The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission has launched a new survey to help it draft an economic development strategy for the region. As a federally-designated economic development district, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission also needs to keep the five-year strategy on hand to qualify for certain kinds of federal funding. But Burdue says federal funding is not the only reason the planning commission is working on the strategy. “We’re really interested in not traditional economic development, but where the field is headed, which is looking at community development as well, quality of life issues.” The survey will be available through the end of August, and the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission expects to have an updated regional economic development strategy complete in December or January.