- Project
- Northeast
- Business Retention and Expansion (BRE)
- Industry Analytics and Strategy
- Strategic Planning
- Regional
The Challenge
Covering a vast swath of New York’s North Country and portions of the Capital Region, the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board (LCLGRPB) sprang into action during the COVID-19 pandemic to award emergency funding to business and provide critical support.
While there was no disputing that the impacts of the pandemic had been felt in the region, it was less clear what locations and what industries took the greatest hit—and most importantly, why? Identifying these vulnerabilities could help the LCLGRPB and its partners plan for a more diverse and resilient economy now and into the future.
The Solution
As the region’s economic development district, LCLGRPB was awarded funding by the US Economic Development Administration to carry out a planning process that would assess the impacts felt across the region, while also distinctly looking towards future opportunities for the region.
Partnered with The Chazen Companies for land use and infrastructure analysis, Camoin Associates collected data and business intelligence that helped to build actionable strategies that began to be implemented even while planning was still underway. The market and industry data Camoin Associates provided uncovered opportunities and vulnerabilities in key sectors like tourism and manufacturing.
The Impact
The most immediate positive impact of the process was the partnership and collaboration that occurred across the five-county region. This project brought leaders together to share ideas in a way that had not occurred before.
Another actionable item that began shortly work on the plan got started was business retention and expansion (BRE) surveys. These surveys helped launch the region’s BRE program while also contributing to the business intelligence collection.
Currently, regional leaders are advancing initiatives that respond to the economic disruption. These initiatives will be further built out and resourced to ensure collaboration is prioritized as strategy is executed.
Listen to Coverage by North Country Public Radio
