Our Agenda

The Pittsburgh region has been re-imagined, thanks to the hard work of many people over the course of a generation. In recent years we have witnessed the results. Through the Great Recession and beyond, our economy has outperformed that of the nation as a whole and we have attracted global attention and significant business investment. Interest in our region by business decision-makers has never been higher.

At the same time, the Allegheny Conference recognizes that our region is not the “most livable” for everyone here. People and places have been left behind by our economic recovery. There is an emerging skills gap between the needs of employers who have jobs to fill and those looking for work. To fully realize our potential, we must address these disparities.

In pursuit of “Sustainable Prosperity” for everyone who lives here, the Allegheny Conference has organized its agenda to advance three strategic priorities:

• Enhancing Opportunity by building on our strengths to connect businesses and individual to opportunity;

• Strengthening Communities by removing governmental barriers that prevent communities from realizing their potential; and

• Energizing Tomorrow’s Economy by seeking competitive tax and regulatory policies and reinforcing our region’s leadership as the new Center of American Energy.

As we make progress on our 2012-2014 agenda, we also realize that competing regions are working just as hard to improve their economies and quality of life. We must continue to improve our competitiveness if we wish to realize our full potential. The good news is our region is operating from a position of strength. By working together we can succeed.

	Our 2012-2014 Agenda Setting Planning Process 766 total participants 26 group discussion sessions around the region Nearly 200 young leaders at our first ever "Emerging Leaders" summit What We Learned Genuine excitement was expressed about the progress the region has made in recent years around competitiveness and our global reputation. Challenges such as economic disparity across racial and ethnic lines persist, despite the overall improvements in the region's fortunes. Future funding for public transportation is a looming concern. Without a robust transit system, our ability to attract and retain young talent will become more difficult. Many communities across the region will be negatively impacted by transit cuts. Energy and environment were nearly always mentioned in concert. What are our leaders concerned about? Our leaders said the top three barriers to the growth of their organizations include issues around transportation and infrastructure; lack of skilled workers; and lack of access to capital and credit. What should happen next in our region? Our leaders would like to see fewer, more efficient government entities; job growth consistently above the national average; and improved transit between key populations and employment hubs.

an affiliate of the
ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
11 Stanwix Street, 17th Floor · Pittsburgh, PA 15222 · 412.281.4783

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