GEDC and Grundy Chamber retain TIP Strategies for Economic Resiliency and Diversification Plan
MORRIS – The action-plan phase of the Resilient Grundy Project has begun with the awarding of diversification plan work to TIP Strategies of Austin and Seattle.
This diversification plan will be a roadmap for Grundy’s economic future and is part of the resiliency project by the Grundy Economic Development Council and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The organizations were given a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration in 2023. These grants help nuclear host communities plan for and build more diverse, resilient economies. Grundy’s grant is being matched 20% by Grundy County, and North Central Council of Governments is assisting as the grant administrator.
In the winter, the GEDC and Chamber went out for proposals for the Economic Diversification and Resiliency Plan to identify, recommend, and justify key initiatives, action items, and market-driven opportunities for economic diversification in Grundy County to enhance the county’s economic prosperity and resilience. Upon completion, this diversification and resiliency plan will be used as a tool to inform and guide comprehensive planning, business attraction, infrastructure investments, and marketing.
They received 10 proposals that were reviewed by the GEDC and Chamber, with assistance by the Grundy Resiliency Project Steering Committee. It was awarded to TIP Strategies, Inc., an economic development consulting firm.
“TIP’s extensive experience with resiliency plans, its work on projects throughout Illinois and its previous experience with nuclear communities made its proposal rise above the other proposals,” said Grundy Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen.
Established in 1995, TIP has completed more than 550 engagements across 44 states and 5 countries.
“TIP is honored to have been selected to assist in this important work,” said TIP Strategies Senior Partner Jeff Marcell. “We are excited to work closely with the Grundy County EDC and Chamber to design a blueprint that will ensure the County is positioned for a bright economic future.”
The GEDC, Chamber and the TIP team are already kicking off this phase planning stakeholder interviews and roundtables to gather the community’s economic goals. This information will work off of the economic overview conducted by Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute in the first phase of this project last year.
“We look forward to getting started and building on the considerable work the regional partners have already undertaken. Our first order of business is to get out in the region and meet with stakeholders to help TIP glean as much about our area as possible,” GEDC President & CEO Nancy Norton said.
The completed diversification plan is expected by the end of summer. The scope of the project is over 24 months overall and includes future steps of researching the decommissioning process of nuclear plants and an implementation plan for the Resiliency Project.
