We don’t just meet. We move.
Compass Strategies was born to impact policy from the outside in, and from the bottom up.
This is because real change only happens when you bring people together. We’ve cultivated relationships with the decision makers who understand this concept and we leverage those relationships to move agendas. Compass Strategies takes that understanding and combines government relations work with on-the-ground action that builds local consensus and forms coalitions. Our public relations arm then presents the proposed impacts to the masses. So by the time our clients are in a room with policymakers, their ideas already have momentum behind them. It’s not always the easiest route to take — it’s the one that works.
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We’ve fought alongside policy makers on behalf of their constituents. We’ve helped them navigate complex issues. They trust us and are willing to consider our clients’ proposals
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Engaging local communities on new developments or initiatives has become more important than its ever been. It can be daunting. We’ve been on both sides of that divide, and we know how to be a conduit for productive dialogue. Because we’re embedded in these communities, Compass helps our clients establish credible rapport through learning the language and landscape.
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Our communities are incredibly diverse, and many factors can make it hard to run impactful engagement or educational campaigns. Many ethnic communities are wary of outsiders. Immigration status can make some people hesitant to volunteer information about themselves. Socioeconomic factors can make contact through conventional channels difficult. We help our clients understand these audiences at the granular level and engage them directly.
We’ve been a part of real change in our state.
Social change is always contentious, but you don’t build a reputation by shying away from the hard fights.
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Served on the transition team for the former Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority/Cobo Center that made way for the $300M renovations that can be seen today.
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Marathon Oil Corporation contracted with Compass to assist in securing approvals for its “Marathon Refinery Heavy Oil Upgrade Project,” in southwest Detroit. This $2.2 billion project was slated to increase the refinery’s heavy oil capacity, which translates into an additional one million gallons of fuel per day available to Midwest consumers. In addition, the expansion would increase the refinery workforce by 135 full-time employees. But even in a community that has historically been an industrial and manufacturing hub, any new industrial project was considered to be controversial. We leveraged our expertise to secure approvals at both the executive and legislative branch of government, while successfully navigating the political sensitivities and ramifications of such an endorsement.
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After 40 years of playing in Oakland County, the Detroit Pistons decided to return to the city of Detroit. The decision required the Detroit City Council to approve the complicated financial structure that came as a result of retrofitting parts of Little Caesars Arena to meet NBA standards. Compass successfully consulted the Pistons organization through that process. As part of our partnership with the Pistons, Compass entered into the city’s first Community Benefits Agreement.
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Through our work with the Pistons, in partnership with Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University, Compass helped gain approval for a $3 billion transformational development that will result in a new hospital, medical research center, and affordable housing in Detroit’s New Center area.
We’re very selective when we choose projects, and we’re effective in part because we move ethically, which allows us to maintain the trust of policymakers and communities in the long term. Our reputation is everything, and we work to build on it every day.