Vitality Lincoln

A Strategic Plan for Lincoln’s Economic Future

The future is exceptionally bright for Lincoln. 

Last year, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, two top consulting firms, a 42-member steering committee of business leaders and nearly 3,500 community members embarked upon the exciting journey of outlining a vision for Lincoln’s economic future and identifying the strategies needed to achieve it. Together, we created Vitality Lincoln: a strategic blueprint for our community that leverages our existing strengths. As our planning phase moves into reality, our team at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is eager to continue collaborating with our community partners to build pathways that collaboratively execute the impactful initiatives defined in Vitality Lincoln. 

With the valuable insights and expertise provided by nationally renowned consultants from Broad Ripple Strategies and DMOProz, the Vitality Lincoln steering committee has diligently and thoughtfully identified six fundamental areas of focus that will serve as the cornerstones guiding Lincoln’s strategic plan for economic growth. These Vitality Lincoln pillars encompass a comprehensive vision for the future development and enhancement of our community, addressing various aspects crucial to the growth and prosperity of Lincoln. They include: 

The establishment of distinct destination assets and infrastructure to attract events and visitors to Lincoln. This encompasses the development of a downtown Lincoln convention center, a revitalized local music festival and the creation of vibrant, integrated mixed-use hubs scattered throughout our community. To gain deeper insight into the Downtown Lincoln Feasibility Study as the convention center development process continues, please visit lincoln.org. This important study was commissioned by a collaborative coalition of organizations led by Visit Lincoln—a division of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Lincoln Association and Lincoln Rotary Club 14. The entire study can be viewed on our Visit Lincoln website at lincoln.org. 

A heightened focus on fostering a diverse talent pool while elevating our capacity to attract and expand companies by providing a sustainable foundation of a skilled local workforce. Recognized as a top challenge by the Lincoln business community, the plan also details a new career pathway system to connect individuals with our community’s employment opportunities and educational initiatives. Another critical aspect within this segment of Vitality Lincoln involves bolstering the expansion of local early childhood education and childcare resources, a growing concern impacting members of Lincoln’s workforce and employers. 

Establish Lincoln as a nationally renowned hub for initiating and expanding businesses that generate employment and foster economic vitality by elevating our dynamic entrepreneurial systems and support. By boosting the local recognition of Lincoln’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and enhancing the interconnectedness among entrepreneurial founders, programs, organizations and resources, Lincoln will experience a surge in diverse talent entering our entrepreneurial pipeline. 

Launching fresh targeted economic development initiatives and projects that leverage the inherent strengths that make Lincoln truly exceptional. By introducing a comprehensive, diverse business recruitment initiative and formulating a promotional plan for the Interstate 80 corridor linking Lincoln to Omaha, we aim to enhance Lincoln’s competitiveness in attracting new projects and ventures to our growing community. 

A dedication to supplying the infrastructure and land required to accelerate the vibrant and balanced growth of our community. This encompasses the creation of an accelerated infrastructure investment task force, optimizing policies to tackle affordable housing issues and engaging in ongoing deliberations regarding the construction of the East Beltway. This will position our community to expedite growth while streamlining the process for Lincoln development companies. 

Lincoln has a truly captivating narrative, and it is crucial that we broadcast our story to a global audience. By intensifying our dedication to crafting compelling image and awareness campaigns, we can creatively tell the story of Lincoln’s competitive advantages and strengths to people outside of our community. This includes the revitalization of our external brand identity, coupled with the promotion of noteworthy Lincoln stories through earned media, which are vital components to reinforcing our community’s unique identity as we aim to continue attracting both visitors and talent to Lincoln. 

It is an exciting time for our community. By pursuing the initiatives outlined in Vitality Lincoln, we are poised to propel Lincoln’s economic growth to new heights, fostering prosperity and innovation for all who call our community home. We applaud the 3,500 community members and 42 steering committee members who dedicated their time and vision to make the Vitality Lincoln strategic plan a reality for our city. We extend our sincere and continued gratitude to the business leaders who continue to play a critical role in the ongoing economic vitality of Lincoln as we take this important step forward. Together, we will ensure the anchor statements of Vitality Lincoln remain true: 

• Lincoln will be a growth leader. 
• Lincoln will be business friendly.
• Lincoln will be culturally inclusive. 
• Lincoln will be a talent magnet. 
• Lincoln will be a recognized destination. 
• Lincoln will partner collaboratively.

To read the full strategic plan, request a Vitality Lincoln speaking engagement and learn more about the additional pillars that outline what is next for Lincoln, visit lcoc.com/vitality-lincoln.