Benchmarking & best practices

SOREDI (Southern Oregon) – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge Through their location in Southern Oregon, Jackson and Josephine Counties have a number of strategic advantages. The area’s natural beauty and unique cultural amenities make it a draw for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. The region is home to a wide array of industries, including many niche and artisanal businesses. […]

Charleston Area Alliance (WV) – Catalyzing Change: An Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley region, anchored by the Charleston metropolitan area, faces long-standing economic challenges including troubling population loss, below-average employment growth, lagging unemployment rates, and low levels of workforce participation. At the same time, new leadership and promising opportunities sparked a renewed sense of agency, urgency, and optimism

City of Irving, TX – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge The City of Irving, Texas, operates in a highly competitive environment. Despite its many advantages—ranging from its transportation network to available workforce to prime sites—the city is in a constant battle for projects within the fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Irving occupies an enviable position in the region but

City of Irving, TX – Economic Development Strategic Plan Update

Challenge Incorporated in 1914 in what is now the heart of the Dallas metroplex, Irving, Texas, has experienced remarkable growth over the last five decades. From Las Colinas, which pioneered the master-planned community model, to the bustling Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Irving’s forward-thinking development and successful attraction of global

Port Authority of the City of Bloomington (MN) – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge Created in the 1980s to manage the transformation of a former stadium into the Mall of America, the Port Authority of the City of Bloomington Minnesota (the Port Authority) has seen its role in the city’s economic development efforts expand greatly over time. First, the organization’s purpose was redefined

Forsyth County, GA – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge Situated in the scenic foothills of northern Georgia among miles of largely unspoiled Lake Lanier shoreline, Forsyth County’s rapid population growth, highly rated schools, and affluence has made it a prime location for investment within the fast-growing and dynamic Atlanta metro area. However, the county’s many assets and successes

City of Clearwater, FL – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge The City of Clearwater faced two formative demographic trends: an aging population and above-average share of low-income households. Compounding these trends is the City’s over-reliance on residential real estate taxes, with housing accounting for approximately two-thirds of its property tax base. In addition, Clearwater lacks available greenfield development sites

City of Auburn, WA – Ten-Year Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge From its origins as a farming community, Auburn has transformed into a center for industry, serving as home to one of Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ most essential fabrication sites and the world’s largest airplane parts plant. The community’s commitment to quality of place is evident in its attention to civic

Christian County, MO/Cities of Nixa & Ozark – Economic Development Strategic Plan

Challenge Led by the Cities of Nixa and Ozark, Christian County grew almost 43 percent between 2000 and 2010, outpacing the rest of the region. Excellent education opportunities, good value housing, and high quality of life made North Christian County a destination for young families in the Springfield metropolitan area.

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