Objective Actions Lead and Partners
Priority
Level
Timeframe
Measures for Progress and
Success
1.A.
Lead implementation of the Economic
Advancement Plan
1) Make sure the Strategic Plan never sits on a shelf; assign tasks, monitor and report progress, and provide public updates.
When specific Plan-related actions are undertaken, make sure participants/stakeholders see that they are part of the Plan
implementation.
2) Schedule a one-year review that evaluates progress including accomplishments and outcomes - identify lead for this review
well in advance and assign resources.
3) Engage in regular, open, targeted coordination with City of Oswego’s DRI activities and other significant economic
development initiatives in municipalities throughout the county.
4) Updates to Strategic Plan should be implemented at least every 4 years and should reflect effects of partner activities on
development as well as actions specific to the Plan: recognize critical role of actions outside of Plan by partners such as the DRI,
City of Oswego, City of Fulton, etc.
OOC, County, City of
Oswego, City of Fulton
High Ongoing
Completion of Actions and public
sharing of accomplishments.
Complete annual review of progress.
Number of participants coordinating
with leads on each action.
1.B.
Enhance collaboration among the key
organizations promoting growth and community
development, including organizations actively
involved in economic development activities and
allies in areas such as workforce, education, and
infrastructure, and the Port of Oswego
1) Review and strengthen existing collaborative efforts, identify areas for performance improvement, identify effective
relationships and ensure their continuity and clarity.
2) Establish a framework to facilitate quarterly meetings among leaders and stakeholders in existing organizations and allies to
review common issues and efforts, and discuss how to work more collaboratively.
3) Identify common opportunities and goals and support efforts undertaken within allied organizations. Discuss organizational
strengths, reduce overlap, and target resources for maximum effectiveness.
All organizations with
leadership from OOC,
County
High
Begin before end
of 2017
Number of organizations
participating in meetings.
Satisfaction with process among
participants.
1.C.
Create a single portal for economic development
that showcases the cooperative approach in the
County and is easy for newcomers to access
1) Maintain existing organizational websites but enhance the user experience and sense of "pulling together."
2) Engage a website developer to bring existing information under a common brand and portal.
3) Evaluate online presence from multiple points of view; resident, entrepreneur, business leader, investor, and ensure that both
new and sophisticated visitors easily find information and links.
4) Design website to promote a consistent, coherent image or “brand” for Oswego County’s business climate.
OOC, County High
Portal open
within 9 months
Number of unique website visits,
number of updates per year, bounce
rate, average session time.
1.D.
Broaden sources of funding for economic
development
1) Work cooperatively to enhance the quality of CFA/Grant applications from entities throughout Oswego County by targeting
specific businesses or industries that match well with each set of annual goals. Highlight enhanced collaborative efforts when
working with CNYREDC.
2) Develop and strengthen connections to angel investor and venture capital networks; discuss a regional or collaborative effort
to reach investors in metro areas (Boston, NYC) with CenterState CEO.
3) Include discussions of funding approaches when organizations “brainstorm” under Action 1.B.
All, including regional
economic development
organizations
Medium Ongoing
Quality of CFA/Grant applications
submitted by organizations
throughout Oswego County.
Number and dollar amount of
projects awarded funding.
1.E.
Expand capacity of programs supporting business
attraction and expansion, including improving
access to capital
1) Continue to identify and monitor successful programs that can serve as models.
2) Support NYS EDC efforts to preserve and enhance the ability of economic development organizations to provide financial
assistance that is in line with the organization's mission and the community's goals.
OOC, County Low Ongoing
Programs identified and EDC efforts
supported.
1.F.
Work with SUNY Oswego to envision creative uses
of university resources and industry and employer-
based solutions to university needs
1) Maximize use of campus; support university efforts to introduce off-season life-long learning programs similar to Elder
Hostel, which invites retirees to participate in educational and cultural activities on college campuses during the summer.
2) Support the university's efforts to retain and recruit retired/returning graduates, particularly alumni in their late 20s/early 30s
who want a family friendly community.
3) Work with university on a needs gap, including research and development space that could be available cooperatively at
manufacturing facilities, rather than reproduced on campus.
SUNY Oswego High Ongoing
Contacts made, discussions held,
Number of projects or initiatives
resulting.
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
Goal 1: Create a collaborative and cohesive economic development structure
Why this is critical: Oswego County must build institutional capacity to achieve its vision and goals. The economic development ecosystem is widening to include allies such as workforce initiatives. Establishing a clear, well-understood framework for cooperation among key entities
makes it easier for businesses, community leaders, entrepreneurs, job seekers, and residents to see the breadth and depth of activities and understand how/who/why to access the resources.
