2024 Montachusett Region SWOT Analysis

Regional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

This Spring, the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) is updating the region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to be submitted to the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA). As part of this process, we need your assistance in helping identify the region's greatest assets, what makes us unique, and what challenges you think we face in the years to come.

We understand that your time is extremely valuable. Your participation will enable the private and public sectors to identify and address the region's needs related to improving our economic health. The CEDS represents our vision for the economic success of the Montachusett Region as well as a roadmap to help get us there. Your comments and input will be at the center of this plan.

The survey has been estimated to take about 3 minutes to complete. Surveys must be completed no later than Friday March 22, 2024 by 5pm. We want to thank you in advance for contributing to this valuable fact-gathering process the results of which, will be presented at an online CEDS committee meeting tentatively scheduled for April 3, 2024 at 12pm.

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* 1. How would you characterize the following as they relate to the economy of the Montachusett Region?

	One of our greatest weaknesses	Somewhat of a weakness	Neither a strength nor a weakness	Somewhat of a strength	One of our greatest strengths
Support for business retention	Support for business retention One of our greatest weaknesses	Support for business retention Somewhat of a weakness	Support for business retention Neither a strength nor a weakness	Support for business retention Somewhat of a strength	Support for business retention One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Support for business creation	Support for business creation One of our greatest weaknesses	Support for business creation Somewhat of a weakness	Support for business creation Neither a strength nor a weakness	Support for business creation Somewhat of a strength	Support for business creation One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability	English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability One of our greatest weaknesses	English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability Somewhat of a weakness	English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability Neither a strength nor a weakness	English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability Somewhat of a strength	English as a Second Language (ESL) training availability One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
A trained workforce	A trained workforce One of our greatest weaknesses	A trained workforce Somewhat of a weakness	A trained workforce Neither a strength nor a weakness	A trained workforce Somewhat of a strength	A trained workforce One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level	Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level Somewhat of a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level Somewhat of a strength	Quality of educational programming provided at the K-12 level One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level	Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level Somewhat of a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level Somewhat of a strength	Quality of educational programming provided at the Associate degree level One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level	Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level Somewhat of a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level Somewhat of a strength	Quality of educational programming provided at the Bachelor degree level One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Employment opportunities	Employment opportunities One of our greatest weaknesses	Employment opportunities Somewhat of a weakness	Employment opportunities Neither a strength nor a weakness	Employment opportunities Somewhat of a strength	Employment opportunities One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality of transportation infrastructure	Quality of transportation infrastructure One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality of transportation infrastructure Somewhat of a weakness	Quality of transportation infrastructure Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality of transportation infrastructure Somewhat of a strength	Quality of transportation infrastructure One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity	Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity Somewhat of a weakness	Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity Somewhat of a strength	Quality of telecommunications infrastructure/digital equity One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality and availability of public transportation	Quality and availability of public transportation One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality and availability of public transportation Somewhat of a weakness	Quality and availability of public transportation Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality and availability of public transportation Somewhat of a strength	Quality and availability of public transportation One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality and availability of restaurants	Quality and availability of restaurants One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality and availability of restaurants Somewhat of a weakness	Quality and availability of restaurants Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality and availability of restaurants Somewhat of a strength	Quality and availability of restaurants One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Quality and availability of retailers	Quality and availability of retailers One of our greatest weaknesses	Quality and availability of retailers Somewhat of a weakness	Quality and availability of retailers Neither a strength nor a weakness	Quality and availability of retailers Somewhat of a strength	Quality and availability of retailers One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Housing options	Housing options One of our greatest weaknesses	Housing options Somewhat of a weakness	Housing options Neither a strength nor a weakness	Housing options Somewhat of a strength	Housing options One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Housing affordability	Housing affordability One of our greatest weaknesses	Housing affordability Somewhat of a weakness	Housing affordability Neither a strength nor a weakness	Housing affordability Somewhat of a strength	Housing affordability One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)
Recreational opportunities	Recreational opportunities One of our greatest weaknesses	Recreational opportunities Somewhat of a weakness	Recreational opportunities Neither a strength nor a weakness	Recreational opportunities Somewhat of a strength	Recreational opportunities One of our greatest strengths
Comment(s)

Question Title

* 2. What do you see as the top economic development opportunities for the Montachusett Region to support? Please select all that apply.

The designation of ten Opportunity Zones in the region which grant tax incentives for investments in selected distressed communities

The development of collaborative workspaces (including makerspaces, business incubators, and co-working spaces)

The growth of Tourism in the region

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What are the top threats that are affecting the economic well-being of the Montachusett Region? Please select all that apply.

Workforce skills gap

Aging workforce

Energy costs

Aging infrastructure

Urban decay/blight

Taxes

Regulations

Lack of digital equity

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Is there anything else you would like to say about economic development in the Montachusett Region? (Optional)

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* 5. Which of the following best describes your role in the Montachusett Region? Please select all that apply.

Business community representative

Local government representative

Resident

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Contact Information (Optional)

Name

Company / Organization / Municipality

Email Address