Background
The City of Roanoke is undertaking a strategic planning process to guide economic development in Roanoke. The City has partnered with Ernst & Young (EY) to engage local businesses, civic leaders, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to help establish an economic vision and goals reflective of the Roanoke community.
The end result of this process will be an Economic Development Strategic Plan that will establish a community vision, build stakeholder support, and establish clear and timely goals, strategies, and implementation.
This page will be updated regularly to keep the community informed about the strategic planning process. The draft and final Economic Development Plan will be posted here, along with other project materials.
Six-Month Estimated Project Schedule
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is the key to a successful planning effort. Engagement efforts will include:
- Interviews with key community leaders, including business owners, civic leaders, state and local subject matter experts, elected officials, and regional partners.
- Focus groups engaging subject matter experts in the following categories:
- Department of Economic Development Staff
- The Economic Development Authority of the City of Roanoke
- Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship leaders
- Non-Profit Organizations
- The City Manager’s Economic Development Advisory Council
- Business and Community Leaders
Project Materials
- Scope of Work
- (Other docs added as work progresses)