1
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
Objective Actions Lead and Partners
Priority
Level
Timeframe
Measures for Progress and
Success
2.A.
Broaden the economic development marketing
network to reach stakeholders outside of the
business and development community
1) Identify and coordinate a system of Community Advocates who share success stories, information, and events. Should be
community members with wide existing networks, who are trusted. A school district participant can strengthen the connection
between economic development and primary education.
2) Keep them up to date, and feed them information and talking points so they tell the story on social media.
3) Tell the success stories about businesses that do well and connect this to metrics and goals for county wellbeing - another
audience for existing OOC marketing and public engagement efforts.
4) Identify internal audiences and methods of reaching them.
5) Identify external audiences and methods of reaching them; continue to implement actions that are successful.
6) Include SUNY Oswego faculty, staff, and student populations in audience groups.
Chambers of Commerce
- County Tourism/Public
Information Office,
OOC, Centerstate CEO
and businesses
High
Begin within 6
months of Plan
adoption;
ongoing.
Community Advocates on-board,
number of posts, number of
followers.
2.B.
Shift thinking from "tourists" to "visitors" to
capture business travelers, family visits, second
homeowners, parents of SUNY Oswego students
1) Tourism is something to “attract” from outside but amenities are also a major factor in local quality of life and business
location decisions. Integrate information and celebration of the County’s unique tourism assets – e.g. waterfront, fishing, snow
sports – into the general conversation about community and economic development.
2) Use Community Advocates to lead a conversation and specifically integrate language about tourism into other
communications.
3) Target owners of second or vacation homes with information and marketing.
Chambers of Commerce,
County Tourism/Public
Information Office,
Centerstate CEO
Low Ongoing
Posts referencing tourism. Mail or
emails to second homeowners.
2.C.
Connect existing education and training initiative
information to create a continuum of resources for
residents and businesses of all ages and
skill/education levels
1) Identify resources and gaps - what, where, and who are their programs for; which target audiences are not well reached. For
example, lack of childcare, location of training, and available transportation can restrict participation. Put these on the table for
discussion under Objective 1.A., "Enhance collaboration."
2) Share intelligence about potential employers and employer trends with workforce and training stakeholders as early as
possible to speed up availability of suitable workers.
3) Bring primary education stakeholders into the mix with initiatives to engage younger residents.
County, OOC, CiTi, CCC,
SUNY Oswego, Labor
Unions
High 12-18 months
Resources and gaps identified.
Meetings and communications.
Number of educators involved.
Goal 2: Continuously engage community stakeholders around economic advancement efforts
Why this is critical: Economic development can be hindered when it is believed that its benefits only target businesses, and when the broader community outcomes are not well understood. Oswego County's goals include community development and economic inclusion as well as a
vibrant economy. Inviting stakeholders across the spectrum of the community into the process, and continuing to engage them, will showcase the deep connections between economic development and community wellbeing, and create an ecosystem of resources and support for
the County's initiatives.
2
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
Objective Actions Lead and Partners
Priority
Level
Timeframe
Measures for Progress and
Success
3.A.
Promote diversification and innovation within the
energy cluster
1) Promote Oswego County as a site for next generation nuclear facilities through the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s
Early Site Permit Application process.
2) Evaluate and develop a plan to resolve transmission issues within areas of Oswego County. Monitor transmission bottlenecks,
identify how they affect the County's ability to export electricity, and advocate for resolution.
3) Follow regulatory approval process for small modular nuclear reactor technologies and continue the productive relationship
with Exelon Corporation about future opportunities.
4) Use the NY-BEST consortium for energy storage research and development as a resource for energy innovation networking.
Innovation and commercialization goals of this organization also intersect with Objective 3.E., below.
OOC, County, National
Grid, Exelon
Corporation, Syracuse
University, Upstate
Energy Jobs
High 3-5 years
Partnership efforts. Growth of energy
related businesses and jobs.
Adoption of new technology.
3.B.
Become known for advanced manufacturing
expertise across a spectrum of industries
1) Showcase what is already occurring in Oswego County: market existing training programs and publicize news about adoption
of advanced manufacturing techniques by companies in the County. Identify platforms such as Expansion Solutions to tell the
story.
2) Promote the education and training of innovators and workforce by supporting collaboration between educators and
employers and facilitating the collection and analysis of data to match training needs, job requirements and numbers, and
workers and students in the “pipeline.”
3) Facilitate discussions with businesses who are planning to or need to adopt new techniques, including regular business
outreach and roundtable or brainstorming sessions with educators.
