ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
11 STANWIX STREET 17TH FLOOR, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222 www.alleghenyconference.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ACCD) AND AFFILIATES - THE GREATER PITTSBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CHAMBER), THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PITTSBURGH(PELGP) AND THE PITTSBURGH REGIONAL ALLIANCE (PRA) - WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

THE ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE'S 2018-19 AGENDA FOCUSED ON TAKING MEANINGFUL STEPS TO CREATE A NEXT GENERATION ECONOMY FOR ALL AND ON LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR REGIONAL VITALITY BY IMPROVING QUALITY OF PLACE, THE POTENTIAL OF OUR PEOPLE AND STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY. THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF 2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO ADVANCE THIS WORK.ECONOMY: IN 2019 EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE REGION'S ECONOMY FOCUSED ON SUPERCHARGING BUSINESS INVESTMENT. CHIEF AMONG THESE EFFORTS WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MODERNIZED APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. TO LEAD EFFORTS TO DEVELOP NEW BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND EXPANSION (INCLUDING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT) AND TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION STRATEGIES, MARK ANTHONY THOMAS, A NATIONAL LEADER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK, ATLANTA, AND LOS ANGELES, WAS RECRUITED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE PITTSBURGH REGIONAL ALLIANCE, THE CONFERENCE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AFFILIATE. UNDER THIS NEW LEADERSHIP, WE LAUNCHED A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOCUSED ON SUPERCHARGING BUSINESS INVESTMENT GROWTH AND ALIGNING TALENT ATTRACTION EFFORTS.- LEVERAGE REGIONAL ASSETS ACROSS HIGH-INVESTMENT SECTORS [ENERGY, HEALTH, LIFE SCIENCES, CREATIVE] TO CATALYZE INTEREST AND LOCAL JOB GROWTH.- POSITION THE REGION AS THE LOCATION OF CHOICE FOR FAST-GROWING, DEEP-TECH, RESEARCH-DRIVEN INVESTMENTS [ROBOTICS, IOT, AI, CYBER, MOBILITY]. - PROMOTE THE REGION'S INDUSTRIAL, FREIGHT, AND PRODUCTION CAPABILITY TO ATTRACT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WITH A FOCUS ON DOWNSTREAM OPPORTUNITIES AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT.- PARTNER WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES TO INCREASE THE POOL OF LOCAL TALENT IN GROWTH SECTORS.- DEVELOP CONTENT AND PROGRAMMATIC INTERVENTIONS TO EQUIP BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS WITH THE TOOLS TO ATTRACT NEW GRADUATES, FOREIGN AND DIVERSE TALENT, AND HIGH-DEMAND TALENT.- ATTRACT THE LEADING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES, WHO CULTIVATE A VIBRANT INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL TALENT, TO THE REGION.IN SUPPORT OF THIS NEW STRATEGIC APPROACH, A REGIONAL REBRANDING INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW REGIONAL BRAND POSITION, WITH A TARGETED LAUNCH DATE OF MID-2020.WE SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED BACK AGAINST ATTEMPTS BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO CUT FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND OTHER KEY FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING STREAMS FOR PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS. THE FY 2019 BUDGET CONTAINED INCREASES OVER PRIOR YEAR LEVELS AS WELL AS OVER THE ADMINISTRATION'S REQUEST. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS RESULTED IN 20 BUSINESS EXPANSIONS AND LOCATIONS ACROSS OUR REGION, ATTRACTING $213 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, AND PAVING THE WAY FOR THE CREATION AND RETENTION OF 1429 JOBS. AS PART OF THE RETOOLED EFFORTS, WE DEVELOPED AN INNOVATION DRIVEN BUSINESS EXPANSION STRATEGY. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WERE FORMED TO SUPPORT THE INNOVATION DISTRICT AND TO BUILD OUT THE REGION'S TECH ECOSYSTEM. COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL MARKETING AT THRIVAL (INCLUDING AN AMPLIFIERS TOUR), WORLD AI SUMMIT, LIFE SCIENCES WEEK, INNOVATION RESEARCH EXCHANGE CONFERENCE AND PLANNING FOR LIFTOFF 2020, AND A SERIES OF CORPORATE INNOVATION ROUNDTABLES THAT ENGAGED 70 REGIONAL BUSINESSES, SUPPORTED THESE EFFORTS. A NEW EFFORT TO BETTER ALIGN PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND UNIVERSITY RESOURCES FOR TARGETED BUSINESS GROWTH IN THE INNOVATION SECTOR WAS INITIATED.

