Team NEO Seeks Proposals for Creating Jobs in Region
11/2/2011
For additional information, contact:
Jenny Febbo
216.363.5426 (o)
440.258.8805 (c)
jfebbo@teamneo.org
TEAM NEO SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR CREATING JOBS IN REGION
Winning proposals will get part of $4.1 million in Ohio Third Frontier funds
CLEVELAND, Ohio, November 2, 2011 – In its new role as the Northeast Ohio JobsOhio franchisee, Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO) has invited key economic development organizations throughout the region to propose collaborative initiatives to create more jobs, increase capital investment and increase the region’s competitive strengths.
The Ohio Third Frontier Commission recently awarded Team NEO a one-year, $4.1 million grant to support its new responsibilities as one of six JobsOhio Network Regional Partners across the state. The majority of the grant will be used to fund proposals that will enhance economic development in the region. A portion of the grant will be used by Team NEO to execute its new duties. This includes operating the JobsOhio Regional Office, which will assist Northeast Ohio companies and communities seeking support from JobsOhio for growth and job creation. The money is not to be used as incentives or funding for economic development deals.
“JobsOhio is finalizing the full scope of work for regional partners, which will have a bearing on how we deploy the funds,” explained Tom Waltermire, CEO of Team NEO. “We will balance that along with the ideas and funding requests that come in from the proposal process. At this point we know that most of the money will be used to support proposals from the region, but we haven’t defined the exact amount.”
The Executive and Operating Committees of Team NEO’s Board of Trustees established the guidelines for the proposal process and will oversee deploying the Third Frontier funds. “The goal is to support the primary objectives of the JobsOhio program, while also increasing synergy among economic development organizations and efforts within our region,” said Ward J. “Tim” Timken, Jr., chairman of The Timken Company and chairman of Team NEO. “We believe that the fresh thinking, creativity and greater collaboration from the proposal process will result in more growth for Northeast Ohio.”
Proposals must be submitted to Team NEO by November 11. They will be reviewed and prioritized by a task force comprised of members of Team NEO’s Board of Trustees. The task force will provide input to the Executive Committee, which will present recommendations to the full board on December 6.
Waltermire said favorable consideration will be given to proposals that include:
• A focus on helping existing companies expand
• New approaches that leverage existing investments to yield greater results
• Programs that can be expanded and/or replicated across the region
• Creative collaborations among economic development organizations or public/private partnerships that leverage existing resources
• Broad regional benefit and identified sources of funding for long-term sustainability
To ensure opportunity for all 18 counties within Northeast Ohio as defined by JobsOhio, requests for proposal were sent to the organizations that were identified as collaborators and partners in Team NEO’s JobsOhio proposal, approved by JobsOhio and The Third Frontier. Those organizations are:
• Ashland Area Council for Economic Development
• BioEnterprise
• Columbiana County Port Authority
• Erie County Economic Development Council
• Geauga Growth Partnership, Inc
• Greater Akron Chamber
• Greater Cleveland Partnership
• Growth Partnership for Ashtabula
• JumpStart
• Lake County Economic Development Center
• MAGNET
• Medina County Economic Development Corporation
• NorTech
• Portage Development Board
• Richland County Community Development Group
• Stark Development Board, Inc.
• Team Lorain County
• Team NEO
• Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Wayne Economic Development Council
Northeast Ohio is the largest of the six JobsOhio regions, with more than four million people. The region spans from Sandusky and Mansfield in the west to Youngstown, Ashtabula and East Liverpool in the east and from Cleveland to Dover and New Philadelphia, north to south. Team NEO meets monthly with economic development organizations from each of the 18 counties in the region to share best practices and discuss new initiatives.
About Team NEO
Team NEO advances Northeast Ohio’s economy by serving as the 18-county region’s private-sector economic development hub. It connects the region to the state’s JobsOhio program and attracts new businesses worldwide. Since 2007, the organization has attracted 48 new company operations, 4,800 new jobs and almost $173 million in annual payroll to Northeast Ohio, leading to a total annual regional payroll benefit of $281 million.
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