. As an American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) designated Marine League School, students have the option to test for an ABYC Advisory certifications, as well as other industry credentials.