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Chamber and EDC give Innovate 28 mid-campaign progress report; county questions funding focus
Summary
Chamber and Economic Development leaders told the Cass County commission Innovate 28 is roughly 10 months into a four-year, nearly $4 million-per-year public-private initiative focusing on workforce, business development and civic engagement; commissioners pressed for clearer metrics and budget guardrails.
Shannon Full, introduced as president of the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber, and Joe Raso of the Economic Development Corporation presented a quarter-three update on Innovate 28, a public-private regional initiative funded at just under $4 million a year.
Full and Raso described four priority pillars — workforce, public policy, business development and economic impact — and highlighted several recent successes: growth in concierge recruitment services, the Career Innovation Center opening and convenings that drew hundreds of business and education leaders. Full said the initiative has added roughly 4,600 people toward a four-year labor-force growth goal of 12,000 and noted the program's talent-attraction ranking had climbed into a higher peer group after the region's population growth.
Commissioners asked how county funds are being targeted and whether the county's investment includes formal performance targets or contractual deliverables. A commissioner asked if there is a written contract stating the county's expected deliverables and return on investment; staff indicated there is budget documentation and program guidelines in the budget packet and offered to provide the specific goals and performance materials to commissioners after the meeting.
Full described new and repeat programming: increased concierge tours for prospective recruits, an emerging baseline for career-based learning across K'12 districts, a young-professionals summit and a soft launch of a Center for Civic Engagement that will develop toolkits and employer-driven civic engagement strategies. She said the chamber and its partners are convening employer leaders and public officials to boost local recruitment and civic participation.
Commissioners emphasized the need for clearer allocation guidance and metrics tied to the county's investment. One commissioner said Innovate 28's private-sector match and advisory board structure provide oversight but asked staff to return a clear list of the seven or so priority areas the county's money is intended to support. Full and staff agreed to provide the budget packet materials and to continue board education about measurement and allocation.
The presentation closed with an invitation to a public investor briefing scheduled the next day; commissioners thanked the presenters and asked staff to circulate the specific performance and budget materials requested.
The county took no formal fiscal action during the update beyond questions and direction to supply additional documentation.