OOC, CCC High 1-3 years
Number of publication activities.
Number of jobs and $ of investment
in advanced manufacturing.
3.C.
Create a craft beverage industry
1) Survey interested brewers, cider makers, and distillers to get an idea of what they need to succeed.
2) Hold a business plan competition with the goal of opening new businesses in the county by 2018; participants may be from
outside Oswego County as long as they open their business in the county.
3) Offer to help competition winners with licensing and registration, business plans, and location identification.
4) Seek grants to allocate seed money to competition winners.
5) Invite local businesses such as Sunoco’s 1886 Malt House and Champlain Valley Apples to partner/sponsor.
OOC, CCE, NYS Ag. &
Markets
Medium 2-3 years
Number of business plan competition
participants and sponsors. Number
of grant applications submitted and
awarded.
3.D.
Leverage food processing expertise by continuing
to support specialty food entrepreneurial
development
1) Sponsor a business plan competition that is open to makers from outside the County as long as they will locate a facility here.
Prioritize products that take advantage of local or regional produce.
2) When a commercial space with a kitchen facility is available, work with the owner/lessor to promote the building and local
food with a “Taste Oswego” event inviting existing local producers and the public. Have entrepreneurship resources such as
mentors, culinary educators from CiTi, Cayuga Community College, and SUNY Oswego’s nutrition program available to discuss
food trends and food businesses opportunities and challenges.
3) Evaluate underutilized refrigeration capacity at K&N Foods as part of the County’s overall logistical and transportation assets
to identify opportunities for storage as well as production.
OOC, CCE, NYS Taste of
NY
Low 3-5 years
Number of competition participants
and sponsors. Number of co-events.
Goal 3: Build momentum around targeted industries
Why this is critical: A targeted industry strategy identifies priorities for allocation of resources and lets potential new businesses know what industries will be welcomed by the community. It must include support to help existing industries stay competitive and grow as well as establish
goals for business attraction. When deepening the economic development toolkit with entrepreneurial support and business plan competitions, targeting specific industries can expand the pool of participants.
3
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
3.E.
Enhance entrepreneur development
1) Develop a roadmap to identify County and regional assets across the business development lifecycle from idea and
incubation to commercialization and second-stage growth. Connect businesses with these resources and monitor progress and
outcomes, including for non-County assets.
2) Encourage existing businesses as well as startups to understand how this roadmap helps at different points on a development
timeline.
3) Continue and expand training programs and mentoring, and develop a “toolkit” that identifies business skills, guides
entrepreneurs in their acquisition, and measures progress in knowledge acquisition.
3) Focus a majority of incubation efforts on one or two targeted sectors.
4) Regularly survey and benchmark entrepreneurial advancement and evaluate performance of system.
5) Continue to hold the Next Great Idea (NGI) business plan competition on a biennial basis. NGI is open to applicants with an
award of $50,000 towards establishing a business in Oswego County.
OOC High Ongoing
Number of assets on roadmap.
Number of businesses accessing
roadmap and resources.
Number of NGI participants,
sponsorship support, and
sustainability of winners and
outcomes of participants.
3.F.
Connect established employers with innovation
resources
Use existing Business Retention and Expansion visits and other outreach efforts specifically to ask about potential for innovation
and resources needed; provide resources for the innovation as if it were presented by an entrepreneur. Machine shop owners,
discussed below in 3.G., should be among the first targets for discussions.
OOC Low Ongoing BRE visits.
3.G.
Convene a machine shop working group or task
force and conduct a study of assets and needs for
this cluster
1) Convene a regular working group of machine shop owners and managers, at least semi-annually, to discuss opportunities,
challenges, areas for collaboration (especially training) and to identify marketing opportunities such as trade publications,
conferences, and web-based organizations or outlets.
2) Promote Oswego County as having significant machine shop expertise. At a minimum, publish a directory of machine shops
with information regarding capabilities. Evaluate sending a representative to trade shows.
Actions 3 through 6 may be undertaken by a consultant or researcher
3) Identify areas of expertise, including both the ability to make products and the ability to integrate new technology into
existing processes.
4) Develop a marketing plan to promote machine shop assets as a cluster.
5) Survey machine shop owners about what resources are needed for expansion and process improvement, e.g. training, space,
equipment leasing, connections to suppliers and new customers.
6) Survey other businesses about how/whether their machine shop needs are met in-County, what is purchased from more
distant suppliers, and why.
OOC High Ongoing
Participation in semi-annual working
group meetings.
Publication of directory.
