By Wenyu Zhu
What does it take for local governments and regional coalitions to implement effective place-based economic development? In the panel “Unpacking Different Models Across the Country,” four leaders from across the U.S. shared insights from their ongoing efforts to strengthen local economies using federal funding, collaborative governance, and mission-driven strategies. The panel featured Sarah Wilson, Deputy Director of Workforce & Talent Development for Birmingham, AL; Trevor Torman, Senior Planner for Allentown, PA; Kristina Cannon, president and CEO of Main Street Skowhegan; and Thomas Kucharski, president and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara, and was moderated by Heather Boushey, Senior Research Fellow at Reimagining the Economy. Here are some of our key takeaways from the conversation:
Place-based industrial strategy must reflect local identity, history, and resources
The panelists described how federal funding became a tool for building strategies that reflect distinct community needs and aspirations. Kucharski spoke about how Buffalo changed its narrative from “snow and chicken wings” to entrepreneurship and regional connectivity. Invest Buffalo Niagara’s “Be in Buffalo” campaign attracted over 12,000 potential returnees, many of whom had left for college or jobs, through targeted outreach and partnerships with local institutions. Federal and state support allowed them to create new industrial sites and contribute to the success of cross-metro partnerships with Rochester and Syracuse, including securing Micron’s semiconductor investment.
In Skowhegan, Maine, a downtown-focused Main Street program evolved into a regional effort centered on outdoor recreation, local food, and entrepreneurship. Using EDA and USDA grants, Cannon's team built a whitewater park and commercial kitchen incubator. Early skepticism that the park was “for tourists only” prompted a successful pivot toward inclusive, local activation—engaging over 8,100 residents in trail access and community programming.
Workforce barriers—not job shortages—are the limiting factor
Wilson and Torman both noted that their cities have available jobs, but residents face systemic barriers in accessing them. In Birmingham, where the labor force participation rate remains low, Wilson emphasized the need for a shared, ecosystem-wide definition of a “good job”—established at $22/hour—as a way to align employers, training providers, and policymakers around clear standards for job quality and training residents for relevant future roles. Barriers like inaccessible childcare, limited credentialing opportunities, and regulatory limits on stipends block many from reaching these jobs. Wilson’s team used Recompete and Choice Neighborhood grants to fund childcare infrastructure and program living wages for care workers.
In Allentown, where only 8% of city residents work within city limits, Torman’s team identified a spatial mismatch and began rewriting the zoning code to allow more mixed-use and childcare-friendly development. Inspired by Cambridge’s storefront childcare model, Allentown’s new form-based code seeks to legalize childcare in every zone and bring manufacturing jobs back into urban neighborhoods.
Transparent collaboration and early engagement build durable coalitions
Across all sites, trust and collaboration were key. In Birmingham, Wilson asked each Recompete partner to specify their needs—from dollar amounts to staffing goals—and ensured the city took only a small share of the funding. The rest was directed to organizations best positioned to lead implementation.
In Allentown, hyperlocal data helped justify geographic targeting, and the city’s community-based organization (CBO engagement grew from 12 partners at the application stage to more than 44 by implementation. Torman emphasized that legitimacy comes from listening and acting: “We’re here with you... and now we’re backing that up with dollars.”
Kucharski noted that trust must be built before any grant is submitted: “If you’re not going to games together, grabbing coffee together, you won’t be able to deal with sticky issues later.” His Western New York coalition now includes more than 120 entities across Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, coordinated through formal subgroups and informal relationships.
Small organizations need support to scale regional impact
Cannon described how small organizations in rural areas face capacity limits despite strong missions. Her coalition, originally 12 core partners, grew to over 50 by the Phase 2 Recompete application. But local residents still struggled to access services, particularly when it came to basic needs like housing, transportation, and food. Her team adopted a two-step model: first, help residents meet foundational needs; second, connect them with training and work opportunities.
