Driving the Future Forward: 2017-2021...• Some American manufacturers rethinking supply chains and places with bad business climates (ex. Seattle’s new payroll tax on employers)

July 23, 2020 Update NorthernColoradoProspers.com

Driving the Future Forward: 2017-2021

Briefing for Bank Board

July 23, 2020


David MayFort Collins Area ChamberPresident & CEO


The chamber

The Chamber• Local association of businesses and organizations that care

about the region’s future

• Build our region’s future through business.

• Believe successful businesses make a strong local economy, which lets our community afford a great quality of life.

• The Chamber serves as:• A convener and cultivator of leaders and influencers who

value business’ role in vibrant communities and who make things happen,

• A catalyst for business growth through pragmatic public policy, strategic economic development, and support of existing businesses,

• And a champion for a balanced, resilient, thriving economy.


The Chamber

• One of the largest chambers in the state with 1,225 members

• Only 5-Star Accredited Chamber in Colorado

• Locally founded and led



• A five-year strategic initiative by the

• Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce

• A five-year strategic initiative by the

• Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce

100 investors, $3.8M, 5 years, 4 goals:

• Fix North I-25

• Align, Attract & Retain Talent

• Bold Voice of Business

• Expand & Retain Existing Business

Business Impacting Big Issues


Business Community Led

Jim CieslaBrinkman



Goal 1: Fix North I-25

SECURE MONEY TO WIDEN I-25 TO 3 LANES BETWEEN FORT COLLINS AND LONGMONT BY 2025


Highlights

• $937M Committed to North I-25 over past 5 years

• Construction underway – Prospect interchange, additional lane

Current Focus

• Massive state budget cuts necessitated shift in funding streams for repayment of bonding measures. Worked with CDOT to backfill from reserves

• Successfully defended against Transportation Commission moving $100M+ from North I-25 to other projects without alternative funding in place (TIFIA loan)

• Lobbying for federal highway funding - infrastructure stimulus bill, renewal of FAST Act

• Pushed for Certificates of Participation to be issued as promised to fund Segment 6

• Proposed to federal officials a way to use existing processes to expedite infrastructure projects

Goal 1: Fix North I-25



Goal 2: Align, Attract, Retain Workforce Talent

SUPPORT EMPLOYER EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE, DEVELOP, RETAIN TALENT


Goal 2: Align, Attract,

Retain Workforce TalentHighlights

• WorkinNorthernColorado.com: 16,800 jobs posted in 14 months with 1,322 active postings

• Launched trailing spouse / partner program “Hire Me. Connect My Partner”

• Created a new labor data service

• Work-based Learning Alliance created, One Stop Shop under design

• Building a comprehensive, enduring workforce development system

• Continue to address infrastructure of Talent: pipeline creation, childcare, housing

• Ready to launch apprenticeship program partnership – on hold

• Ready to hire new staff dedicated to workforce development – on hold



Goal 2: Align, Attract,

Retain Workforce TalentComing Next

• Retooling WorkinNorthernColorado.com

• Showcase area companies hiring now – “We are Hiring Campaign” (online, social, messaging)

• Target hiring messages locally to people needing to pivot jobs

• Target messages to select talent in select markets about ditching the big city for life in livable Northern Colorado

• Virtual Talent Summit

• Reconsider hold on staffing

• Reconsider hold on apprenticeship partnership


July 23, 2020 Update NorthernColoradoProspers.comJuly 23, 2020 Update NorthernColoradoProspers.com

Data Cover

Trailing Spouse Branding

Ambassador Branding


LOBBY TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE SHORT-TERM ISSUES WHILE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONING FOR LONG-TERM INFLUENCE AND KEEP BALANCED COUNCIL

Goal 3: Bold Voice of Business


Highlights

• Fast, hard pivot to focus on COVID-19 response, reopening

• Information, financial resources, customers, represent business perspective to negate some adverse impacts

