Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation

TO GROW & DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMIES OF CASS COUNTY ND AND CLAY COUNTY MN.

LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBUST ECONOMY WHERE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES THRIVE. STRATEGICALLY PURSUE JOB CREATION AND BUSINESS ATTRACTION. WORK WITH AND SUPPORT COMPANIES WITH DEMAND-DRIVEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT A VIBRANT ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM COLLABORATE WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO ENHANCE PROGRAMS AND PROCESSES THAT MAKE DOING BUSINESS EASIER IN THE REGION.THE GFMEDC PROMOTES AND DEVELOPS THE INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF CASS COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA AND CLAY COUNTY, MINNESOTA, WHICH IS THE FARGO-MOORHEAD MSA AS DELINEATED BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. THIS PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT IS DONE THROUGH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO FACILITATE JOB CREATION IN PART BY INFORMING EXISTING AND POTENTIAL BUSINESSES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LOCATING BUSINESS IN THIS REGION. THE OVERALL AIM IS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH THE ND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS DIRECTLY WITH SITE SELECTORS AND COMPANIES TO BRING NEW BUSINESS TO THE STATE.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM IS TO ASSIST PRIMARY SECTOR BUSINESS LOCATED IN CASS COUNTY, ND AND CLAY COUNTY, MN WITH THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF SKILLED WORKERS. DOING SO HELPS GROW THE REGION'S POPULATION AND TAX BASE AND HELPS ATTRACT AND RETAIN PRIMARY SECTOR BUSINESSES. IN 2021, WE FOCUSED ON AND PROMOTED PROGRAMS THAT ASSISTED COMPANIES WITH THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF WORKFORCE. WE PROVIDED DATA-RELATED SUPPORT TO HELP WITH RETENTION DURING COVID AND PROVIDED ANY RECRUITMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH LIVEINFMAREA.COM AND FMAREATOUR.COM AS TOOLS THEY COULD USE TO HELP ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT. WE USED OUR DATA TOOL, EMSI, TO ASSIST EMPLOYERS BY PROVIDING WORKFORCE DATA. FINALLY, WE HOSTED A VIRTUAL FM WELCOME PARTY. THIS EVENT IS USED AS A RETENTION TOOL.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT -THE OBJECTIVE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ASSIST ENTREPRENEURS ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING AND PROMOTING OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM FOR FARGO MOORHEAD TO BE REGARDED AS A GREAT PLACE FOR ENTREPRENEURS. WE SUPPORTED INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEURS AND SUPPORTED ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAMS LIKE GRAND FARM AND A NEWLY ESTABLISHED AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR.ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS AND FEEDS INTO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OR JOB AND WEALTH CREATION. WE WORK TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN PRIMARY-SECTOR COMPANIES. JOB CREATION - OUR SUCCESSFULLY ASSISTED PROJECTS IN 2021 HELPED TO CREATE MORE THAN 595 DIRECT JOBS; AND ADDITIONAL 766 INDIRECT AND INDUCED JOBS FOR A TOTAL OF 1,361 JOBS IN THE REGION. PAYROLL FOR THESE ON-GOING JOBS EXCEEDED $83 MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO AN AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME OF $61,000. IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF 801 TEMPORARY JOBS WERE ADDED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WITH A PAYROLL OF $44.9 MILLION. TOTAL PAYROLL FOR ALL OF THESE POSITIONS EQUATES TO AN AVERAGE INCOME PER JOB OF $56,000.ANNUAL SALES - DUE TO COMPANY AND EMPLOYEE SPENDING, THE REGIONAL ECONOMY HAD AN ESTIMATED $500 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL SALES THAT TOOK PLACE, OF WHICH $380 MILLION WILL BE REOCCURRING EACH YEAR WITH THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE NEW BUSINESSES.COMPANIES ASSISTED - IN ADDITION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED PROJECTS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED MEANINGFUL ASSISTANCE TO 69 COMPANIES IN 2021.NEWLY UTILIZED SQ./FT. - COMPANIES UTILIZED AN ADDITIONAL 903K SQ./FT. TO SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH STRATEGIES.