Central New York Green Chips Community Investment
Fund: Community Priorities Analysis
CenterState CEO
Economic Strategy
Empire State Development (ESD) and CenterState CEO are key leaders shaping economic policy and business growth in New York State, with a focus on Central New York. ESD is New York’s chief economic development agency, and CenterState CEO is a business leadership organization representing 2,000 companies. Both entities aim to drive transformative community investments and have a rich history of public-private collaboration.
Micron’s 2022 $100 billion investment announcement to develop a state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing plant in Central New York, led to a commitment by Governor Hochul and Micron of $500 million to a Community Investment Fund to provide capital for defined community priorities. The Community Investment Fund presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Central New York. A Community Engagement Committee (CEC) formed to guide the document’s development.
CenterState CEO engaged Fourth Economy to support the CEC in the creation of a Community Priorities Document (CPD).
Our Approach
The creation of the CPD required a detailed understanding of community priorities to ensure that investments would bring meaningful, long-lasting impact. Fourth Economy led a multi-pronged approach, serving as both a strategist and a community liaison. We facilitated various stakeholder meetings and public listening sessions to ensure inclusive access and wide-ranging community input. The data captured was analyzed to identify recurring themes and areas of focus. Our approach was unique in its emphasis on creating a feedback loop between the community and decision-makers through the development of the CPD.
The Results
The Community Priorities Document (CPD) is designed to serve as a living guide for deploying the $500 million Community Investment Fund, shaping strategies for community development in the region. As a result of our work, early steps have been taken to implement projects that directly align with the themes identified in the CPD. The CPD will be revisited over time to ensure it reflects the ongoing realization of community-defined objectives, thereby sustaining the dynamic nature of this investment in Central New York’s future.
Location
Central New York