Lexington Economic Partnership Highlights Best Practice in Economic Development Collaboration

On June 17, leaders from across Kentucky gathered at the Workforce and Economic Development: Deal Makers and Deal Breakers Collaboration Workshop, hosted by the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) and Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) in Lexington.  The event brought together economic development professionals, educators, and policymakers to explore effective strategies for addressing workforce challenges and business recruitment through collaborative partnerships.​

​Among the featured speakers was Cheryl Weiss, Director of Business Retention and Expansion at Commerce Lexington, who highlighted the successes of the Lexington Economic Partnership (LEP), a collaborative model built to support business growth and retention.  ​

Commerce Lexington plays a leading role in building and sustaining the LEP, a unique coalition of seven core partners working together to support existing business growth in Lexington. The LEP includes Commerce Lexington, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the University of Kentucky, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, the Bluegrass Workforce Innovation Board, and the Kentucky Career Center and Office of Employer and Apprenticeship Services. The mission of the LEP is to bring all partners to the table to share resources, align efforts and streamline support to help businesses operating in Lexington grow or retain jobs.

Each year, Commerce Lexington facilitates the LEP team engaging with more than 100 local businesses across strategic targets through targeted one-to-one meetings. These conversations often uncover initiatives related to workforce development, site expansion, capital investment, supply chain issues, and other current events affecting business operations. The LEP provides direct access to customized solutions, from talent pipeline programs to real estate and infrastructure guidance. What makes the partnership effective is its unified approach. Companies aren’t bouncing between agencies; instead, they’re met with a coordinated team focused on helping them succeed and prosper.

Kentucky recently launched a similar approach. For more than a year, leaders across state agencies have been working on The Statewide Workforce and Talent Team (SWATT). Like LEP, SWATT brings together cross-sector partners from education, economic development, labor and workforce development organizations to offer efficient and strategic support to employers. It’s a promising step toward streamlining resources to create a more cohesive and impactful statewide workforce and economic development support system.

Commerce Lexington and the LEP exemplify what’s possible when collaboration is prioritized, and agencies work together to serve businesses and workers. As Kentucky continues to invest in workforce and economic development solutions, Lexington’s model stands as a blueprint for what meaningful economic development can look like.

​If you or your business is interested in engaging with the LEP or learning more information, click HERE.