2020 Annual Report by Greensboro Chamber of Commerce

gREENSBORO CHAMBER

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

GREENSBORO CHAMBER

A message from the team To the 1,200+ members and investors of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, we thank you for your support during a truly - we must say it - unprecedented year. Back in January, we thought that doing an Annual Luncheon rather than an Annual Dinner was going to be the biggest change in 2020. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. At the Chamber, we jumped into this crisis with both feet and didn’t look back. Our second day of working from home, we hosted the first of 43 Daily Action Calls. We helped to connect our manufacturers to our healthcare system when we were in need of PPE and ventilators for our neighbors. We learned how to meet, network, and get the work done, virtually. After the death of George Floyd in June, we started a community conversation about systemic racism and made a commitment to looking at the issues facing our community through the lens of equity. In October, we hosted our inaugural impact. Leadership Conference with a focus on change. The topic was decided long before “social distancing” was part of our daily vocabulary, but it took on new meaning as our community faced the biggest challenges many of us will see in our lifetimes. Through all the uncertainty, Greensboro came together - neighbors helping neighbors, standing up for what is right. We hope you’ll join us as we tackle the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that await us in 2021. After all, resilience is in our genes jeans!

Annual Report 2020 | Our message

The Greensboro Chamber Team

GREENSBORO CHAMBER

COVID-19 Timeline •

ACC Watch Party (last official event/beginning of shift)

March 16

•

Start of calls to each Chamber member

March 17

•

First of 43 Daily Action Calls

March 18

•

Launched COVID Website and Resource Guide

April 2

•

Membership 101 Video-how to get the full benefits of membership in the pandemic

April 21

•

Began “Takeout Tuesday” communications to membership highlighting restaurants

April 29

•

Developed Mother’s Day Gift Guide on social media to highlight small businesses

May 11

•

First virtual event: Launch Greensboro’s DemoDay

July 27

•

Furlough to Entrepreneur launched

July 30

•

Small Business Awards offered free of charge with a digital resource guide for PPE, Services, etc

August 26

•

More than 1,000 community members joined us for the first virtual State of Our Community

September 21

•

Chamber Golf Classic (first in-person event)

October 22-23

•

impact. Leadership Conference focused on leading through change

November 27December 25

•

Look Local First, Holiday Highlights, #TriadTogether Annual Report 2020 | COVID -19 Timeline

March 12

C R E AT E Q UA L I T Y J O B S

GROW Update Quarter 4 | Year 3 of 5

$688.1MM IN NEW CAPITAL INVESTMENT 5-Year Goal:

$6.94MM

$590,000

$700MM

RAISED FOR NEW VENTURES through our

NEW MINORITY BUSINESS REVENUE

new seed fund, First Launch Capital Fund 5-Year Goal:

5-Year Goal:

$2.5MM

$10MM

302

NEW COMPANIES

helped to start or grow through programming at Launch Greensboro 5-Year Goal:

3,926 NEW JOBS

5-Year Goal:

7,500 JOBS

Annual Report 2020 | Create Quality Jobs

400 COMPANIES

Featured Greensboro in 9 national or regional publications to help tell the story of our community. Yearly Goal: 8-10 PUBLICATIONS

375

chronically vacant positions filled and college talent retained through workforce initiatives

C R E AT E Q UA L I T Y J O B S

Advocacy/Legislative Agenda • Eastern Triad Workforce Initiative: Advocated for and received $4.5 million of CARES funding from the State to reinvent how the work of ETWI continued during the COVID-19 pandemic using new technologies and safe approaches. • Source for Funding Relief Options and Business Recovery: From March 17 through June 23, we hosted 42 Daily Action Calls with experts, service providers, and local, state, and federal officials to provide guidance, support, and direction to businesses, especially for the federal CARES Act funding relief programs available such as the Paycheck Protection Program loan and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Emergency Grant.

S.M.A.R.T Bond Campaign In September 2020, we kicked off the S.M.A.R.T Bond Campaign. S.M.A.R.T is an acronym for Safe, Modern, Accessible, Renovated, Tech-Ready schools. S.M.A.R.T is a reminder that the $300 million school bond is a starting point to address the fact that the majority of Guilford County school buildings are outdated and need to be transformed, remodeled or rebuilt. The campaign was successful; Guilford County voters overwhelming approved the $300M school bond with 72.5% in approval!

