Challenge The COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic upheaval had a negative impact on business supply chains, workers, and communities in Texas and around the globe. This upheaval exacerbated existing business challenges, particularly for small- and minority-owned businesses. Along with its challenges, the downturn presented opportunities to build on trends that
Challenge Richmond’s population gains since the 2000 Census marked a reversal from contractions led by white flight and urban disinvestment in prior decades. In addition to its robust population growth, the city began drawing attention for its amenities including an emerging arts, food, and craft beer scene; a vibrant African
Challenge At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas unemployment rate skyrocketed from its historical low of 3.4 percent in January 2020 to its historical high of 12.6 percent in April 2020. Like the rest of the country, a wide range of stakeholders, including public officials and economic development
Challenge Home to Fort Campbell, the nation’s third largest military installation, and a desirable mix of private-sector employment, the Clarksville-Montgomery County region has remained a magnet for population and employment growth, even during the national economic downturn. Maintaining the region’s quality of place and the employment opportunities that attracted this
Challenge A dramatic rise in energy prices leading up to the Great Recession—with crude oil spiking at more than $140 per barrel in mid-2008—suggested the era of cheap petroleum was coming to an end. Surging prices for fossil fuels, coupled with air quality and national security concerns, contributed to a
Challenge The US Department of Energy’s 300-square-mile Savannah River Site (SRS) has been a key economic driver in South Carolina since the 1950s, making the federal government and its contractors the region’s largest industry sector. Established in 1993, the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO) is charged with facilitating
Challenge With Oregon’s employment base growing faster than its labor force, the state’s talent shortage has become more acute. Rising vacancies and increases in the length of time required to fill positions cost Oregon employers billions each year (not to mention the subsequent loss of state revenues from income taxes).
Challenge In addition to producing the talent the economy relies on, innovation born out of Texas higher education institutions plays an essential role in the state’s global economic competitiveness. State leaders have made significant investments in this area, nearly tripling the number of top tier research universities in the past
Challenge Idaho has become one of the fastest growing states in the nation, with a steady flow of workers moving to the Gem State from states like California, Washington, and Oregon. Rural Idaho has seen net population gains from this migration as well as from the movement of Idahoans from
Challenge The Greater Newport and East Bay Region—which includes Newport and Bristol Counties—has a rich history, a global brand, and is a sought-after tourist destination. With advanced defense companies like Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, R&D assets like the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and national defense installations like the Naval War
