Greater Cleveland Partnership

BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MOBILIZING PRIVATE, CIVIC, AND PUBLIC LEADERSHIP, EXPERTISE, AND RESOURCES TO ACCELERATE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY ACROSS THE REGION.

INNOVATION & GROWTH:A THRIVING REGION IS BUILT ON DYNAMIC BUSINESSES. OUR FOCUS IS GROWTH THROUGH PRODUCTIVITY AND INNOVATION FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES. WE WORK WITH PARTNERS TO PROMOTE EXPANSIONS BY CONNECTING COMPANIES TO GROWTH INCENTIVES, REAL ESTATE OPTIONS, AND TALENT SOLUTIONS. WE SERVE SMALL AND MIDDLE-MARKET BUSINESSES BY SHARING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, OFFERING COST-SAVING BENEFITS, AND HOSTING FORUMS FOR EXCHANGING IDEAS AND CREATING CONNECTIONS. LASTLY, WE EXPAND INNOVATION ACTIVITY FOR START-UPS, CORPORATES, AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS (INCLUDING FEDERAL FACILITIES) THROUGH SECTOR STRATEGIES, INDUSTRY-INSTITUTION PARTNERSHIPS, AND INCREASED FUNDING. BUSINESS EXPANSIONS: SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF BUSINESSES IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, GCP PROVIDES BUSINESSES ACCESS TO A RANGE OF RESOURCES INCLUDING TALENT SOLUTIONS, FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND SOLUTIONS, REAL ESTATE AND SITE OPTIONS, TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS, AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAMS. THE TEAM HELPS COMPANIES CONNECT TO AND NAVIGATE THESE RESOURCES TO BUSINESSES EXPAND AND THRIVE. INNOVATION INITIATIVES: THROUGH THE CLEVELAND INNOVATION PROJECT, AN ALLIANCE OF GCP AND COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS AND PARTNERS, THE REGION HAS LAUNCHED A PLAN TO BECOME A MIDWEST LEADER FOR TECHNOLOGY-LED GROWTH AND INCLUSION. THE PLAN INCLUDES SECTOR INITIATIVES IN SMART MANUFACTURING, HEALTH INNOVATION, AND WATER TECHNOLOGIES THAT BUILD ON STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND ENABLE INITIATIVES TO EXPAND TALENT, CAPITAL, AND INNOVATION CORRIDORS. TO DATE, OVER $850 MILLION HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO PROPEL THE INITIATIVES BY PRIVATE, PHILANTHROPIC, AND PUBLIC SOURCES. GCP TECH WEEK WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND IS AN ANNUAL INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE THE LOCAL TECH COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION, NETWORKING, AND PROGRAMMING FOR ENTREPRENEURS, EXECUTIVES, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS OF THE IT INDUSTRY. THE EVENTS INCLUDED JOB FAIRS, CIO FORUMS, SESSIONS ON HOT TOPICS, PITCH CONTESTS, AND THE BEST OF TECH AWARDS RECOGNIZING TECH INNOVATIONS AND EMERGING COMPANIES. SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH: AS THE SMALL BUSINESS GROUP OF THE GREATER CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP, COSE (THE COUNCIL OF SMALLER ENTERPRISES) HAS SUPPORTED AND ADVOCATED FOR ENTREPRENEURS SINCE 1972. MEMBERS RECEIVE INFORMATION ON GROWING BUSINESSES, COST-SAVING BENEFITS AND PURCHASING PROGRAMS, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AND ADVOCACY ON SMALL BUSINESS PRIORITIES. SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS IS A PRIORITY AND COSE PROVIDES RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS. IN 2021, MORE THAN 300 BUSINESSES ATTENDED THE COSE SMALL BUSINESS WEEK. CLEVELAND CHAIN REACTION, SUPPORTED BY COSE AND OTHER PARTNERS IS A PROJECT THAT BRINGS UP TO $1,000,000 OF DIRECT INVESTMENT FROM PRIVATE INVESTORS TO AN EMERGING CLEVELAND NEIGHBORHOOD BY LOCATING FIVE NEW BUSINESSES THERE THAT CAN CREATE JOBS AND PROSPERITY. SEVERAL SMALL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED IN THE COMPETITION AND RECEIVED ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT. THE WINNERS RECEIVED CASH GRANTS.