Annual Report 2020 | Create Quality Jobs

PASSED WITH

72.5% APPROVAL 5

C R E AT E Q UA L I T Y J O B S

COVID-19: Recruitment Like many things in 2020, economic development has pivoted during the pandemic to be respectful of social distancing guidelines. Specifically, the way we approach site visits has shifted. Since March, the Greensboro Chamber has hosted six site visits. Four of these six visits were “virtual visits” whereby the local economic development team met via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, along with our utility partners, workforce representatives, and brokers to introduce a site to consultants and company representatives. On two occasions, the Greensboro Chamber hosted in-person site visits. The first site visit occurred outside with consultants and representatives of the company. The site submitted is among four sites still under consideration. A second in-person site visit occurred at a local conference center with community partners and consultants. Participants were spaced six feet apart, and masks were worn for the entirety of the visit. Meeting online with consultants has allowed quicker turnarounds in that our Chamber can submit a site on Monday and meet with consultants on Wednesday to dig deeper into the site details. The marketing materials, drone footage, and maps available for each site have become vastly important while consultants are hosting virtual visits. As we learn and grow during this pandemic, we continue to customize each project request and site visit based on the client’s preference and comfort level in how to proceed.

C R E AT E Q UA L I T Y J O B S

COVID-19: Existing Industry Response

Annual Report 2020 | Create Quality Jobs

In mid-March, when COVID-19 seemed to halt life as we know it, the Greensboro Chamber did not hesitate - we got to work. We did what we do best – making connections within our community and beyond. When Cone Health projected a significant need for ventilators and medical PPE, the community of makers stepped up and immediately went to work—not just for Greensboro and North Carolina—but for the world. We consistently communicated the needs of our healthcare system, and our manufacturers who are pivoting to produce medical supplies, and brought those pieces together to fulfill critical needs. Our Chamber and existing industry team was in daily communication with 650 individuals representing more than 250 companies in our region. These companies, mostly in the manufacturing, aviation, and supply chain and logistics sectors looked to us for answers, connections, and action. We proactively provided them with local and state resources related to employers and COVID-19, SBA information, workforce development guidance, supplier lists, local and state emergency declarations, and essential business documents from the NC Department of Labor. We held four Manufacturing industry council meetings, focusing on waste products in the manufacturing environment, local best practices in COVID-19 response and a timely workforce

update. These topics of discussion were selected based on industry interest - subject matter that was important and needed by our companies. The Supply Chain & Logistics industry council had two meetings - one featured XPO Logistics’ President, who discussed the company’s response to COVID-19, and the second centered around the local workforce climate. As we progressed through the year, we continued to serve our existing industries with the latest resources and information for businesses, as well as proactively reaching out to companies to understand their needs and concerns. We are first responders to our existing companies – navigating the waters, providing resources, and making connections, so that they can continue to focus on what they do best.

C R E AT E Q UA L I T Y J O B S

Business Climate/Jobs Update Prepac Manufacturing Selects Guilford County for US Manufacturing Center: In August, Prepac, a North American designer and manufacturer of drop ship, ready-to-assemble (RTA) home furniture, selected Guilford County for its new US manufacturing center. Prepac will invest $27 million in capital investment and create more than 200 new jobs.

ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO

https://youtu.be/5AxY_EIEZAA PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH JIM

https://youtu.be/WyNWpuz8Dlg

“We appreciate the outstanding support provided by the State of North Carolina and Greensboro/Guilford County as Prepac increases our footprint in the North American market. The Greensboro-High Point and Guilford County market offer an excellent talent base and logistical advantage as we grow our business and serve our loyal customers,” said Jim Mathison, president of Prepac. Known as “Project Maple,” the economic development team first met company officials one year ago when the company began searching for a new location. Prepac needed the right mix of a talented workforce, ideal location for logistics and a building ready to go. The company will be located at a new spec building in Rock Creek Center in Whitsett.

Annual Report 2020 | Create Quality Jobs

UPS to Expand its Greensboro Sort Facility: The Greensboro UPS sort facility, the 5th largest in the US, is investing $54.2M in new, automated sorting equipment. The company will also be adding 141 new jobs, with an annual average wage of $65,147. The project, Project Classify, is one of two expansions for UPS in the area announced in October. “We are in the top five in terms of size of sorting and distribution facilities in the country,” said Greensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brent Christensen of UPS’ Triad operations. “This expansion will even further strengthen our area’s importance in global logistics.” UPS was founded in 1907, and delivers 5.5 billion packages and documents annually across the world, and has a workforce of over 500,000. Amazon expands into two new delivery centers in Guilford County: Amazon announced in October 2020 it will open a third delivery station in the Triad. Located at Rock Creek Center in eastern Guilford County, the center will open in 2021, employing an estimated 125 people with a capital investment of $30M. This follows the July 2020 opening of another fulfillment center located in Kernersville which employees 1,000 people with a $100M capital investment.

