INVESTING FOR GROWTH
We’re investing in a comprehensive strategy to create new jobs, increase regional wealth, raise metro GDP and enhance opportunity. The result is a world-class economic development ecosystem where incumbent businesses are thriving, new firms are locating and the world’s best talent is choosing to live.
BUSINESS GROWTH + ATTRACTION
Expanding Capacity, Enhancing Competitiveness
We’re making significant capacity-building investments in a coordinated business growth ecosystem. Through investments in Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), our lead Alliance partner for business attraction, we’re expanding the region’s capacity to identify business growth prospects, cultivate site selectors, strengthen relationships with C-level executives, respond quickly to inbound business growth opportunities and conduct proactive outreach with high-growth targets. This includes attracting new companies and retaining/expanding existing ones, ensuring the employers already in Greater Rochester have the connectivity and support they need to thrive.
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KEY INVESTMENTS
+ Expansion of staff capacity, including two additional managing directors and a research and systems analyst
+ Implementation of an integrated CRM data management infrastructure
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DRIVING IMPACT
Since 2018, GRE’s total annual project volume is up 130%, annual new projects are up 92% and annual project wins are up 97%, which has generated considerable growth over the past 12 months:
$335M
IN NEW CAPITAL
INVESTMENT
3.2K
JOBS CREATED/RETAINED
REGIONAL TALENT STRATEGY
Attracting + Retaining a World-Class Workforce
We’re scaling one of the nation’s most robust and integrated regional talent strategies. Through investments in Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce (GRCC), our lead Alliance partner for talent strategy, we’re advancing a portfolio of programs like Greater ROC Relocate and GreaterROC Careers to attract and retain world-class talent to support economic growth in the region. Together, we’re increasing the effective size of Greater Rochester’s employable labor force, recruiting talent to the region, tapping into “hidden” pipelines, improving the retention rate of college graduates, and positioning the metro as a top-flight destination for the best and brightest.
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KEY INVESTMENTS
+ Regional talent strategy office to coordinate efforts aimed at attracting, retaining and connecting talent with career opportunities across Greater Rochester
+ CampusROC, which is increasing retention rates among the 18,000 students who graduate from the region’s 18 colleges and universities annually
+ GreaterROCCareers, the region’s first comprehensive one-stop portal connecting job seekers and employers across all industries, firm sizes and skill levels
+ Greater ROC Relocate, the “next gen” version of Greater ROC Remote that serves as a concierge for new talent relocating to the region
+ RETAIN, a partnership with Monroe County to provide incentive grants, professional development and mentorship to recent college graduates who choose to begin their careers in Greater Rochester.​
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DRIVING IMPACT
GreaterROC Careers
Over the past three years, Greater ROC Relocate secured 210 relocations for program participants, adding:
$14M
IN NEW DIRECT
INCOME*
Greater ROC Relocate
Since 2021, the GreaterROC Careers job portal has featured 57,000+ job postings with nearly 1,000 employers attracted and:
8K
JOB SEEKERS ATTRACTED
Photo credit: Rochester International Jazz Festival - John Schlia
DOWNTOWN GROWTH + INNOVATION
Building a More Vibrant, Active Downtown
We’re driving a sea change in downtown Rochester, building on recent years’ redevelopment momentum and leveraging an unprecedented public-private alignment to activate key spaces and bring more resources to enhance services in the central business district. Through investments in Rochester Downtown Development Corporation (RDDC), we’re building capacity to advance placemaking efforts, coordinate marketing and programming, and strengthen promotion of activities throughout downtown and along the Genesee Riverway.
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KEY INVESTMENTS
+ Staff capacity at RDDC to expand bandwidth for strategic leadership and management of downtown activities
+ Activated the Partnership for Downtown Rochester, which defined a community-informed vision for downtown to inform planning and prioritization of services to drive vibrancy
+ Seed capital for an enhanced services district (renewed in 2024-2025)
+ Regional Revitalization Partnership support for the Main Street Business Activation program, focusing on addressing ground-floor retail vacancies
+ Downtown Definitely event series
DRIVING IMPACT
RDDC’s support for consistent improvement in downtown Rochester has influenced growing numbers:
94%
RESIDENTIAL
OCCUPANCY
18M
VISITORS WELCOMED
DOWNTOWN IN 2024
REGIONAL BRANDING + MARKETING
Telling Our Greater Story to the World
We’re leading the most significant, coordinated regional branding and marketing campaign in our region’s history. Greater ROC is our bold place brand representing and celebrating the nine-county region. By telling the story of Greater Rochester authentically through the voices of the people who call it home, Greater ROC is elevating our visibility and reputation as a place to live, work, play, and start or grow a business. Through investments in Greater ROC, OneROC enables an integrated, multi-channel campaign that connects and amplifies the region’s brand identity and key messaging across all economic development verticals to support business attraction, talent attraction/retention and tourism.
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KEY INVESTMENTS
+ Design, activation and brand management of the Greater ROC marketing campaign
+ Ongoing support for in-region and external market paid media buys
+ Audience sentiment analysis to track campaign impact over time
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DRIVING IMPACT
In 2024, the Greater ROC campaign saw its second consecutive year of 40%+ year-over-year growth in impressions, to 73.7M. Recent survey data shows: