Upstate initiative
encompasses county
OpportunityNow ambitious campaign to create jobs,
funds
11/06/2009
Source: Northern
Colorado Business Report
Author: Kristen Tatti
GREELEY - While most economic development organizations
are struggling to adjust to budget constrictions, Upstate
Colorado has successfully launched a major campaign that for
the first time encompasses all of Weld County.
Upstate's OpportunityNow initiative seeks to create 5,000
primary jobs and $1.7 billion in new wealth in five years.
It will also create the Upstate Leadership Council and
maintain a council of business leaders to carry out special
projects. The group - made up of investors at the
$10,000-plus level - will be charged with managing a
$200,000 annual seed fund.
The campaign was kicked off silently in February and
unveiled in October, but its origins date back more than a
year, when Upstate tapped consulting firm R&M Resource
Development to conduct a feasibility study. The study, which
included extensive interviews with business and community
leaders throughout the county, was completed before the
total financial meltdown in the fall of 2008.
"I've always been cautiously optimistic," said John
DeWitt, broker with ReMax Alliance of Greeley and chairman
of the Upstate board. "There was a time about seven to eight
months ago where we questioned what direction to go."
Despite the obvious economic challenges, the board
decided to forge ahead. The goal was to secure five-year
commitments from companies at the leadership level
($10,000-plus); the investor level ($5,000 to $9,999); the
supporter level ($1,000 to $4,999); or the contributor level
($200 to $999).
"There's a little bit of swagger to it," DeWitt said.
"This is the first time an organization such as Upstate
could get all the municipalities and businesses in Weld
County to come to the table."
Before launching OpportunityNow, Upstate had only three
investors at the $10,000-plus level, and two of those were
public partners. The number is now nearing 40. In all, the
organization has boosted the number of investors from 133
last year to 142 now.
|
