2021 Accomplishments
Economic & Community Development
- Developed and hosted first NCI Small Business Accelerator program to assist small businesses that are either struggling to survive, growing but lack strategic direction or looking to strengthen their financial and/or market positioning and become more sustainable. Thanks to SBDC for providing curriculum and training and UMSL for their assistance with development and assessment.
- Worked with regional partners to help businesses increase resiliency during the COVID pandemic.
- Facilitated the establishment of two new Collaborative Conversation Cohorts: the Economic Development Professionals (CCEDP) and the Mayor’s Cohorts. The CCEDP cohort will collaborate on initiatives to address the needs of small businesses in the community and will address gaps that exists between community partners and resources. Our Mayor’s Cohort (with area mayors and St. Louis County councilmembers and representatives) will work together to address community concerns: public safety, mental health, and nuisance properties.
- Participated in multiple regional pandemic recovery advisory groups to represent the small business needs and concerns in North County, including sub-committee of the St. Louis County’s CARES Economic Recovery Team, chaired by past NCI Board Chair Rick Stevens.
- Advanced our educational initiative on the economic benefit of racial equity to catalyze others toward cultural change within the workplace. We successfully developed and launched Equity Connect, a new quarterly publication aimed to catalyze others toward cultural change within their workspace by sharing relevant articles and resources pertaining to racial equity and disseminating information about upcoming training opportunities and transformative resources necessary to make applying the racial equity lens a part of every organization’s culture.
- Advocated for appropriate state-wide transportation, education and healthcare funding.
- Developed a North County economic development collaborative conversations cohort to look at cooperative initiatives to advance small business assistance in community.
Education
- Advocated for equitable public education and increased funding for early childhood education.
- Supported legislation increasing funding for after-school programs, expanding the investment in higher education and restoration of funding for the Parents as Teachers program.
- Increasing awareness of public and private schools accomplishments and fundraisers through monthly news letter publication and social media.
Health Care
- Advocated for the implementation of Medicaid expansion that was passed by voters, giving access to care for 300,000 Missourians, bringing Federal tax dollars back to the State. This is expected to create 20,000 jobs.
- Promoted health care providers’ community educational programs and other initiatives for improving quality of life.
- Provided educational information on the importance of COVID vaccinations and shared details on testing sites and availability.
- Celebrated and promoted the expansion and investment of health care providers to enhance access to and quality of care in North County.
Marketing
- Invested in and advanced True North, a long-term community-wide marketing campaign to rebrand North County by increasing awareness around positive assets, celebrating advancement and improving the perception of the community.
- Celebrated exceptional accomplishments of community stakeholders improving North County at a hybrid version (virtual and small in-person) of our Annual Leadership Breakfast.
- Celebrated Organization’s 44 years of service at new networking event Uncorked Dinner, Wine Pairing and Auction
- Hosted NCI Annual Golf Tournament to help raise funds for NCI advocacy and advancement initiatives.
- Increased positive awareness by promoting hundreds of member events and accomplishments via monthly digital messaging.
- Provided marketing collateral showcasing area assets.
- Supported community events such as the Christian Hospital MLK Celebration, St. Louis Community College and NCCU’s MLK Celebration, Florissant Rotary Charity Auction, GNCC’s Women’s Empowerment Seminar, Fergusons Twilight Run, and others via sponsorship trades, volunteering and /or social media promotion.
Transportation
- Provided regular updates on the $278 million dollar investment for the I-270 north reconstruction project through social media and our E-publications.
