Program Aims to Strengthen Communities’ Competitiveness for Business Attraction
Missouri – January 28, 2025 – Missouri Partnership is excited to announce the official kickoff of the Raise the Bar – Assess program, a key component of the organization’s Raise the Bar capacity-building initiative. This innovative program is designed to prepare communities across Missouri to respond quickly and competitively to business attraction opportunities.
Missouri Partnership is collaborating with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), and Missouri Farmers Care on the initiative. A core component of Raise the Bar – Assess is an intensive mock site visit that mimics food and beverage projects. Following a nationwide search, nationally recognized site selection firm Quest Site Solutions was selected to lead the exercise in six Missouri communities.
“The Raise the Bar – Assess program is a game-changer for communities striving to attract businesses,” said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “This initiative not only sharpens their competitive edge but also demonstrates Missouri’s commitment to being the best place for business. The expertise of Quest Site Solutions and the collaboration with MASBDA and Missouri Farmers Care add incredible value to our efforts.”
The following organizations have been selected to participate in the program:
- Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council
- Jefferson City Regional Economic Partnership
- Kirksville Regional Economic Development Inc.
- Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation
- Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
- Washington County Industrial Development Authority
The program offers selected communities the rare opportunity to work directly with site selection experts, providing site-specific feedback to further enhance their readiness for future business attraction projects.
“I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Chris Chinn, Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “By combining resources and expertise, we’re ensuring that Missouri communities are well-prepared to compete for and win critical business attraction projects. This project is about investing in our future and positioning Missouri as a national leader in economic development.”
“This collaboration underscores the strength of Missouri’s statewide partnerships,” said Ashley McCarty, Executive Director of Missouri Farmers Care. “Missouri has unique strengths in the agriculture, biotechnology, and food and beverage sectors. We’re excited to see these communities take what they learn and apply it to real-world projects, ensuring Missouri remains at the forefront of agricultural growth and economic development opportunities.”
The Raise the Bar – Assess program exemplifies Missouri Partnership’s dedication to empowering communities through strategic collaboration and targeted capacity-building efforts. The initiative’s focus on readiness and competitiveness is key to driving economic growth across the state. Quest Site Solutions will begin conducting mock site visits in Missouri this week.
About Missouri Partnership
Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouri’s business strengths. Since 2008, Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide to attract companies that have created 34,100+ new jobs, $1.7 billion+ in new annual payroll, and $8.1 billion+ in new capital investment. Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, American Foods Group, Casey’s, Chewy, Inc., Google, James Hardie, Meta, Swift Prepared Foods, URBN, USDA, and Veterans United.
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