Number of new jobs and $
investment in machine shops.
Amount of in-county sales by
machine shops.
3.H.
Launch an "Outdoor Oswego" effort to leverage
tourism assets for recruiting outdoor recreation
equipment manufacturing
1) Have "Outdoor Oswego" or similar catchphrase become a byword for cooperation among makers and users, not just a
marketing slogan for tourism. Integrate the chosen term in both tourism and economic development materials, including
materials provided to prospective employers promoting Oswego County’s lifestyle.
2) Define “equipment” to target sport fishing, boating, and hunting products and accessories that are used in the County. ATVs
and snowmobiles are manufactured in large centralized facilities but parts and aftermarket accessories such as mufflers may be
suitable.
3) Facilitate a working group to seed a cluster of related businesses in this sector. This group should include businesses that use
equipment such as sport fishing expedition providers and snowmobile club leaders as well as existing equipment manufacturers.
Early activities can include identifying and finding financial resources to attend trade shows, mentoring for entrepreneurs, and a
business plan competition to attract entrepreneurial and small manufacturers of equipment used in the County. If interest grows
strong, support separate groups for fishing/hunting, boating, and snow sports.
Chamber(s) of
Commerce, County
Tourism, OOC
Medium 1 year
Participation in working group
meetings.
Use of catchphrase in marketing
materials.
Number of new jobs, $ invested,
companies in targeted sector.
3.I.
Expand funding for tourism projects
Actively seek tourism projects to support for state funding in 2018 Consolidated Funding Application round; underscore tourism
and visitor benefits when seeking funding for related projects such as craft brewing.
OOC, County Tourism Medium Spring 2018
Increase in tourism related
applications.
3.J.
Continue efforts to secure National Park Status for
Fort Ontario and National Marine Sanctuary
designation for Lake Ontario
1) Continue to work with National Park Service and NOAA to provide information for their discovery/decision processes.
2) Continue to work with state and federal elected representatives to get support in Congress for any supporting legislation.
County Tourism,
Oswego County
Legislature, state and
federal electeds
Medium 1 - 5 years
Increase in vistations at Fort Ontario,
Safe Haven. Development of new
amenities for Lake Ontario visitors.
4
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
Objective Actions Lead and Partners
Priority
Level
Timeframe
Measures for Progress and
Success
4.A.
Develop a track record of successful infrastructure
projects
1) Identify and establish funding for completion of strategic projects such as the sewer project at the Oswego County Airport in
Volney.
2) Continue to discuss long-term strategies for water and wastewater with regional partners.
3) Establish pathways for collaboration and coordination around the core ideas of service expansion, development opportunity,
and cost reduction.
Oswego County,
municipalities
High Ongoing
Dollars of funding for projects.
Gallons of increased capacity and
miles of pipes. Acreage connecting to
system.
4.B.
Enhance the County's critical role in the regional
transportation and logistics network
1) Use the Strategic Plan’s Infrastructure Analysis to publicize transportation assets and their interconnectedness; community
and business stakeholders as well as the transportation industry benefit from understanding the many resources.
2) Identify existing and potential major transportation and logistics hubs where multiple resources are available (for example
rail/truck/warehouse at one site.)
3) Strengthen the Port of Oswego’s ability to attract businesses with a cooperative and continuous evaluation of opportunities
and barriers; explore County business process improvements such as non-disclosure agreements and permitting clarification.
4) Continue to think regionally about transportation and logistics, and maintain a voice in planning and decisions. 5) Continue
efforts with NYS DOT to enhance access to I 81 in Oswego County.
County, Port of Oswego Medium 1-5 years
Number of new jobs and capital
investment in logistics and
transportation businesses. Dollars of
increased sales and revenue for
existing businesses. Partnership
efforts with other regional hubs.
4.C.
Establish a process for planning large-scale site
development that can be implemented across the
County as parcels become available for specific
projects
1) Identify stakeholders such as community leaders, large landowners, businesses, and school districts, and invite them to join
the planning processes, with opportunities for the general public to participate.
2) Evaluate the potential to partner with large landowners and developers for cooperative investment such as public/private
partnerships and special districts to have users pay for infrastructure.
3) Treat workforce as part of the infrastructure - identify skills, availability, and training opportunities located in proximity to
sites and fill training gaps. Assess workforce regionally to include those within commuting distance.
Oswego County
Planning, Workforce
Development Board,
OOC
Low 1-5 years
Number of involved
participants, number of projects
engaged in and outcomes.
4.D.