PEOPLE:WE DEVOTED MUCH OF OUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO ELEVATING AND RETAINING THE PEOPLE EMPLOYERS NEED IN ORDER TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN INVESTING IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION.THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED SUPPORTING LAWS TO IMPROVE CAREER READINESS AND INITIATIVES TO MARKET THE REGION TO COLLEGE STUDENTS, HALF OF WHOM LEAVE PITTSBURGH AFTER GRADUATION. TO BETTER PREPARE AND RETAIN YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR REGION, WE SUPPORTED A LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE OF STATE CAREER READINESS BILLS, INCLUDING ACT 76, WHICH BECAME LAW. THE ENACTMENT OF ACT 76 IMPROVED CAREER AWARENESS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AND INCLUDED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE CONFERENCE FIRST NOTED IN OUR INFLECTION POINT STUDY. ACT 76 IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW THE CONFERENCE CAN TURN RESEARCH RESULTS INTO ACTION THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. TO HELP ADDRESS REGIONAL TALENT SHORTAGES, WE CONDUCTED A SUCCESSFUL PILOT FOR THE PITTSBURGH PASSPORT SERIES, AN INITIATIVE TO INTRODUCE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND THE REGION'S QUALITY OF LIFE. THE PILOT ENGAGED MORE THAN 35 REGIONAL COMPANIES AND 1,350 INTERNS FROM 25 COUNTRIES. WE PARTNERED TO LAUNCH EFFORTS FOR MORE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE WORKPLACES AND MORE INCLUSIVE SUPPLY CHAINS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VIBRANT PITTSBURGH, WE LAUNCHED AND EXECUTED THE VIBRANT INDEX THE REGION'S FIRST DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION-FOCUSED DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES. THE INDEX CAPTURED INPUT ON A RANGE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INDICATORS FROM 51 REGIONAL EMPLOYERS AND IS BEING USED TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BEST PRACTICES PLATFORM.WE LAUNCHED A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY STRATEGY, WHICH INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A PROTOTYPE FOR CAPACITY BUILDING IN DIVERSE SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT AND FOR CONNECTING MBES TO CORPORATIONS. WE ENGAGED 25 CORPORATIONS INTERESTED IN DIVERSIFYING THEIR SUPPLIER BASE AND FOUR PARTNERS SUPPORTING MBES. THROUGH TWO WORKSHOPS WE CREATED MORE THAN 80 CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME THEIR CUSTOMERS. IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE ADVOCACY AGENDA, WE MANAGED AND LED SEVERAL KEY COALITIONS INCLUDING: COMPETE PA A COALITION OF OVER 130 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER AND MORE COMPETITIVE TAX STRUCTURE IN PENNSYLVANIA; GREAT LAKES METRO CHAMBERS COALITION A COALITION OF GREAT LAKES METRO CHAMBERS WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ON SHARED PRIORITIES; AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA PARTNERSHIP OF CHAMBERS A COALITION OF OVER 30 LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHAMBERS FROM THE PITTSBURGH REGION FOCUSED ON THE PRIORITIES OF MAIN STREET BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

PLACE:WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE REGION AND PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO STAY IN THE REGION, WE NEED TO HAVE STRONG COMMUNITIES WHERE WE ARE INVESTING. IN 2019 WE MADE MEASUREABLE PROGRESS IN STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR REGION.WE FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN THREE KEY AREAS: OVER THE SEVEN YEARS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, OUR STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP (SCP), A PROGRAM MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DOUBLING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TAX CREDIT, WHICH WE SUPPORTED, HAS ENCOURAGED PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN SEVEN TRANSITIONING COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR REGION. THESE COMMUNITIES INCLUDE: CONNELLSVILLE, HOMEWOOD, MCKEES ROCKS, MT. OLIVER/KNOXVILLE, SHARPSBURG, WASHINGTON AND WILKINSBURG. DURING THIS TIME CONFERENCE MEMBER COMPANIES BENEFITED FROM A STATE TAX CREDIT THAT ENABLED $15.5M TO BE INVESTED ACROSS THESE COMMUNITIES. THE INVESTMENT