Economic Action Plan
York County Economic Alliance
Economic Strategy
York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) drives economic growth in York County, Pennsylvania by leveraging regional collaboration to create sustainable prosperity.
In 2019, Fourth Economy and YCEA kicked off a 9-month planning process to create a ten year Economic Action Plan (EAP_ that would guide investments through 2030. As the local economic impacts of the pandemic set in, our work pivoted to develop an assessment of impacts to the local economy to support economic response and recovery actions. Due to the pivot, our team developed a short term recovery plan in addition to the resilience-focused strategy. In early 2021 we further advanced analysis regarding childcare, housing, and broadband related issues. This work helped inform the County’s allocation of over $14 million in federal COVID-19 funds for business relief, over $4 million of CARES Act funding for tourism, cultural, arts, workforce, and social services, and $5 million for broadband improvements.
Our Approach
OUR APPROACH
With the help of a 25 member Steering Committee and Co-chairs, Fourth Economy engaged a broad coalition of stakeholders that represent all corners of York County, including young people, African American residents, Hispanic and Latinx residents, low income residents, and rural, urban, and suburban residents. Community outreach was especially important to this project given the large geographic footprint and cultural differences. This high-level of engagement helped ensure that the resulting strategies and recommendations were built by the community, reflecting their desires, hopes, and dreams for York County’s future.
The Results
The final plan was voted for adoption by both the City Council and Planning Commission. The recommendations in the plan outlined action steps, lead organizations, and additional partners that will be critical for implementation. The community formed an Implementation Committee to help support and account for progress made toward the goals outlined in the 10-year plan. As of 2025, the mid-way point of the 10 year plan, 80% of actions are complete or under development. Fourth Economy is currently conducting an impact analysis to inform an update to the EAP.
Location
York, PA