Challenge Comprised of 26 counties spanning 26,000 miles, the Texas Panhandle and its workforce development service area covers a geography larger than 10 US states. The Region 16 Education Service Center (ESC) serves school districts within the Texas Panhandle. In October 2023, Region 16 ESC was awarded the Tri-Agency Grant […]
Challenge Northwest Indiana (comprised of Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties) faces both old and new obstacles on its path to sustainable economic growth. Some, such as the decline of the steel industry, have been impacting the region for years. Others, like the region’s housing and workforce shortages, are nationwide
Challenge Bounded by the Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage is situated in one of the world’s most beautiful settings. Its scenic parks and trails, upscale ski resort, top-tier restaurants, and unique cultural and arts amenities make the city a popular destination for visitors and adventure seekers from around
Challenge Lake County, Illinois, is a picturesque region along the shores of Lake Michigan. It is one of the largest counties in the Chicago metropolitan area, with over 714,000 residents as of the 2020 US Census. Proximity to downtown Chicago and O’Hare International Airport, combined with distinctive communities and easy
Challenge Located in the heart of Texas, Waco has the building blocks required for long-term success. Advantages fueling the city’s growing population and recent economic development wins include relatively inexpensive land (with available sites along the bustling IH-35 corridor), access to multiple higher education institutions (a network encompassing Baylor University
Challenge The Community Development Foundation (CDF), which serves as the chamber of commerce and economic development organization for Tupelo/Lee County, Mississippi, has long recognized the transformative power of a vision and a plan. Beginning with the 1946 “Tupelo Plan,” the CDF has implemented a series of plans that have enabled
Challenge Despite a long-term decline in manufacturing employment at the national level, Buncombe County has captured top tier advanced manufacturing companies. The region is also home to the National Centers for Environmental Information and a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and innovative startups. Building on this success is a challenge for
Challenge Charged with linking transportation and land use planning in a 7-county region of northeastern Illinois, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and its partners have a strong history of collaboration. Long-range planning efforts such as ON TO 2050, the region’s current comprehensive plan that identified economically disconnected and
Challenge The inactivation of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade coupled with additional reductions in Army personnel dropped the active duty population at Fort Campbell to 26,500 in FY2015, down from a high of 31,092 just two years earlier. These personnel actions had a significant impact on the regional economy (defined
Challenge Greater Spokane has grown into the second largest metro area in the state of Washington and a significant economic driver for the Inland Northwest. The region is home to dynamic industries ranging from aerospace and life sciences to advanced manufacturing and agriculture, a full spectrum of higher education institutions,
