Since 2005, the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) has been committed to our vision of equitable access to opportunity. Central to this vision is a human-centered approach, which prioritizes the voices and lived experiences of WMCAT students, families, and the communities they are part of. Public Agency at WMCAT, launched in 2016, has been an extension of this approach.
We are proud of what Public Agency at WMCAT has achieved over its nine-year tenure, leading and developing programs that engaged a diverse cross-section of community members to co-create, examine, and influence the systems in our city that affect us all. The work of Public Agency included leading the Kent County Food Policy Council in developing a system-wide food plan; hosting the Grand Rapids Justice and Governance Partnership; working with first-generation college students in partnership with the Obama Foundation’s Voyager Scholarship; and developing Community Catalysts, a program that engaged a diverse cross-section of community members to co-create, examine, and influence the systems in our city that affect us all; and countless other influential engagements.
As of December 2025, Public Agency contracts transitioned to ConnectUS, the national consulting arm of KConnect. This transition supports the continuation of this work toward an equitable future through a trusted partner that shares our values and commitment to collective change.
We are grateful to our partners, collaborators, and community members who shared in Public Agency’s impact, and we invite you to continue to connect with WMCAT through Workforce Development and Arts + Tech programs.
Public Agency at WMCAT started with the goal of seeing opportunity, equity, and innovation flourish in our region.
Over our 15-year history, West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) has invested in creating equitable access to opportunity. We launched Public Agency at WMCAT in 2016 to better point our efforts externally toward community challenges and solutions. Public Agency is a human-centered design consultancy within WMCAT that helps organizations foster a culture of equity, action, and innovation. We have a portfolio of work at the intersection of equity and innovation with grassroots organizations, businesses, and public entities locally, statewide, and nationally.
Our Services
Workshops
Learn new ways of listening to customers, identifying unspoken needs, framing opportunities, designing more equitably, and quickly testing ideas.
Project-Based Coaching + Engagement
Apply our equity-centered design process to a current challenge as the foundation for learning for your team. Understand the aspirations and values of the community you serve. Engage and amplify all voices.