SUPPORTS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORTS AND JOB CREATION.IN 2019, THE SCP EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NINE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING BEAVER FALLS, BLOOMFIELD, BUTLER, BRADDOCK-RANKIN-SWISSVALE-NORTH BRADDOCK, FINEVIEW-PERRY SOUTH, HAZELWOOD, HILL DISTRICT, PENN HILLS AND MUHALL-WEST HOMESTEAD-HOMESTEAD. THESE ADDITIONS REPRESENT BOTH EMERGING AND ALSO MORE EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS. A PEER NETWORKING PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED. IN SERVICE TO BOTH OUR ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK, THE CONFERENCE-STAFFED STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND (SIF) - A PRIVATE GAP FINANCING FUND FOR REAL ESTATE PROJECTS EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - REALIGNED ITS INVESTMENT STRATEGY TO PRIORITIZE LOANS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND CATALYTIC GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION. THIS INCLUDES COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRING RESOURCES, INCLUDING OUR SCP COMMUNITIES. IN 2019 THE FUND INVESTED $8.6 MILLION FOR 2 PROJECTS, FOR A TOTAL OF $158 MILLION IN 62 PROJECTS IN ITS 24-YEAR HISTORY. OVERALL, THE SIF HAS SUPPORTED $1.1 BILLION OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE REGION.A SISTER FUND TO THE SIF THE POWER OF 32 SITE DEVELOPMENT FUND WHICH PROVIDES GAP FINANCING TO PREPARE SITES FOR VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A PREFERENCE FOR BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AND INVESTING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ALSO CONTINUED INVESTING ACROSS THE TRI-STATE REGION. IN 2019, THE FUND INVESTED $12.3 MILLION FOR 2 PROJECTS, FOR A TOTAL OF $37.1 MILLION IN 6 PROJECTS SINCE 2014.WE RELEASED PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY WHILE IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND, IMPORTANTLY, ADVANCING THE NOTION THAT WE CAN HAVE BOTH A STRONG ECONOMY AND HIGH QUALITY OF PLACE. WITH A DIVERSE SET OF VIEWPOINTS AND OPINIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT, ACADEMIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SECTORS AT THE TABLE, THE CONFERENCE WORKED TO ESTABLISH CORE SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES TO FIT WITHIN THE SCOPE AND MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S AGENDA. THE RESULT - DERIVED FROM THE U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS - IS A SET OF INSPIRING AND FORWARD THINKING PRINCIPLES. THESE PRINCIPLES WERE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY THE ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN LATE 2018. IN 2019 THESE PRINCIPLES WERE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BEGAN BEING USED TO GUIDE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY WHILE IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE SUPPORTED AND ADVOCATED FOR STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENTS IN THE REGION'S MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING. WE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA COALITION FOR MOBILITY, WHICH PRODUCED A STUDY IDENTIFYING THE HIGH IMPACT CORRIDORS IN THE REGION AND THE IMPACTFUL APPROACHES THAT WOULD HAVE MATERIAL IMPACT ON FUTURE FOCUSED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING. WE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR CONTINUED PROGRESS AND FUNDING FOR A CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT (BRT) PROJECT, TO CONNECT DOWNTOWN TO OAKLAND VIA INCREASED FUNDING VIA THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM.WE SUPPORTED EFFORTS TO PREVENT AN INVESTMENT FUNDING CLIFF DUE TO PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PAYMENTS TO THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENDING IN 2022, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR STATE SENATE BILL 778, WHICH WOULD BEGIN THE PHASE OUT OBLIGATION. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE SUPPORTED CRITICAL FUNDING FOR THE UPPER OHIO AND MONONGAHELA RIVER LOCKS AND DAMS. THESE EFFORTS RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN FUNDING IN THE US ARMY CORPS WATER APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING.

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