Emerging Opportunities Fund
Some issues require vision, courage, foresight and commitment from acknowledged leaders coming together for the benefit of the community and its future. Some opportunities require decisive action and a nimble response. RAEDC will convene a leadership council of its top-tier public and private investors to respond to such challenges at a macro level, placing an Emerging Opportunities Fund at their disposal for investment in their chosen initiatives. The leadership council will meet a few times per year to discuss regional issues and allocate resources towards mutually-agreed-upon, forward-thinking initiatives that will propel positive change for the future landscape of the region.
Possible investment strategies that the leadership council may consider include:
- Projects to move and shape public opinion on sensitive issues relating to the region’s capacity to grow such as infrastructure, education funding or other public policy opportunities.
- Focused efforts to remove stubborn or difficult barriers to growth.
- Large-scale projects that capture the community’s imagination and enhance quality of life for the entire region.
Other communities’ leadership councils using this model have allocated resources and have had major impact in areas like infrastructure development, mass transit, airline service and education initiatives.
Proposed 5-Year Budget: $875,000
Anticipated Results:
- Strengthened leadership and greater public/private collaboration
- Seeded initiatives critical to economic vitality
- The resolution of “barrier” issues to community success