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Michigan’s Creative Coast Sponsorship Opportunities

As a full-service relocation program, Michigan's Creative Coast is a one-stop resource for everything you need to live, work, and get connected in the Grand Traverse region.

Michigan’s Creative Coast is a talent attraction initiative that highlights the Grand Traverse Region as an exceptional place to live, explore, and fulfill your career. Our mission is to advance the economic vitality of the Grand Traverse Region by elevating its innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem; attracting new people, new ideas, and new businesses; and placing our region on the map as an attractive career destination.

Michigan’s Creative Coast inspires professionals from across the country and beyond to make the move to northern Michigan and places the Grand Traverse Region on the map as a recognizable career and lifestyle destination.  

Contact Abby Baudry to secure your company’s Michigan’s Creative Coast sponsorship.

 

Michigan's Creative Coast Sponsorship Opportunities 2025

The Michigan’s Creative Coast Job Board is a high-quality and curated showcase of key employers and family-sustaining job opportunities available in the Grand Traverse region. Curation of the job board is defined around pay rate parameters to ensure alignment with Traverse Connect’s mission which is to encourage the growth of family-sustaining careers in the Grand Traverse Region. The Job Board is consistently the second-most visited page behind the Michigan’s Creative Coast home page.  

Presenting Sponsor will receive: 

  • Recognition as Presenting Sponsor of the Michigan’s Creative Coast Job Board with placement of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on the Job Board webpage. 
  • Sponsor logo added to every Michigan’s Creative Coast newsletter job board roundup (1500+ subscribers, sent once/month). 
  • Regular recognition in Traverse Connect weekly newsletter (6,000+ subscribers), when the Michigan’s Creative Coast job board is featured, at least once per month. 
  • Recognition and promotion in Michigan’s Creative Coast social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook), as well as mentions on Traverse Connect social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). 
  • Opportunity to provide opening remarks at the (4) Fresh Coast Quarterly Club events to showcase your company and how you contribute to the career opportunities in northern Michigan. 

*Note that we ask Sponsor to provide us with a unique tracking URL which we may use to link back to the sponsor’s website. This will ensure the Sponsor can track and record the number of views and hits their website is receiving as a result of Sponsorship of Michigan’s Creative Coast. 

 

Once per year, Traverse Connect and Michigan’s Creative Coast together invite 10 individuals from outside the Grand Traverse region to receive complimentary tickets to the Annual Economic Summit (Traverse Connect’s largest event of the year) and the fall Fresh Coast Quarterly Club. Known as ‘Northern Explorers,’ these individuals will be featured with their bio and resumes to both the Traverse Connect and Michigan’s Creative Coast audiences leading up to the fall events. Since launching in 2021, this program has helped 14 Northern Explorers make the move to the Traverse City area and directly led to the successful hires of several explorers to local companies.  

The Presenting Sponsor of the Northern Explorers will receive: 

  • Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on the Northern Explorers webpage. 
  • One table (eight tickets) for the Annual Economic Summit luncheon
  • Opportunity to provide remarks introducing the Northern Explorers during the Quick Connect portion of the Annual Economic Summit.
  • Verbal recognition as sponsor at the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club. 
  • Special recognition as sponsor via all promotional posts for the Northern Explorers on both Traverse Connect and Michigan’s Creative Coast social media outlets.  
  • Special recognition as sponsor in Michigan’s Creative Coast newsletter (1500+ subscribers, including newcomers and people interested in relocating to the Grand Traverse region). 
  • Special recognition as sponsor in Traverse Connect’s weekly newsletter (6,000+ subscribers).  
  • Opportunity to provide branded lanyards for the Northern Explorers to wear during the events. 

*Note that we ask Sponsor to provide us with a unique tracking URL which we may use to link back to the sponsor’s website. This will ensure the Sponsor can track and record the number of views and hits their website is receiving as a result of Sponsorship of Michigan’s Creative Coast.

Held four times annually, our Fresh Coast Quarterly Club meetups are an opportunity for newcomers to the Grand Traverse region to get plugged into a network, meet new people, and learn about one of the most vibrant arts & culture communities in Michigan and the Midwest. The Fresh Coast Quarterly Club is hosted at a different location each time, is free to attend, and is open to all. Each event draws 80 – 120 attendees, many of whom have recently relocated to the Grand Traverse region.  

Presenting Sponsor will receive: 

  • Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor of the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on event webpage.  
  • Opportunity to provide opening remarks during the event to showcase your company and how you contribute to the lifestyle/career opportunities in northern Michigan.   
  • Special recognition as sponsor via one (1) unique Michigan’s Creative Coast social media post and recognition in all event promotion posts.   
  • Special recognition as sponsor in Michigan’s Creative Coast newsletter (1500+ subscribers, including newcomers and people interested in relocating to the Grand Traverse Region).  
  • Opportunity to place company swag and promotional material at the event. 

*Note that we ask Sponsor to provide us with a unique tracking URL which we may use to link back to the sponsor’s website. This will ensure the Sponsor can track and record the number of views and hits their website is receiving as a result of Sponsorship of Michigan’s Creative Coast. 

 

Michigan’s Creative Coast (MCC) introduces the first annual Fresh Coast Quarterly Club Local’s Summer Staycation! Taking our regularly scheduled meetups to the next level, the Local’s Summer Staycation is intended to showcase the unique businesses and organizations that create special community places and lifestyle destinations across the Grand Traverse region. For the inaugural Local’s Summer Staycation, Michigan’s Creative Coast is seeking to highlight the Warehouse District of downtown Traverse City for a local’s summer staycation! 

