Celebrating 15 Years of Impact: Client Success Stories
For 15 years, Fourth Economy has been a catalyst for transformation—helping communities, organizations, and regions across the country turn vision into action and impact. As we mark this milestone, we are proud to spotlight the remarkable achievements we’ve co-created with our clients.
Aligning Community Priorities
CenterState CEO
Central New York
Fourth Economy led a groundbreaking community engagement process in Central New York, ensuring that a historic $500 million investment was guided by local voices and priorities. Our approach established a living model for inclusive, long-term community transformation.
Community Priorities Document: Guided $500M in community investments following Micron’s $100B semiconductor investment.
Model for engagement: Established a living guide for deploying historic investments and aligning with community priorities.
“Sally’s leadership in our Community Priorities process was remarkable. She listened deeply, built trust across diverse stakeholders, and turned community aspirations into a framework guiding one of the most significant investment funds in our region’s history.”— Melanie Littlejohn, Executive Director, Central New York Community Foundation
Breathing New Life into Business Districts
Allegheny County Economic Development
Allegheny County, PA
Fourth Economy revitalized Allegheny County’s commercial corridors, breathing new life into local business districts. Our five-year partnership strengthened small businesses, fostered collaboration, and helped communities thrive for the long term.
Main Streets Allegheny (formerly Allegheny Together): Revitalized local commercial corridors, strengthened small businesses, and enhanced neighborhood vitality.
Award-winning: Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association Award.
Guiding Implementable Growth Planning
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
Greater Fort Wayne, IN
Fourth Economy helped Northeast Indiana dream big and deliver bigger. By uniting 11 counties around a shared vision for growth, we created a roadmap to 1 million residents—backed by data, consensus, and hundreds of millions in investment. Our work turned ambition into action.
Road to One Million Regional Development Plan: Helped the region develop a plan to grow to 1 million residents.
$42M in state funding: Secured, with $255M in public and private investment in year one.
Consensus-driven: Prioritized 38 short-term projects valued at $400M.
Shaping Future Workforce Solutions
Chamber of Progress
National
Fourth Economy and Steer partnered with the Chamber of Progress to shape the future of tech-driven workforce solutions. Our research and recommendations are driving sustainable practices, informing policy, and positioning the Chamber as a national thought leader.
Creating a Lasting Partnership
York County Economic Alliance
York, PA
Working in partnership with YCEA over the past six years, Fourth Economy brought together economic, housing, and cultural strategies to fuel York County’s growth. Our integrated planning and stakeholder engagement unlocked new opportunities, spotlighted cultural assets, and set the stage for a vibrant, resilient future.
Economic Action Plan & Housing Study: Developed integrated strategies for economic, housing, and cultural growth.
Stakeholder engagement: Highlighted cultural assets as a driver for community vitality and tourism.
Building Intergenerational Prosperity
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL
Fourth Economy partnered with LISC Jacksonville to advance bold, data-driven strategies for equitable economic growth and family wealth creation. Our work is empowering local organizations to track outcomes, align programs, and build intergenerational prosperity.
Family Wealth Creation Program: Advanced innovative, data-driven approaches for equitable economic growth and family wealth building.
Community engagement: Developed frameworks to track and support community wealth creation.
"One of the value propositions for our work with Fourth Economy is their ability to bring together parcel level data with demographic data in real time. With the map, LISC and its partners were able to develop a more surgical outreach strategy to get to the most vulnerable households faster."—Kristopher Smith, Community Development Program Officer, LISC Jacksonville
Advancing Equitable Development
Ramsey County Community & Economic Development
Ramsey County, MN
Fourth Economy pioneered a first-of-its-kind, five-year plan that advances economic inclusion, housing, and workforce development in Ramsey County. Our innovative approach is driving unprecedented investment and setting a new standard for regional collaboration and impact.
Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion Plan: First-of-its-kind five-year plan advancing economic inclusion, housing, and workforce development.
$75M+ committed: To housing development.
Award-winning: Recognized with a 2021 International Economic Development Council Award of Excellence.
