Success Story: JAXUSA Partnership

magnifying glass icon  The Situation: 

In the early 1990s, civic leadership in Jacksonville, Florida, decided they were no longer satisfied with a passive approach to economic development. Using the regional Chamber as the facilitator, corporate and political leaders launched Cornerstone, a regional collaborative dedicated to business attraction and retention. Later rebranded as JAXUSA, this initiative represents the seven counties of Northeast Florida and is frequently recognized as one of the top economic development programs in the country.

cross-hairs icon  Funding Goals: 

Operating typically on five-year cycles, the recurring funding goal is to generate robust corporate support to sustain and expand JAXUSA's highly effective economic development programs. These private investments are designed to be supplemented with operating dollars from the public sector to fully fund the initiative's operations.

lightbulb icon  Our Challenges: 

The primary challenge was moving away from an initially passive approach to economic development and maintaining a high level of collaborative investment over the long term. Sustaining momentum, facilitating program "resets," and consistently proving financial feasibility at the beginning of each funding cycle requires continuous strategic management and market adaptation.

checkmark icon  Our Approach: 

RDG Principals have managed six of the seven Cornerstone/JAXUSA investment campaigns, including the campaign in 2020, which realized one of the largest increases in funding by percent increase. Because the organization is typically funded in five-year cycles, RDG has consistently facilitated program "resets" and financial feasibility at the beginning of each of these cycles. Following these strategic assessments, RDG actively managed the subsequent direct solicitation investment campaigns to secure the necessary capital.

chart icon  The Results: 

  • Over the course of six campaigns, RDG has helped JAXUSA generate over $55 million in corporate support.
  • This private corporate support has been successfully supplemented with operating dollars from the public sector.
  • JAXUSA is recognized as one of the top economic development initiatives in the United States.
  • The partnership has successfully recruited hundreds of companies to the region.
  • The initiative has helped retain, create, and attract tens of thousands of new jobs to the Northeast Florida area.
  • The JAXUSA brand has become truly global, well-known for its innovative initiatives designed to attract headquarters, finance, and technology firms.
  • Its international platform, which is built on leveraging JAXPORT, is considered one of the most effective in the world.