Presenting Sponsor: $3500 (SOLD) 

  •  Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor of the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club Local’s Summer Staycation via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on event webpage.  
  •  Opportunity to be featured in the event video to showcase how your business contributes to the lifestyle/career opportunities in northern Michigan.
  •  Opportunity to provide a 30-second video for social media to be used for event promotion.  
  • Opportunity to place company swag and promotional material at the event.  
  • Logo included on event signage. 
  •  Recognition in digital and print publications including, but not limited to:  
      • Newsletters: Promoted in the monthly MCC newsletter (1600+ subscribers) and in the Traverse Connect weekly newsletter (6,000 + subscribers) 
      • Email: Logo on invitation and confirmation emails sent to each event registrant 
      • Media: Promoted as sponsor in all earned and purchased media related to the event (may include print, radio, television, and direct mail) 
      • Website: Logo on MCC and Traverse Connect websites 
      • Social Media: Recognition across MCC and Traverse Connect social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) including one unique shoutout post via MCC

Supporting Sponsors: $1,000 (SOLD) 

  1. Recognition as the Supporting Sponsor of the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club Local’s Summer Staycation via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on event webpage.  
  2. Opportunity to provide a 30-second video for social media to be used for event promotion.     
  3. Opportunity to place company swag and promotional material at the event. 
  4. Logo included on event signage. 
  5. Recognition in digital and print publications including, but not limited to:  
      • Newsletters: Promoted in the monthly MCC newsletter (1600+ subscribers) and in the Traverse Connect weekly newsletter (6,000 + subscribers) 
      • Email: Logo on invitation and confirmation emails sent to each event registrant 
      • Media: Promoted as sponsor in all earned and purchased media related to the event (may include print, radio, television, and direct mail) 
      • Website: Logo on MCC and Traverse Connect websites 
      • Social Media: Recognition across MCC and Traverse Connect social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) including one unique shoutout post via MCC 

Staycation Destination: $200 (1 left!) 

  1. Recognition as a Staycation Destination of the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club Local’s Summer Staycation via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on event webpage and virtual scavenger hunt.  
  2. Logo included in the warehouse district scavenger hunt via QR code 
  3. Recognition in digital and print publications including, but not limited to:  
      • Newsletters: Promoted in the monthly MCC newsletter (1600+ subscribers) and in the Traverse Connect weekly newsletter (6,000 + subscribers) 
      • Email: Logo on invitation and confirmation emails sent to each event registrant 
      • Media: Promoted as sponsor in all earned and purchased media related to the event (may include print, radio, television, and direct mail) 
      • Website: Logo on MCC and Traverse Connect websites 
      • Social Media: Recognition across MCC and Traverse Connect social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) including one unique shoutout post via MCC 

Showcase Table: $100 (SOLD)- Freelancers and Non-Profits 

  1. Opportunity to display artwork, work samples, marketing materials, etc. at a table  
  2. Table must be provided by your business* 
  3. Logo included on MCC and Traverse Connect event pages highlighting which organizations will be represented at tables

Media Sponsor: (SOLD) 

  1. Recognition as the Media Sponsor of the Fresh Coast Quarterly Club Local’s Summer Staycation via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink*) on event webpage. 

The Housing & Real Estate webpage is nested under the ‘Living Here’ section of michiganscreativecoast.com. It can be accessed via the homepage ‘Make Your Life Here’ button or via the website hamburger menu. The intent is to inform newcomers of the variety of options available to them depending on their lifestyle need upon relocating to the area and to provide resources for home buyers and renters such as real estate agencies and rental home providers.  

Housing & Real Estate Page Sponsor will receive:  

  • Recognition as Housing & Real Estate Page Sponsor via addition of Sponsor’s logo (with hyperlink)*, bio and about information, headshot and imagery, video content (optional) to webpage.   
  • Special recognition on Michigan’s Creative Coast social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook) via:  
    • Two (2) unique shoutout post featuring sponsor two times per year. 
    • Special mention as a sponsor via four (4) Housing & Real Estate webpage highlight posts per year.   
  • Two (2) features in Michigan’s Creative Coast newsletter (1500+ subscribers, including newcomers and people interested in relocating to the Grand Traverse region) per year.
  • Opportunity to provide brief remarks at one (1) Fresh Coast Quarterly Club per year about Sponsor’s business and real estate services. 

*Note that we ask Sponsor to provide us with a unique tracking URL which we may use to link back to the sponsor’s website. This will ensure the Sponsor can track and record the number of views and hits their website is receiving as a result of Sponsorship of Michigan’s Creative Coast. 

Acting as ‘regional ambassadors,’ our Northern Navigators meet one-on-one with newcomers to help them feel welcomed and connected, all while offering knowledge of the regional lifestyle, recreation, schools, healthcare, real estate, and industry and career opportunities. They come from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds, offering a wide range of perspectives and advice about living in the Grand Traverse region. The individual Northern Navigator profiles consistently rank in the top performing webpages across michiganscreativecoast.com.  

A Northern Navigator Profile Sponsor will receive: 

  • Your logo (with hyperlink)* and a short blurb added to an individual Northern Navigator profile page.
  • Recognition on Michigan’s Creative Coast social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook) via one (1) Northern Navigator profile feature per year.  
  • Recognition in Michigan’s Creative Coast newsletter (1500+ subscribers, including newcomers and people interested in relocating to the Grand Traverse region) via Sponsor’s logo attached to one (1) Northern Navigator profile highlight per year.  

*Note that we ask Sponsor to provide us with a unique tracking URL which we may use to link back to the sponsor’s website. This will ensure the Sponsor can track and record the number of views and hits their website is receiving as a result of Sponsorship of Michigan’s Creative Coast.