The economy of Portland, Oregon has been historically inequitable and is becoming increasingly stagnant. Prosper Portland, the economic and urban development agency for Portland, updated their Inclusive Economic Development Strategy (IEDS) document to address a changing world including dealing with the effects of Covid, an increased emphasis on racial equity, and future-proofing the economy. The 1861 Group was part of a team that designed Portland’s new IEDS document, Advance Portland.

The five key economic inputs examined include: industry clusters, spatial efficiency, governance, entrepreneurship, and workforce, all to identify barriers to economic growth that could be addressed and overcome. Four overarching objectives were created, including expanding innovation, equitable wealth creation, neighborhood-specific growth strategies, and future-proofing the economy, all while equity and climate acted as north stars throughout the process. Over nearly a year, we interviewed dozens of stakeholders, analyzed hundreds of data points, and brought together qualitative and quantitative data to create achievable market-making strategies to boost Portland’s economy.