The Oregon Business Plan, launched in 2002, is an ongoing collaborative effort between Oregon’s business community, its elected leaders, and other key stakeholders to achieve greater economic growth and prosperity across all of Oregon’s regions.
The Business Plan has four long-range goals:
- Grow Wages to boost the economic well-being of Oregonians. That calls for increasing productivity and elevating the skills of individuals.
- Increase the Share of People Working, building an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. In particular, find ways to bring displaced workers back into the economic mainstream.
- Grow Household Wealth. Greater personal wealth for Oregonians, especially at lower and middle income levels, increases family security and intergenerational well-being.
- Increase Economic Mobility, allowing new generations of Oregonians, regardless of race or place, to thrive economically.
We Research and Propose Policies to Boost Oregon’s Economy
The main work of the Oregon Business Plan is to research and propose public sector policies and investments to improve Oregon’s conditions for economic success and opportunity for Oregonians. The Business Plan pursues these conditions in the form of particular initiatives that address acute or gathering public challenges. Policy initiatives for 2011 include overhauling Oregon’s manufacturing strategy, investing in workforce education, expanding broadband access and use, accelerating housing supply, and several other initiatives. Previous initiatives have urged policies to improve fiscal stability, transportation infrastructure, forest management, K-12 education, health care cost control, and rural water storage for agriculture.
We Present and Vet Ideas at the Leadership Summit
Work on the Business Plan and its initiatives goes on year round, but its signature event is the annual Leadership Summit, usually in early December. The Summit typically draws more than 1,200 business, elected, civic, and nonprofit leaders to identify and vet issues on the Business Plan agenda. Oregon’s top elected officials, prominent state and national policy experts, and publicly engaged business leaders typically participate in a combination of main stage presentations and discussions, as well as breakout sessions focused on particular issues.
