Economic Growth Foundation

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012

Signed

Nov 9, 2013

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$2,067,192

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Attraction, retention, & expansion: to market northeast ohio to attract jobs, talent, tourists and positive national media coverage to the 18-county cleveland plus region. Launched in 2007 by the gcp, team neo and positively cleveland, the cleveland plus campaign has played a key role in attracting nearly 7,000 new jobs and almost $288 million in new annual payroll to northeast ohio. It has also helped place more than 250 positive stories, including articles and blogs, in key publications enabling the region to fare better than its midwest competitive set in terms of coverage and tone. Additionally, to help communicate the region's many successes, the campaign boasts a robust in-region communications program; its social media following grew by 158 percent from 2011 to 2012, with 72 percent of its social media messages being shared.

Activity 3

Economic inclusion: the commission on economic inclusion drives the organization's efforts to ensure full participation of minority individuals and businesses in the region's economy. The commission focuses on ensuring that diverse businesses and professionals have the opportunity to participate in, and contribute to, our region's growing economic prosperity. In 2012, the commission expanded services to its more than 100 members representing a cross-section of northeast ohio's employers. Services to minority-owned businesses: it also continued its support of the region's minority-owned companies, helping them build capability and capacity and providing channels to connect them with business opportunities. To support the diversity and inclusion goals of our 100+ member employers, the commission provided several products and services, including the following: (a) the commission, along with six partner organizations, operates the minority business development agency (mbda) cleveland business center, one of 40 mbda centers located throughout the u.s. The center, which is housed at the offices of the greater cleveland partnership, supports minority-owned businesses (mbes) throughout ohio. The minority business development agency (mbda) cleveland business center achieved a "commendable" rating in its first year of operation with a score of 96 on a 100-point scale. The score was based on achievements of $18 million in contracts and procurement, financial transactions, and 133 jobs created. Services to its corporate members: national speakers provided best practices to member diversity professionals. Our fifth diversity professionals conference in august drew 230 attendees and, in collaboration with diversityinc, featured innovative practices presented by top corporations in diversity & inclusion: at&t, coca-cola, healthcare services corporation, kraft foods, northrop grumman and toyota.the commission provided a conducive framework in which member executive teams worked on diversity and inclusion initiatives. In june and november 2012, thirty-five ceos and 80 of their senior executives participated in a successful 2-part senior executive forum/ceo briefing series, led by mr. Doug harris, ceo, the kaleidoscope group. The participating executive teams worked on organization-specific diversity & inclusion plans.connections and deals between our members and local minority businesses: we launched our quarterly chief procurement officers (cpo) group this year with great results. An average of 45 cpo's attended each of the three meetings this year and heard presentations from 15 minority business owners with national customers and capacity. Each meeting led to follow up contacts and sales. In december, the commission took an important step toward institutionalizing inclusion on local construction projcts. The board of our parent organization, greater cleveland partnership (gcp)approved a resolution in support of the establishment of a community benefits agreement (cba) to enhance inclusion in publicly or privately financed development projects in the city of cleveland. The commission's role will be to work with project owners and other stakeholders to develop a cba implementation plan. A variety of stakeholders have helped lay the foundation for this effort. The focus for our board and staff will be to help ensure a collaborative approach going forward. As a next step, the commission will create a committee to set community goals. Its members will include representatives from various sectors involved in the construction industry. In addition to goal-setting, objectives will include recruiting owners and projects; developing mentoring relationships for minority business enterprises (mbes); developing recognition and awards for success; supporting and encouraging capacity-building for labor and mbes; and providing support to businesses and developers that pursue a cba (community benefits agreement).

Filer

EIN

34-1916518