The ERC network was also involved in the early stages of formulating a plan. A quick call with Clark Henry with ICMA led to brainstorming between Dorsey and me about what specifics we could enter into the data and a presentation with state leaders to plead the case for Logan. Economic data drove efforts from elected officials at the city, county, and regional levels to create the proper narrative regarding the job losses and their impact on Lincoln's economy.

While the Logan discussion continues, the state is willing to engage in stakeholder discussions where the impacts and potential solutions are addressed, with LEAD being invited to participate. Due to swift action and partnership, we can be a part of the discussion and help steer the outcome for the betterment of our community. We live to fight another day.

What became evident to me in these discussions was that there is an awareness and a willingness to take care of our businesses - one major hurdle down! On to figuring out the process.

LEAD was notified in September of its approval for the grant, which will fund operations for our existing programs, which serve the entire community, including those impacted by the justice system on either side. As a part of that funding, LEAD is partnering with Defy Ventures to allow five Logan County formerly incarcerated residents to receive virtual entrepreneurship training as a part of their Entrepreneurial Bootcamp. We are partnering with the Logan County parole officer to identify potential participants from the community to apply for those spots. The hope is that this program could lead to a community-based curriculum housed at the new homeless shelter being developed within a former nursing home.

Dorsey and GPEDC facilitated an introduction to Junior Achievement of Central Illinois. Discussions began in early Summer and culminated in the first Logan County CareerSpark Expo. This inaugural expo welcomed 243 Logan County 8th graders to have an interactive experience with 31 different local employers in 8 different community clusters.

Lincolnland Technical Education Center (LTEC) and Heartland Community College were heavily featured at the expo, with booths intermixed within the community clusters. This prepared students for presentations in Spring 2025 regarding how LTEC's classes can fit their high school schedules and prepare them for entry-level positions within some of the employers at the expo. Many of those classes are available for dual credit with Heartland Community College, allowing all students to experience different local careers and the pathway to those careers.

The thing I learned most during this experience is that there are regional partners who can be plugged into different community needs and are chomping at the bit to partner in new ways in areas like Lincoln. Hooray!

Before the application could be submitted, we needed matching funds. I spoke with the local Regional Planning Commission, which was willing to provide half of the matching requirement. The other half was acquired thanks to Dorsey's artfully crafted State of Illinois grant application, which allowed 50% of matching state funds for federal funding applications.

All the pieces finally came together for submission at the end of 2024. The best thing about this grant application is that it is a joint effort between Lincoln, Logan County, the Regional Planning Commission, Greater Peoria EDC, the State of Illinois, the ERC Fellowship, and (hopefully) the federal government. It is a beautiful depiction of the heart of the ERC program and a magnificent end to our first year as a local ERC team.

I would be remiss not to include my personal reflection on the idea of going from me to we. In Portland, I mentioned to Kioshi that even though the community I serve is surrounded by land, I often felt like I, too, was on an island. And that was 100% true. As a one-woman show, it felt as though I was alone in tackling the city's and county's economic challenges. Additionally, I felt the weight of those challenges and the sole-responsibility of planning their counterpoint. That feeling started to uncoil in Portland. Connection to the ERC family, the energy within the room, and the fellowship of those who are also in the trenches was a comfort.

As work began with Kathie and Dorsey, I began to realize that connection was available within the region. Access to ideas, networks, and sometimes lifelines were available. The challenges we face may be unique, but the systems to face them are built, available, and waiting to be plugged in. Collaborating with GPEDC and Junior Achievement of Central Illinois was a great example of just that. I didn't need to tackle a junior high job fair on my own, I simply needed to be the conduit through which that was brought to our students. And next year's expo will expand on that idea by bringing in more local companies, schools, and committees to build on the success of year one.

The power of collaboration was solidified in November when I conducted the first LEAD focus group to inform our next Strategic Plan. Thirty community members came to a three-hour session to give feedback and help navigate LEAD's next three years. At the conclusion, so many different participants responded that they wanted to continue to be informed of LEAD's actions and to be actively involved in shaping Lincoln's economic future. We are now looking at doing community focus groups more frequently to expand on this energy and follow where it leads.