Challenge The 2016 Delaware Growth Agenda outlined a transformative strategy for reinvigorating The First State’s economic trajectory and implementing a reset of its economic development approach, most notably through the establishment of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership. In the years since the Growth Agenda’s release, Delaware has experienced significant economic growth—on […]
Challenge Faced with the closure of the Charleston Naval Complex in the early 1990s and the loss of some 22,000 jobs, Charleston County leaders responded decisively, establishing an economic development function with broad deal-making authority and dedicated funding. The decision proved to be a game-changer when Charleston was selected as
Challenge Situated just north of Houston in Montgomery County, Texas, Conroe’s employment situation in the latter half of the 2010s mirrored national trends. The county’s unemployment levels reached historic levels—as low as 2.8 percent in May 2019—and job growth in the county was outpacing the growth of the local labor
Challenge Following three decades of strong population growth, Kittitas County, Washington, experienced even higher levels of in-migration in the years leading up to the 2020 Census. Anecdotal evidence suggested this trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as those who had flexible work arrangements, or who could afford to move
Challenge The City of Virginia Beach found itself at an economic development crossroads in late 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Home to approximately 450,000 residents, the city boasts 38 miles of beachfront, four of the world’s fastest subsea cables, exceptional transportation infrastructure, and access to the third-largest container port
Challenge During the preparation of the Vision 2020 plan in 2010, leaders in the 11-county Northeast Indiana region highlighted a critical drop in per capita personal income over a 15-year period as several major employers downsized or ceased operations. Concerns about the region’s economic decline were amplified by stagnating population
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 The Wichita Falls’ regional economy has historically been driven by its government and energy sectors, and over the past 50 years the manufacturing sector has developed as the region’s third economic engine. Recent events, however, underscore the region’s need for further economic diversification. The 2005 round of the Base
Challenge Located just 30 minutes north of Dallas, one of the nation’s most dynamic metropolitan areas, Frisco, Texas, has all the ingredients for sustained economic growth. Along with competitive advantages in traditional site selection factors such as transportation access, available land, and a reliable water supply, the city offers an
Challenge A rural community just outside the orbit of St. Louis, Iron County was negatively impacted by the breach of the Taum Sauk Reservoir in December 2005. Despite receiving settlement monies in 2011, County leaders struggled to implement a coordinated response to the area’s challenges which included stagnant population trends,
