About the Project

> Competitive Realities
> Stakeholder Input Process
> Target Business Review
> Economic Development Marketing Assessment
> "Taking it to the Next Level" Opportunity Austin Strategy
> Implementation Plan

"Taking it to the Next Level" Opportunity Austin Strategy

The Strategy utilizes all previously collected quantitative and qualitative research to provide a blueprint for Greater Austin’s immediate and long-term goals.  This document will integrate any key local partner efforts and strategies relevant to the recommended goals, objectives, and specific action steps needed for Greater Austin to realize its preferred future.

The following are the key parts of the “Taking It to the Next Level” Opportunity Austin Strategy:

I. Goals, Objectives and Action Steps

The Strategy will outline a set of goals to define Metro Austin’s economic development work over the next five years.  Each goal will contain specific objectives outlining policy directives to achieve these results.  Accompanying the objectives will be specific action steps to realize their intended impacts.  The goals, objectives, and action steps will directly respond to the key findings of the Competitive Realities, Target Business Review, Economic Development Marketing Assessment and Stakeholder Input Process.

II. Best Practices

Learning from others is often an efficient means of achieving economic development goals; why “reinvent the wheel” unnecessarily?  Market Street will use both identified national best practices and specific innovative solutions to develop Austin’s “Taking It to the Next Level” Strategy.  When best practices have been used to inform strategic recommendations, Market Street will identify and highlight the source and key details of these best practices in clearly marked sidebars throughout the report.

III. Benchmarks and Performance Measures

Monitoring progress on achievement of the strategy’s goals, objectives, and action steps will be a key part of Austin’s successful economic development efforts.  Market Street will provide benchmarks and performance measures for each of the strategy’s goals and objectives to enable regional leaders to monitor implementation success, and create accountability criteria for achievement of the strategy’s core commitments.  Because the Strategy is intended to be a “living” document – changing and adapting over time to shifting economic, political and social conditions – the monitoring of implementation progress for strategic component will enable regional decision-makers to determine the impact of policies and programs on overall regional goals.

IV. Approval Process

A draft version of the Strategy will be presented to the Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board for discussion and approval.  Market Street will facilitate a discussion that will allow the Board to revise and prioritize the goals, objectives, and action steps of the draft document.  Based on the findings of these meetings, Market Street will edit the draft and develop a final Strategy for the Board.