News and Events

by Erik Collins
Securing a new site within your community, winning a growth-driven project or providing resources to community partners. These are just a few examples of how economic development professionals measure success.
While our BusinessFirst! partners work towards these goals day in and day out, we’re also driven to see loca...
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Resources for Black-Owned Businesses
Feb 18 2021Eliminating inequity means ensuring that all entrepreneurs and business owners have access to the support, financing, resources, and networking they need to grow. Economic development agencies, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector are partnering to address disparities and provide more support to the Black community, including efforts t...

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 43 percent of the workforce worked from home at least some of the time according to Gallup data. With the pandemic, that percentage increased, and many people switched completely to remote work. With that switch, workers were no longer anchored to a radius around thei...

by Michael Zimmerman
Despite the challenges and hardships faced by numerous industries throughout COVID-19, Montgomery County’s federal CARES Act grant program was the silver lining for many small businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits and homeowners in the Dayton Region.
"The CARES Act grant allowed us to purchase much-needed technology to facilitate online learnin...

Robust and diverse relationships are a pillar of successful business and the Dayton Ohio region is uniquely positioned on a direct avenue for collaborations with Israel. Dayton Region Israel Trade Alliance (DRITA) is the gateway for access to a local team, representatives in Israel, and matchmaking funding through Israel-U.S. Binationa...

by Dan Bish
As mentioned in the first article of this two-part blog series, I was provided the opportunity to speak with fellow economic development and community leaders at County Focus, a virtual economic development series hosted by Greater Cincinnati SMPS.
My previous post highlighted the numerous projects underway in Montgomery County, Ohi...

Dayton Arcade Means Business
Dec 9 2020by Michael Zimmerman
Hidden behind long-ago shuttered storefronts at the epicenter of Dayton’s downtown, a business giant is reawakening. In October, Montgomery County Business Services staff donned hardhats to take a tour of the soon-to-open Dayton Arcade, as construction workers hung drywall around us.
The Arcade includes nine buildings, five of the...

by Dan Bish
The economic development series, County Focus — hosted by Greater Cincinnati SMPS — brought together local influencers to discuss the challenges and opportunities businesses and developers may face when determining to relocate.
Alongside Christine Russell from Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, Michael McNamara of Clermont County and Matthew Schnipke of Warre...

The Mobile Workforce Unit, a 38-foot Freightliner coach outfitted with state-of-the-art technology, will serve as an extension of the services already available to Montgomery County residents at The Job Center on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard in Dayton, Ohio. It will function as one more innovation to help residents develop th...

by Erik Collins
The year 2020 has featured pivoting projects, reprioritizing business goals and determining your organization’s key values to withstand any natural disaster, global health crisis or economic hardship. As economic developers, this year has only reinforced the importance of relationships — whether with businesses inside our communities or resourc...

Opportunity and prosperity — two characteristics that continuously describe the economic development initiatives in the Dayton Region. As 2020 comes to a close, the month of November marks the beginning of a $14.9 million infrastructure project that will boost future economic growth and introduce a variety of new employment opportunities.
Le...

In Montgomery County, Ohio, developing partnerships and opportunities for collaboration is at the core of economic development initiatives. These connections foster working relationships among fellow business leaders — and with organizations outside of our county, state and country.
Take for example the Foreign Military Finance (FMF) Program, a unique offering provide...

Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio fortified its commitment to training the workforce of Montgomery County and beyond when it acquired the Tesla START Program, an accelerated 12-week course of study designed to equip students with the skills necessary to become electric vehicle technicians at Tesla. Sinclair College is on...

by Gwen Eberly
The road to recovery following the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes required the coming together of Dayton Area businesses and organizations to restore our community and prepare for future economic growth and success. More than one year later, we are witnessing how these collaborative efforts are impacting the future busines...

Pivoting Success: Dayton Region Manufacturers Association Hosts Virtual Manufacturing Day
Sep 30 2020It’s no secret that annual events look much different in 2020 as conferences, networking opportunities and trainings take the virtual stage. While some organizations see this as a setback, the Dayton Region Manufacturers Association (DRMA) presses on in their mission of enhancing the manufacturing industry’s talent pipeline.
The first Friday i...

Business Retention and Expansion Programs in Economic Development Strengthen Your Core for Growth
Sep 30 2020by Gwen Eberly
This information was originally presented in a webinar course with the Ohio Economic Development Association.
For economic development specialists, planning managers and community outreach organizations, business retention and expansion (BRE) efforts are the base of your ongoing growth strategy. After all, your longstanding networks help pave the way fo...

Through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the U.S. Treasury issued Montgomery County $92M in funding to provide financial relief to individuals and businesses experiencing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the summer, grants from this funding were launched for small businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions...

Dayton Entrepreneurs and Small Business Community Gather Virtually for TechStars Startup Week Dayton 2020
Sep 17 2020The economic prosperity of any community is powered by the efforts of forward-thinking entrepreneurs who present ideas both large and small. In Montgomery County, our small business community is empowered through initiatives such as the annual TechStars Startup Week Dayton.
This year’s conference, beginning Monday, September 21, will gather Montgomery County’...

Montgomery County’s Community and Economic Development Department has promoted Robert Martin to the position of Manager of Building Regulations.
Martin has served with Montgomery County’s Building Regulations Division for over 15 years. Prior to being named the Manager of Building Regulations, he worked as an Inspection Supervisor. His work has bee...

SBA announces Paycheck Protection Program
Apr 1 2020UPDATE: On April 27, 2020, the Small Business Administration announced additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. Contact your financial institution for more information and to apply.
Following President Trump’s signing of the historic Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin today announced tha...