Challenge The federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC 2005) decided to realign the 188th Fighter Wings of the Air National Guard at Fort Smith, Arkansas. This decision prompted concerted action on the community’s part to maintain existing levels of engagement with Fort Smith. Though the community avoided economic catastrophe, […]
Challenge Together North Jersey (TNJ) was created in 2011 to help develop a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) for the 13 counties of the North Jersey region: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren. While it was among the nation’s most vital
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 Kentucky’s Green River Region is situated along the scenic Ohio River. The seven counties comprising the region (Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster) provide options ranging from quintessential Kentucky horse farms to urban lofts. The region has enjoyed strong leadership; effective organizations; and unique assets, including the
Challenge In 2012, Michigan’s governor created the Regional Prosperity Initiative (RPI), a statewide effort to bring local leaders together across ten designated “prosperity regions” to create a shared vision for economic growth. The eight-county East Central Michigan Prosperity Region, which encompasses Saginaw, has numerous assets: top-tier higher education institutions; major
Challenge The economy of central Oklahoma has long been defined by oil and gas. The vulnerability associated with overdependence on this sector has not been lost on the region’s civic leaders. Diversified investment generated through Oklahoma City’s much-lauded MAPS initiative has resulted in new projects and a renewed sense of
Challenge In November 2018, the National League of Cities (NLC) and TIP Strategies launched a competition for a pilot program to bring together local leaders and stakeholders to identify a collaborative path to address economic development issues of the winning community’s choice. The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), a metropolitan planning
Challenge Center cities of many of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas are registering their highest levels of population growth in decades, with some leading job growth in their metro areas as well. This trend, labeled by some as “the Great Inversion,” represents a reversal of patterns that have dominated the
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