APPEALING COMMUNITIES:APPEALING COMMUNITIES ATTRACT AND RETAIN DYNAMIC BUSINESSES AND TALENT. OUR FOCUS IS NEXT-GENERATION ALLURE FOR WORKING, LIVING, AND PLAYING IN GREATER CLEVELAND. WE WORK WITH PARTNERS TO ENHANCE OUR DOWNTOWN AND WATERFRONTS THROUGH INTER-CONNECTED AND INCLUSIVE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND PUBLIC SPACE DEVELOPMENTS. WE INVEST IN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT ALIGNED WITH ACCESSIBLE AND EFFICIENT TRANSIT. WE ENCOURAGE RESOURCES FOR EXPANDING AMENITIES INCLUDING PARKS, ARTS AND CULTURE, SPORTS, AND OTHER RECREATIONAL OFFERINGS AND IMPROVE AIR SERVICES FOR BOTH BUSINESS AND LEISURE TRAVEL. OUR FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE: ENHANCING OUR DOWNTOWN: TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS DISTRICT ARE UNDERWAY, FROM OUR LAKEFRONT TO OUR RIVERFRONT AND FROM THE WEST SIDE THROUGH THE EAST SIDE. THESE INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND CIVIC PROJECTS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SPACES. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE DEVELOPMENTS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE DOWNTOWN AS A PLACE TO WORK, LIVE, AND PLAY. THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED THAT GCP WOULD SERVE AS A CONVENER AND COORDINATOR FOR THE LAKEFRONT PLAN TO CONNECT DOWNTOWN TO THE LAKE. INVESTING IN NEIGHBORHOODS: GCP AND CLEVELAND DEVELOPMENT ADVISORS, OUR REAL ESTATE AFFILIATE, WORK WITH PARTNERS TO DEVELOP VIBRANT AND THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ATTRACT DIVERSE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. WE SUPPORT INITIATIVES, POLICIES, AND NEW FUNDING TOOLS FOR HOUSING, SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH, TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR EXPANSION. OPPORTUNITY CORRIDOR OPENED ENABLING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL AND FAIRFAX. THIS WAS A PROJECT GCP HAS CONTRIBUTED TO ALONG WITH OTHER PARTNERS. ADVOCATING FOR AMENITIES: GCP IS A CATALYST AND ADVOCATE FOR ENSURING THAT THE REGION HAS AND MAINTAINS A VIBRANT RANGE OF OFFERINGS IN ARTS AND CULTURE, PARKS AND TRAILS, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, AND AIR SERVICES. THESE PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND ATTRACT COMPANIES AND TALENT TO THE REGION. GCP AND PARTNERS WORKED TO ATTRACT AN AIRLINE TO THE REGION OFFERING DAILY NON-STOP SERVICE TO SEATTLE. GCP CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE BASEBALL STADIUM PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP LEASE EXTENSION AND RENOVATIONS WHICH WAS SIGNIFICANT FOR DOWNTOWN, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THE REGION.

TALENT:DYNAMIC BUSINESSES NEED ABUNDANT TALENT TO GROW. OUR FOCUS IS WORK-BASED LEARNING FOR IN-DEMAND JOBS BOTH FOR TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. WE WORK WITH PARTNERS NOT ONLY TO INCREASE DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ENROLLMENTS AND COMPLETIONS IN GROWTH SECTORS, BUT ALSO TO EXPAND INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND CO-OPS AND SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPANTS THROUGH INDUSTRY-LED PARTNERSHIPS WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND TRAINING PROVIDERS. WE ALSO FOCUS ON BROADENING CAREER AWARENESS AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH EXPOSURE AND PLACEMENT PROGRAMS THAT BUILD PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT. OUR AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE:INDUSTRY LED PARTNERSHIPS: SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS ARE DYNAMIC COLLABORATIONS OF EMPLOYERS, UNIVERSITIES, AND WORKFORCE PROVIDERS IN WHICH EMPLOYER-LED STRATEGIES DEVELOP AND CONNECT TALENT TO JOBS AND CAREER PATHWAYS. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, WE ARE WORKING TO MEET IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY NEEDS AND SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE CAREER PATHS. PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED IN THE MANUFACTURING, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, HEALTHCARE, AND CONSTRUCTION SECTORS. THE IT SECTOR PARTNERSHIP, LED BY GCP, LAUNCHED A PILOT AROUND SKILLS-BASED JOB PROFILES TO IDENTIFY CANDIDATES. EMPLOYERS OFFERED MORE THAN 200 JOB OPENINGS FOR THE PILOT. THE MANUFACTURING PARTNERSHIP, LED BY GCP AND PARTNERS CELEBRATED TWO YEARS OF SUCCESS AND OVER 300 PLACEMENTS. WORK BASED LEARNING: INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND OTHER EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES BENEFIT BOTH STUDENTS AND EMPLOYERS AND HELP THE REGION DEVELOP AND RETAIN TALENT FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. INTERNSHIPS AND CO-OPS AUGMENT CLASSROOM LEARNING WITH EXPERIENCE IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING. APPRENTICESHIPS ARE SKILLS-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT CREATE DIVERSE TALENT PIPELINES FOR EMPLOYERS WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ATTAIN A POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIAL WITH A CAREER TRACK. GCP PARTNERED WITH LOCAL COLLEGES TO EXPAND INTERNSHIPS AND CO-OPS. CAREER EXPOSURE: GCP SUPPORTS COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS FOR STUDENTS THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AMONG SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYERS. INITIATIVES INCLUDE SERVING AS AN ANCHOR ORGANIZATION FOR CLEVELAND'S PACE PROGRAM AND ENGAGING BUSINESSES THROUGH PROCORPS WHICH PROVIDES CAREER EXPOSURE, TRUE2U, WHICH PROVIDES EIGHTH-GRADERS SUPPORT TO EXPLORE THEIR STRENGTHS, AND ACADEMIES OF CLEVELAND, WHICH FOCUSES ON CAREER PATHWAYS THAT DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH.RITE: THE LEADING INDUSTRY-DRIVEN IT WORKFORCE ALLIANCE IN GREATER CLEVELAND AND THE TECH TALENT ARM OF GCP, IS DEDICATED TO BUILDING A DIVERSE AND SKILLED TALENT PIPELINE FOR IN-DEMAND IT CAREERS. RITE ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A QUALITY TALENT PIPELINE BY MOBILIZING EMPLOYERS, OPTIMIZING REGIONAL EFFORTS, AND DELIVERING PROGRAMMING. TO DATE, RITE HAS ENGAGED MORE THAN 130 REGIONAL EMPLOYERS, 46 STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND PROGRAM PARTNERS THAT INCLUDE EIGHT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND OVER 209 HIGH SCHOOLS IMPACTING 9,200 STUDENTS ACROSS THE REGION.