Developing Actionable Community Strategies
Neighborhood Allies
Pittsburgh, PA
Fourth Economy empowered Neighborhood Allies to reimagine what’s possible. We guided the organization through a transformative reinvention, capturing a decade of impact and setting the stage for the next chapter. Our work turned community aspirations into actionable strategies, fueling new leadership and innovative programs that are reshaping Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods.
10-Year Impact Report: Used for fundraising, storytelling, and strategic planning.
Organizational reinvention: Hired a new Executive Director and relaunched programs.
Impact analysis: Assessed a decade of progress in economic mobility, housing, and neighborhood change.
“The 10-Year Impact Report pulled together a decade of work into one resource that celebrates progress and sets the stage for what’s next.”—Talia DePasquale, Senior Director of Knowledge Management and Communications, Neighborhood Allies
Leading a Dynamic Planning Process
Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization
Indianapolis Region
Fourth Economy energized the Indianapolis MPO’s journey to the future. We led a dynamic planning process that sharpened the region’s competitive edge, fostered bold scenario planning, and empowered leaders to embrace new roles in shaping the region’s destiny.
Strategic Plan for Transition and Expansion: Guided the MPO in planning for regional competitiveness and future growth.
Stakeholder engagement: Unanimous approval of strategic recommendations.
Award-winning: 2023 Outstanding Overall Achievement Award by the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
Ignitinting a New Era of Regional Leadership
Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce
Newport and Bristol County, RI
Over the past seven years, Fourth Economy hasn’t just supported the Chamber—we helped ignite a new era of regional leadership. By moving from reactive COVID-era strategies to bold, proactive initiatives, we tackled workforce housing, broadband, and business development head-on. Our partnership meant the Chamber could leap into action, leveraging years of shared knowledge to drive real, measurable progress.
Business Walk program: Connected 100+ businesses with 50 volunteers, building a foundation for ongoing engagement.
Broadband research: Influenced state-level federal funding allocations, ensuring communities aren’t left behind.
Housing pipeline: 954 new units in development, addressing critical workforce needs.
$2M+ raised: For development and implementation activities.
“[Our] relationship has been huge - If we didn’t have that long-lasting relationship with Fourth Economy, every new project would require a discovery period—time-consuming and costly. Instead, they hit the ground running with years of knowledge and data.”- Erin Donovan-Boyle, President & CEO, Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce
Unlocking Innovation Potential
11th Street Enterprises
Omaha, NE
Fourth Economy, alongside key partners, unlocked Omaha’s innovation potential. We mapped the ecosystem, rallied stakeholders, and delivered a strategy that positions Omaha as a Midwest powerhouse for startups, research, and coordinated growth.
Innovation Ecosystem Assessment: Positioned Omaha as a Midwest innovation hub.
$8M implementation grant: Funded a backbone organization to attract investment and align ecosystem efforts.
Strategic recommendations: Developed an innovation district and coordinated strategies for long-term growth.
Using Data to Drive Redevelopment
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Fourth Economy brought vision and rigor to the URA’s mission, helping to reimagine the historic Strip District Produce Terminal. We balanced preservation with bold neighborhood growth, engaging diverse stakeholders and ensuring that the Terminal’s next chapter would be as vibrant and catalytic as its past.
Produce Terminal Redevelopment: Balanced historic preservation with neighborhood growth.
Stakeholder engagement: Brought together nonprofits, city officials, and neighborhood organizations.
Award-winning: Recognized with the 2022 NAIOP Catalytic Retail Award and LEED Silver Certification.
Neighborhood vitality: 2,500+ new residents, 30 businesses supported, and $50M redevelopment underway.
“The iconic Strip District Terminal builds on its history to provide a vibrant hub that brings energy and vitality to the neighborhood and the city.”—Thomas Link, Chief Development Officer, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Pittsburgh
A Future Built on Partnership and Purpose
Fourth Economy’s journey is defined by the trust of our clients and the power of collaboration. Every project is a testament to what’s possible when vision meets expertise and community voices are heard.
As we celebrate 15 years, we look forward to building on this legacy—driving innovation, equity, and prosperity for the next generation.
Ready to shape what’s next? Connect with our team to explore how Fourth Economy can help your community thrive.