Fort Bend County, Texas – Unite Fort Bend

Challenge

Located southwest of Houston, Fort Bend County is one of Texas’s largest and most diverse counties, encompassing communities from the historic county seat of Richmond to up-and-coming cities like Sugar Land and Fulshear. It is also one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties, thanks to strategic advantages including transportation assets like access to Port Freeport and three Class I railroads, the availability of high-quality housing and K-12 education options, and its proximity to Houston. While the county has found a secure footing by pairing a wealth of resources and expertise with an interest in economic advancement and a strong economic base, its historically siloed economic development ecosystem had yet to align around a common mission. Area leaders realized that thoughtful strategic direction was needed to capitalize on Fort Bend’s opportunities and meet challenges on the horizon, which include tax base diversification, infrastructure investment, and competition for business attraction.

Response

In early 2023, Fort Bend County partnered with the Fort Bend Economic Development Corporation (FBEDC) to contract with TIP Strategies for two deliverables, a five-year economic development strategic plan and an operations plan. The combined product, Unite Fort Bend, was informed by extensive outreach and data collection. TIP engaged nearly 200 stakeholders across the county including city and county officials, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, education partners, developers, employers, and utility representatives. Furthermore, TIP established deep touchpoints with community leadership through working committee and ad hoc committee discussions, which surfaced organizational priorities such as marketing, site selection, workforce development, and policy advocacy. This qualitative feedback was supplemented by a comprehensive quantitative analysis, including an economic development ecosystems analysis that pinpointed the county’s gaps and identified national best practices. These pieces shaped TIP’s recommendations in the countywide strategic action plan to pursue quality growth, build collaboration, and bolster its competitive position. To maximize impact, the operations plan recommended an organizational transformation through initiatives like Select Fort Bend, a countywide marketing alliance, and Fort Bend First, a policy and advocacy effort by former FBEDC members and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. By forming new public-private partnerships shaped by TIP’s insights, these entities have established a foundation to build trust among stakeholders and achieve the county’s economic development goals.