Columbus has formed an economic growth council to serve the needs of the business community in a coordinated, collaborative, and seamless way.

• Download the Columbus Area Economic Growth Council brochure

The Columbus Area Economic Growth Council consists of a collaborative group of community organizations including the:

• Economic Development Board

• Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce

• Columbus Enterprise Development Corporation

• Community Education Coalition

• Columbus Area Visitors Center

• Columbus Redevelopment Commission

• City of Columbus

• Bartholomew County Commissioners
  

The goals of the Council are to:

• Create and sustain economic growth and health for the community and region

• Ensure excellence in recruitment, retention, and growth of companies

• Ensure alignment of member organization strategic plans with overall economic growth plan for the community and area

• Establish the appropriate human resource infrastructure so that citizens of the community and region are ready and available to perform the work of the community both now and in the future

• Establish a “welcoming community” environment that attracts entrepreneurs, knowledge workers, and new business
  

Responsibilities of the Council include: 1) the development of a community wide economic development strategic plan which includes alignment among all operations that are part of the council, 2) ensure alignment of the program of work conducted by each organization with the community-wide strategic plan, 3) seek operational efficiencies and improvements among partners, 4) develop key indicators to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of the community’s economic growth plans and initiatives, and 5) the development of funding options to purse key initiatives and programs which effectively support economic growth and health of the community and region.

The relationship of the Council to the member organizations follows a “federation” model which means that the Council is formed by agreement of the member organizations whereby a central organization handles common affairs while keeping separate control of local affairs. In this way, each member organization can benefit from the collaborative partnership of the Council while still keeping decision-making control and the pursuit of innovation as close to the customer as possible.

Each year, the Chairperson for the Council is elected from community volunteers who reside on the Council and each member organization takes turns in providing both administrative and coordinating support back to the Council. 

This unique approach to economic growth provides a collective way of providing a seamless approach to growing a community by design. In essence, the Council provides a “no-wrong door” approach to business attraction, retention, expansion, and growth services, as well as, a responsible and accountable framework back to stakeholders and the community at large.