FAQ

Now, as one cohesive force, the Partnership on a daily basis focuses on economic and community development. Through economic development, we work regionally to recruit and assist new and expanding businesses and to ensure there is a talented and educated workforce from which those firms can draw their human resources.

Through community development, the Partnership contributes directly to the good health and vitality of our members’ businesses and the improvement of quality of life for the entire region. Embedded within each of these areas is a strong emphasis on building and sustaining a vibrant downtown core through development, events, environment and promotion. All of this creates a true partnership between business, government, and the public, so we can pursue our economic and community betterment goals with one voice, one mission, one focus.

Workforce Attraction goals are:

• Leading the implementation of a regional workforce delivery system to measurably connect business employment needs and job seekers
• Attracting workforce by increasing awareness of Greater Des Moines’ job opportunities through direct contact with a minimum of 20,000 potential workers
• Utilizing new technology to expand recruitment capabilities through an enhanced online job brokering system, new media marketing and unique and innovative messaging

For more information about the regional workforce, click here.

Regional economic development is the cornerstone of the Partnership’s priorities. By building on our successes over the past several years, Des Moines will continue to experience economic vitality that reaches across the region. Our regional economic development goals include:

• Assisting with 20 existing business expansions
• Assisting with 10 new company locations
• Increasing capital investment by $150 million

For more information about regional Economic Development, click here.

The Partnership works regionally to build relationships in pursuit of a world-class community with one voice, one mission, and one regional identity. With the creation of the “dual membership” model that is now offered in conjunction with the region’s affiliate chambers, the Partnership’s voice has been elevated to over 5,800 member businesses strong. Goals and initiatives for the Partnership in 2014:

• Launch a regional branding campaign to advance development along the Capital Corridor between Ames and Des Moines. The campaign will focus on the agriculture and bioscience sectors.
• A global insurance symposium will be held in Des Moines in May.
• The Partnership, through Capital Crossroads, will put together and roll out a regional workforce and education initiative. In a recent Business Record interview, Partnership CEO Jay Byers said the initiative will focus on a comprehensive pre-kindergarten-through-career strategy.
• Advance the Capital Crossroads plan by having a midpoint evaluation. Market Street Services, which helped in the initial planning stages, will lead the evaluation.

For more information about Business Development services, click here.

Maintaining the momentum that downtown Des Moines has enjoyed – thanks to unprecedented investment over the past decade – is another key priority. A strong region requires a thriving core, so 2008 goals for downtown development include: Attracting, retaining or expanding eight businesses in Downtown Des Moines, to create/retain 700 jobs and increase capital investment by $50 million Developing a strategic plan to market vacant building spaces and creating an implementation strategy for the Downtown Plan Producing five major downtown events with a collective attendance of at least 275,000, as well as delivering the traditional Farmer’s Market and two seasonal markets with an increased satisfaction level and a 10% increase in attendance. For more information about downtown Des Moines, click here.

The Partnership and the Regional Affiliate Chambers created a new membership model in 2008 that combines the value of Chamber benefits with the value of Partnership benefits in one dues structure.

Local Chamber members automatically become Partnership members as well.

This collaboration offers businesses all the business to business connection their local Chamber provides, as well as the regional access and exposure the Partnership provides. This "two for one" value helps businesses grow, helps Chambers grow and helps the Partnership grow. The power of the Partnership is now supported by 22 regional Affiliate Chambers and business organizations and more than 5,800 regional member businesses!

To learn more about the benefits of becoming a regional member of the Partnership, contact your community Chamber of Commerce. Click here to view a list of affiliate chambers.