Alliance takes control of economic development services for Delaware County
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The Delaware County Commissioners recently approved a proposal from the Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County for the agency to provide economic development services for the county.
The county had used a private consultant to provide such services for the past 12 years, and the alliance said bringing control back to the nonprofit will reinforce continuity, efficiency and strong public-private collaboration “that supports new business attraction and existing business retention and expansion.”
Elizabeth Rowray, president and CEO of the Economic Development Alliance and the Muncie Chamber of Commerce, says the move brings multiple benefits, the biggest of which is continuity.
“Chambers of commerce do a little bit of economic development, and economic development organizations do a little bit of chamber stuff,” Rowray said. “So they’re really a symbiotic unit, and having them housed underneath one roof is the absolute best use of dollars for a community. For continuity, one figurehead over the two of them with directors underneath really delivers the best experience for companies that are already in your area or considering moving in.”
The alliance said the commissioners’ approval strengthens its role as the Local Economic Development Organization, or LEDO, for the county and ensures a single point of contact for companies, site selectors and investors.
“The alliance is a consistent, effective partner in driving business growth in Delaware County,” Shannon Henry, president of the Delaware County Commissioners, said in written remarks. “By formalizing this partnership, we’re putting our confidence in an experienced team that has national recognition and deep relationships with site selectors, industry leaders, and local stakeholders.”
While the alliance hasn’t been the economic development agency of record for the county for the past 12 years, Rowray said the organization has still been working in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. when businesses expressed interest in locating or expanding in the area.
Rowray said now that the partnership is in place, her short-term goal is to gather records from the consultant’s work over the last decade in order to further the continuity of economic development efforts.
Looking long-term, she said the agency wants to ensure that all of the local municipalities are unified in their economic development goals.
“It’s critical when you’re bringing a potential [business] into the area that there’s always the one-stop shopping for that company,” she said. “They know exactly who to call if they have a question about, ‘Okay, well, we’re interested in this existing building.’ We now have all of those stakeholders that are back in a room together and playing nicely in the sandbox with one another, because they understand that what’s good for the county is good for the municipalities and vice versa.”
The announcement of the partnership with the Delaware County Commissioners comes less than a month after the alliance launched a brand refresh to underscore its role as a resource for the business community.