For this PfC project, the Village of Mackinaw City, Cheboygan County, Otsego County, Tuscarora Township, Corwith Township, and the Village of Vanderbilt partnered with a number of economic development/community/trail organizations. They were awarded a First Steps service grant to create a sustainable partnership of trail stakeholders and to educate trailside communities on profitable development options to enhance their economic vitality.

Update: LIAA assisted in developing the "Trail Town Manual," a document that discusses and illustrates how communities -- or "Trail Towns" -- along the North Central State Trail can better utilize and leverage the 62-mile trail to support tourism and future business and economic development opportunities. In addition, LIAA used community assets provided by the local project partners to develop a comprehensive informational/marketing website for the trail - www.northcentraltrail.org