Flint Hills Economic Development District Plan - 2021 Plan Update - Proposed Strategies

In prep for our Flint Hills Economic Development District Steering Committee meeting on Oct 15th, I am asking you to complete this survey and re-confirm that the high level strategies of the plan are still relevant for the region as a whole (reworded and fine-tuned from the last plan submitted to EDA, but the same concepts are in tact). Some of these concepts may or may not be relevant to your specific county/community and that is A-OK. We would like you to indicate which ones you feel are relevant to your county and of these what specific action items and projects you would like to list as potential projects you would like to work on over the next five years.

Once the plan is submitted to EDA, each county/community will report progress back to FHRC, which will be tracked for your county through an online dashboard.

We would also like to know if there are other strategies that need to be considered and discussed. So please feel free to share other strategies that are important to you.

The Economic Development Administration requires strategies related to recovery and resiliency so this is a new section that Marissa has been working on for several months and will be seeking your feedback. Partnerships, funding strategies, and plan implementation are also outlined to provide framework for some of the work being conducted now and into the future.

Thank you for being a champion within our region! We look forward to your responses and participation!

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* 1. What county are you from or do you represent?

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* 2. What community are you from or represent?

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* 3. What is your name, title and entity being represented?

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* 4. Proposed strategies have been compiled from multiple planning documents from throughout our region--providing a baseline to build upon, discuss and re-confirm. The proposed strategies have been grouped under the following five "Strategic Directions" as follows. Please mark any and all you feel are relevant to your county/community.

1. Business Support, Economic Diversification & Economic Development Infrastructure

2. Talent Attraction & Retention

3. Supporting Innovation & Entrepreneurialism

4. Recovery, Disaster Preparedness, & Resiliency

5. Partnerships, Funding Strategies & Plan Implementation

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Strategic Direction #1 - Business Support, Economic Diversification, & Economic Development Infrastructure has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

1.1. Build external awareness of the region’s assets among prospect employers, investors, and corporate relocation professionals to attract new businesses and industries to our region.

1.2. Support and facilitate the retention and expansion of existing regional businesses.

1.3. Provide a sufficient supply of economic‐growth‐supportive infrastructure.

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Strategic Direction #2 - Talent Attraction & Retention has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

2.1. Continue to enhance the capacity and productivity of the region’s pre‐K to 20 educational institutions.

2.2. Increase the number of recent graduates remaining in our region to live and work.

2.3. Provide support to transitioning soldiers leaving the military--helping to make connections to employment, education, and/or social networks so they make our region their home.

2.4. Develop medical education capacity in the region and increase support for mental health services.

2.5. Improve the retention of talent to the region.

2.6. Construct and rehabilitate diverse, high -quality, and suitable housing for regional labor force sustainability.

2.7. Provide quality of place environments and amenities that enhance community, appeal to and attract diverse professionals across all economic sectors, and enhance tourism.

2.8. Work to overcome fundamental challenges individuals and families are facing that impact their ability and/or desire to make this region their home including basic human need resources such as childcare, access to healthcare, employment with competitive salaries, suitable housing, adequate infrastructure, and community assets that support healthy lifestyle options and recreational and social opportunities that promote connectivity and enhance sense of belonging.

2.9. Support the continuation of enhanced online tools for individuals to connect their skills to employment opportunities specifically within our seven-county region.

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Strategic Direction #3 - Support Innovation & Entrepreneurialism has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

3.1. Grow and Diversify the Innovation Ecosystem throughout the Region.

3.2. Enhance Support for Entrepreneurs of All Ages

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Strategic Direction #4 - Recovery, Disaster Preparedness & Resiliency is a required component of the plan. Please list action items / projects that your county /community is working on now and/or plans to work on over the next five years.

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* 9. Strategic Direction #5 -Partnerships, Funding Strategy Development, Plan Implementation has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

5.1. Create partnerships, leverage resources and obtain grant funding to move priorities forward.

5.2. Support the FHRC in their role to administer the Flint Hills Economic Development District through plan updates, coordination of plan implementation, and tracking and reporting implementation progress.

5.3. Utilize and enter regional needs assessment system for identified unfunded needs so that FHRC & regional partners can assisting in developing funding strategies & seek grant funding as opportunities arise. (A demo of the new needs assessment system will be shown at the FHRC October 22 Board meeting.)

5.4. Communicate Plan Progress publicly through the online dashboard (coming soon)

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Please list any strategies not identified that you feel should be discussed and included based on their relevance to your county/community.

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* 11. Each county has an opportunity to provide a list of action items/projects that you would like to work on over the next five years as they relate to any relevant strategy. Please list below action items/projects you would like to be considered for inclusion in the plan or provide a separate list via e-mail. Some counties already have a list based on prior planning processes. These can be provided to you upon request. If you have specific action items / projects you want to make sure are incorporated into the plan, please list below.

Flint Hills Economic Development District Plan - 2021 Plan Update - Proposed Strategies

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* 1. What county are you from or do you represent?

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* 2. What community are you from or represent?

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* 3. What is your name, title and entity being represented?

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* 5. Strategic Direction #1 - Business Support, Economic Diversification, & Economic Development Infrastructure has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

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* 6. Strategic Direction #2 - Talent Attraction & Retention has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

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* 7. Strategic Direction #3 - Support Innovation & Entrepreneurialism has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

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* 8. Strategic Direction #4 - Recovery, Disaster Preparedness & Resiliency is a required component of the plan. Please list action items / projects that your county /community is working on now and/or plans to work on over the next five years.

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* 9. Strategic Direction #5 -Partnerships, Funding Strategy Development, Plan Implementation has the following proposed strategies. Please mark any and all that are relevant to your county/community.

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* 10. Please list any strategies not identified that you feel should be discussed and included based on their relevance to your county/community.

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* 12. What would you like to have in the region that does not exist now?

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* 13. Do you feel your community is still vulnerable from the impacts of the pandemic? If so, what do you feel is the biggest challenge?

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* 14. If you could implement just one strategy to improve our region's economic vitality, resiliency and quality of place, what would it be?