March 13, 2022 -- The good news is that, after many years of stagnation and siloed corporate, civic, political and philanthropic leadership, Greater Cleveland’s movers and shakers have reawoken to the need to pull together.

As outlined by the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Baiju Shah and others leaders of a new Cleveland Innovation Project, the moment has come when “more than 150 local business, entrepreneurial, institutional, and nonprofit leaders” have banded together to work strategically to shake the region out of its stupor and reposition it for growth and innovation. And to put their money -- $800 million so far -- toward realizing their vision.

The even better news is that this process -- led by the GCP, Cleveland Foundation, JumpStart, Team NEO and the Fund for Our Economic Future -- was already well along when Intel Corp.’s mega investments just two hours south of Cleveland rang fire bells here that incremental was not going to be good enough. Not nearly good enough.

Small-bore planning with nice flow charts and jargony goals is one thing. But Cleveland has to think bigger than ever. And it has to deliver on those ambitious goals based on truly inclusive growth and opportunity strategies.

And it can do that, too, if this new spirit of collaboration and joint strategic planning continues. It must. And it can.

Read the full article on cleveland.com

Photo: cleveland.com