Review permitting processes and identify areas for
improvement
1) Periodically review processes at County and municipal levels and identify areas where projects are delayed or incur excess
costs; open a dialogue with municipalities about improvements that facilitate projects but retain local review where important.
Survey projects about process after completion.
2) Publish a consolidated “guidebook” to permitting processes throughout the County; promote on economic development as
well as planning websites and make it searchable by community and project type.
3) Partner with the Tug Hill Commission to explore potential areas for General Environmental Impact Statements (GEIS) to guide
and facilitate development suitable for those areas. 4)
Work to encourage consistencey in land use planning throughout the county as a way to streamline development efforts.
Oswego County,
municipalities
Low Ongoing
Assessment of processes completed.
Guidebook published.
GEIS pilot project.
4.E.
Promote workforce training as a major business
attraction
1) Continue to connect employers to the county's unique programs and support existing employer engagement; establish a
system to track potential instructors, corporate partners to be ready when new training is needed.
2) Continuously update workforce stakeholders about industries targeted, and industries expressing interest, to enhance their
ability to train a workforce ready by project completion.
3) Support grant writing efforts with information on how workforce initiatives fill countywide goals, employer information, and
success stories.
OOC, Workforce
Development Board,
CCC, Citi
High 1 year
Number of discussions, and issues
resolved collaboratively.
4.F.
Build strategically located spec buildings
1) Identify strategic locations where businesses will want to locate, using criteria such as location, services, and size.
2) Explore funding partnerships including public/private partnerships.
3) Create and maintain a profile of inquiries about sites and buildings, outcome of inquiries, and reasons if project was
abandoned. Assign estimated dollar amount of potential development undertaken and not undertaken. Workforce data
collected can be particularly useful for grant writing 4.E.3, above.
OOC High Ongoing
Number of sites identified, buildings
built, inquires logged.
Goal 4: Become recognized as a superior location for business attraction and growth
Why this is critical: Oswego County can build on its existing reputation for business friendliness and establish itself as a leader in attracting and growing businesses by identifying and enhancing the critical factors businesses need: solid infrastructure, clear planning and permitting, a
trained and ready workforce, and well-located and infrastructured sites.
5
Oswego County Action Plan Matrix
4.G.
Highlight the unique cultural fit between County
employers and workforce outdoor lifestyle trends
and its natural and recreational assets
1) Ensure marketing materials to prospective employers include information on "tourism" activities that fit well within lifestyle
preferences of residents and workers. This relates to Action 3.H., a business plan competition for outdoor equipment.
OOC, County Tourism,
Planning and Public
Information Office
Low Ongoing Materials and discussions updated.
Objective Actions Lead and Partners
Priority
Level
Timeframe
Measures for Progress and
Success
5.A.
Adopt and publish a performance dashboard with
meaningful measures of economic performance
Use a visually appealing format with multiple indicators to create a "dashboard." Camoin Associates has provided the Oswego
Economic Development Annual Performance Update - 2017 as a model that can be adopted.
OOC, County Planning Medium
3 months after
Plan adoption
Dashboard published.
5.B.
Establish long term targets and interim milestones
to mark and celebrate progress
1) Continue to review and identify measures of economic diversity, demographics, real estate, and investment showing both
infrastructure and business investment. The dashboard should be reviewed and updated annually, including changing or adding
metrics.
2) Establish intermediate and long term goals for the metrics. For example, adding 1 new Advanced Manufacturing business
each year or increasing the size of the commercial tax base to 25%.
OOC, County Planning Medium Ongoing
Data updated, targets established,
metrics reviewed and revised.
5.C.
Use the metrics to identify successful initiatives
and adjust or replace efforts not producing results
Establish a review process and timeline for evaluation. Also see Action 1.A.: collaborative group should discuss responses to
ineffective efforts. Metrics include the Annual Performance Update and other measures identified for specific actions
throughout this matrix.
OOC, County Planning Low Ongoing Number of initiatives evaluated.
5.D.
Publicize tourism's economic impact - add
statistics
Expand the Annual Performance Update to include tourism or create a tourism dashboard; include data such as the number of
visits, visitor origin, and spending to show the connection between tourism and local quality of life.
County Tourism and
Public Information
Office
Medium Ongoing Metrics identified and published.
Goal 5: Tell the story - regularly publish performance measures for economic advancement and diversification
Why this is critical: Economic advancement is created through incremental change over time across a broad range of community and investment indicators, many of which are long term or indirect. Publishing indicators and goals strengthens concept of forward motion and
encourages (1) recognition of concrete achievements; (2) a "whole picture" approach connecting economic development and community wellbeing; and (3) objective evaluation of success and failure of initiatives.
6