Press & Media

An independent study by Fourth Economy revealed that the Westmoreland Cultural Trust welcomed more than 157,000 guests in 2024, generating $13 million in economic impact for Westmoreland County and the surrounding region.

Strategic insights and recommendations from Fourth Economy and Firefly Consulting helped launch Pennsylvania’s new Outdoor Business Alliance (OBA), a nonprofit championing the state’s $19 billion outdoor industry and more than 9,000 businesses that power it.

A new June 2025 study by Fourth Economy and Invest in the USA (IIUSA) spotlights the powerful economic impact of the EB-5 investor immigrant program, which drove an estimated $20 billion in foreign direct investment between 2015 and 2018—fueling U.S. businesses, infrastructure, and job creation.

The City of Madison has partnered with Fourth Economy to craft a forward-looking Economic Development Strategy, guiding investments and actions over the next five years to strengthen local businesses and expand opportunities for residents.

A new Fourth Economy study finds that Point Park University fuels $236.7 million in annual economic impact and supports 3,270 jobs across the region, underscoring its vital role as an anchor institution in Pittsburgh’s economy.

Ferguson Township, PA partnered with Fourth Economy to develop a Strategic Master Plan for economic development, growth, and innovation—charting a path for long-term community and business success.

Fourth Economy, in partnership with EQT By Design, is shaping the City of Madison's updated Economic Development Plan. This effort will set the course for the next five years, focusing on inclusive growth, small business support, neighborhood vitality, and creating more opportunities for residents.

Fourth Economy and Firefly Outdoor + Economics hosted 10 statewide workshops in Pennsylvania, engaging over 650 participants to shape a new industry alliance and strengthen the outdoor recreation sector.

Fourth Economy brought together 20 community members to map recreation assets, challenges, and opportunities, guiding the development of an Outdoor Master Recreation and Facilities Plan for Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls, ME.

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association honored Fourth Economy and evolveEA for their role in implementing the Allegheny Together program, driving economic development across Allegheny County.

Brookhaven City Council unanimously approved the 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update, with Rough Draft Atlanta highlighting Fourth Economy’s support in shaping housing and economic development strategies for the next decade.

As a result of updating Greater Lafayette's Regional Development Plan for our client, Greater Lafayette Commerce, the region received $35 million in funds from the State of Indiana’s second round of the READI program which will help fund projects within the seven-county region.

InForum reports on the Red River Regional Council and Fourth Economy Client, the Red River Community Housing Development Organization (Red River CHDO), hosting housing build sessions as part of their rural housing study. The Regional Housing Study and Action Plan will help decision-makers, stakeholders, and community members gain a meaningful sense of the housing market and key housing issues.

Politico highlights the report Fourth Economy and Steer completed for our client, the Chamber of Progress, a new tech industry coalition devoted to a progressive society, economy, workforce, and consumer climate. The study quantifies autonomous vehicle market opportunity, presents recommendations and promising practices to capture that opportunity, and highlights actionable steps for policymakers.

Fourth Economy Client, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), released its 2023 annual report which included goals for advocating and supporting strategies to encourage the reuse of failing office buildings and empty storefronts. As part of this effort, Fourth Economy developed a roadmap outlining strategies for PDP to access and effectively manage resources dedicated to capital projects. For another client, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, we analyzed the potential for revenue generation that could be captured or diverted through the establishment of a Downtown Pittsburgh Investment Zone.

Sally J. Guzik, Vice President at Fourth Economy, shared what we see trending in our growing body of work related to the outdoor economy — cultural and outdoor recreational opportunities are increasingly merging.

We partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop the Energy Funding and Assistance Finder to assist communities and organizations in identifying opportunities to receive funding and technical assistance for energy projects that can help to reduce pollution, lower bills, and drive the adoption of new, clean, and efficient technologies.

Centerstate CEO retained Fourth Economy and Empire State Development to craft a pivotal Community Priorities Document (CPD) that will inform investment millions of dollars in Central New York over the next 20 years. Fourth Economy's multi-faceted role includes conducting data analysis on key focus areas, supporting the Committee's engagement with community groups, leading focus groups and interviews with stakeholder groups and the public, and facilitating additional public meetings.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recognizes Fourth Economy's Economic Impact Report, Robots in the Backyard (2021), that found the $8 million to $10 million invested in Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center has since returned $545 million in direct funding in 2020 dollars.

In 2018, the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce retained Fourth Economy to create and manage implementation of a five-year strategic plan for a regional economic development organization. In May, Grow Smart RI and the Aquidneck Land Trust at Innovate Newport hosted a forum featuring input from municipal planners in Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth, RI, housing policy organizations, and researchers looking for ways to combat concerning trends. Chris Worley, Senior Consultant at Fourth Economy, spoke about the disconnect between housing development and workforce growth and the impact that will have on attracting and maintaining a core cluster of essential workers.