• Series of member calls and webinars: COVID-19 Business Relief

• Resources Created, Promoted

• NoCoRecovers.com – one stop shop

• Open for Business Page and Campaign

• Bringing Business Home focus on pandemic

• ForFortCollins.com – community reopen

• NoCoSafetySupply.com – PPE supply marketplace

• $5M local business relief fund

• Communications Campaign: PPP/EIDL

• Local and State Lobbying: Do No Harm, Help Business





Coming Next

• Continue to support responsible reopening of business

• Support candidates for County Commission elections

• Recruit candidates for City 2021 elections

• Continue to lobby for reasonable policies relative to reliable energy generation

• Lead “Reignite Northern Colorado” regional economic recovery strategy including EDA grant




Reignite Northern Colorado












Jobs in Top 5 Industries Most Impacted: Ft. Collins MSA









Job Postings: Ft. Collins MSA



Job Postings: Greeley MSA



Mobility to Workplaces: Ft. Collins MSA



Mobility to Workplaces: Greeley MSA



Real Estate Active Listings: Ft. Collins MSA



Real Estate Active Listings: Greeley MSA



Real Estate, Median List Price: Ft. Collins MSA


Real Estate Active Listings: Ft. Collins MSAReal Estate Active Listings: Ft. Collins MSA


Real Estate, Median List Price: Greeley MSA


Real Estate Active Listings: Ft. Collins MSA


• Chamber Co-leading Reignite Northern Colorado economic development planning

• Mission: create a plan to replace the lost regional domestic product and jobs lost during the government response to the covid-19 pandemic




PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESS

• Re-instill confidence.

• This work is both practical and symbolic.

• We all have a vested interest.

• Be data and experience driven.

• Focus on Economic Recovery.

• Focus on resilience.

• Re-open Economic Drivers.

• Do no harm.

• Avoid being short-sighted.

• Let form follow function.




The 80% Economy


Lack of vaccine = a cautious public = reduced economic activity =

slower economic recovery (80% economy)• Short-term wide disruption of business models with long-term implications -

retail, health care, manufacturing supply chains, higher education, airlines,

etc.

• CSU huge part of economy

• Childcare is a significant workplace impediment if schools do not fully

reopen

• Some American manufacturers rethinking supply chains and places with bad

business climates (ex. Seattle’s new payroll tax on employers) represent

opportunity

• Residential real estate will be fine. Under-built market, lots of demand

• Office disrupted short-term as remote work seen as viable option for some;

long-term impacts unknown

• Government revenues down


Goal 4: Expand & Retain Existing Business

GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BY HELPING EXISTING PRIMARY EMPLOYERS GROW AND EXPAND RIGHT HERE


Highlights and Coming Next

• Contact with 402 employers in 2019

• Pre-COVID: Strong gross regional product, low unemployment rates, and robust job growth continue to indicate a healthy Northern Colorado economy

• Coordinated touch base calls with primary employers – 100 employers

• Basic COVID survey work: sales, employment, supply chain, what do you need (every 6-8 weeks)

• Branding work restart

Goal 4: Expand and Retain Existing Business



NCP 2.0• Create a new case for support

• Test the case with key

community leaders

• Share insight with NCP

Advisory Council


Questions?


Contact Us!• Meet one-on-one or by phone to discuss

Northern Colorado Prospers, the goals, where headed

• Brief your management team or employees

• Present to local chapters of your professional societies or trade associations or civic groups you’re active in

• Contact David May [email protected] or 970-482-3751 x 102


Driving the Future Forward: 2017-2021

A five-year strategic initiative by theFort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce


Bonus Slides


Labor Market, # of Jobs: Ft Collins MSA



Labor Market, # of Jobs: Greeley MSA



Unemployment Rate: Ft Collins MSA



Unemployment Rate: Greeley MSA



Weekly Unemployment Claims: Ft. Collins MSA



Weekly Unemployment Claims: Greeley MSA


Driving the Future Forward: 2017-2021...• Some American manufacturers rethinking supply chains and places with bad business climates (ex. Seattle’s new payroll tax on employers)

Documents