The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) assists municipalities, among others, across the state as they work to identify, protect, incentivize, and tell the story of important historic places in our communities. One of the primary means of providing this assistance is the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, through which local governments and the SHPO engage in a partnership to promote historic preservation as an integral component of community and economic development activities. Participation in the CLG program signals that a community is preservation-ready, supporting a vision for its future that respects the tangible link between the community’s built and cultural environment and its sense of place, which are integral to long-term vitality and success. Built upon a framework for preservation best practices, the program not only provides a solid foundation for communities to incorporate preservation into their planning activities but also participating communities with exclusive tools, including specialized technical assistance and grant funding opportunities from the SHPO. This webinar will provide local units of government and partners such as Main Street organizations and Downtown Development Authorities with a broad understanding of the CLG program and the impact it can have in helping a community effectively plan for its heritage assets as part of community-focused planning and development. Through the program, participants will gain: (1) an understanding of the CLG program and its place in historic preservation efforts at the local level; (2) an understanding of CLG program requirements; (3) an understanding of the tools, funding, and assistance available to participating communities; (4) an understanding of how the CLG program can complement broader community development activities and strategies; and (5) an understanding of how to successfully apply for the CLG program.