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Membership Numbers and Celebrating New Beginnings

NEW MEMBERS

1220

CURRENT MEMBERS

119

SIGNATURE EVENTS

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

On July 17th we hosted our first virtual ribbon cutting. Elected officials, Chamber Ambassadors, and community members joined us as we celebrated New Direction Rehabilitation and Wellness Inc.’s one-year anniversary. Moving to virtual ribbon cuttings has been an exciting process, allowing us to continue celebrating major milestones with our members! The video of the ribbon cutting surpassed 1,000 views in the last week of July.

Ribbon Cuttings (from top, clockwise): Sweet Tea Studio Fins Carwash Boot Barn

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Accelerate Greensboro MBA Four Minority Business Accelerator companies, along with Chamber leadership, met with Gray Construction at the Publix worksite on June 11th. Each company had the opportunity to share their scope of work and ask questions. Gray has committed to seeking opportunities for MBA companies to get involved in the project. The Accelerator’s portfolio companies met with members of the Greensboro Chamber Economic Development team in October for a first annual meeting to hear about the business recruitment process, ways to engage through the team, and what is ahead in the region for economic development. The MBA program has been rebranded as Accelerate Greensboro in an effort to better align its name with its mission to accelerate growth for minority companies and for the Greensboro economy overall. The new name also fits well with the Chamber’s overall brand.

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Interise Partnership Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's Minority Business Accelerator, Accelerate Greensboro, is partnering with Launch Greensboro and the national organization Interise on a program to help minority-owned businesses accelerate their growth.

PODCAST LINK

https://youtu.be/GU0nq7UJsoM

Named Scale to Excel, this program is designed for local minority business owners who want to get out of isolation, work on their business (not just in it) and get to the next level of growth. The inaugural cohort will begin in early 2021. “We already have a solid networking component built into the MBA program,” said Niketa Greene, the Chamber’s vice president for leadership, diversity and inclusion. “This addition provides a proven educational component to our existing success model. With this, we can further help our companies build their capacity for growth while connecting with potential partners.”

The foundation for the new program lies in Interise’s StreetWise MBA, a nationally recognized, award-winning curriculum. StreetWise MBA uses a peer learning method to provide business owners with the knowledge, know-how and networks necessary to grow and scale. Industry experts, business peers and the program’s instructor provide insights, strategies, motivation, and accountability. At the end of the program, participants walk away with a vetted business-specific strategic growth action plan outlining the steps required to achieve their goals.

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion The Greensboro Chamber has engaged in the important work of fostering racial equity within our community and organization: • We joined 806 community members and organizations in June and signed a Community Pledge Letter expressing our commitment to actionable changes toward racial equity in Greensboro. • We hosted One City One Film in July. We partnered with the Greensboro Public Library encouraging the community to watch or read The Hate You Give and join us for a series of three community dialogues to discuss the film and lessons learned for Greensboro. • In August, the Greensboro Chamber staff, board members, and other community leaders attended the Racial Equity Institute’s deeply impactful Groundwater Presentation. Our staff also participated in our first Racial Equity Staff Retreat on September 29-30. We were deeply engaged and impacted by the retreat.

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

• Using what we learned over the last several months, the Chamber developed its first equity statement that demonstrates a number of commitments to continue diversity, equity, and inclusion work with our staff, board, and membership.

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Launch Greensboro Overview Launch Greensboro accelerates growth for entrepreneurs starting businesses in the Greensboro/Triad area by providing education, mentoring, and access to capital. Our three pillars of support include: • Resources – education through programming, events, and connections • Expertise – access to experienced professionals critical to entrepreneurial success • Community – nurturing growth in the Greensboro/Triad area Our work encourages and supports an expanding pipeline of innovation, the formation and growth of high-potential emerging businesses, and a vibrant entrepreneurial community to create new jobs and increase the tax base of the City of Greensboro.

372

ENTREPRENEURS

74%

OF ONGOING PROGRAMS ARE M/WBE

2,439

COMMUNITY REACH

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

“The ‘magic’ my startup business received from the Launch Greensboro cohort session was all that we needed to take Minerva lithium LLC to the next level. In this program, I found 15 other like-minded individuals such as myself who were facing the same problems I had with starting my own business. The program is perfect for anyone who wants to start a business but also for anyone who wants to learn how to solve problems in a structured and creative way. If you are a startup or struggling company, or are looking for a challenge and want to succeed, I encourage you to join Launch Greensboro’s LaunchLab Growth cohort. And they provide all of this for free.”

- S H E E BA /G L E N N Minerva Lithium, Fall 2020 Growth

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Launch Greensboro 2020 Program Stats LaunchLab 64 companies | 71 individuals | 73% M/WBE • 101: 5-week accelerator program providing basic business knowledge in a cohort model to very early stage companies. • Growth: 14-week accelerator program for startup companies and founders looking to grow their businesses to sustainability. Paired with mentors. Culminates in DemoDay Event. LaunchLab Sustain Education, mentoring, and networking support for LaunchLab Growth alumni. LaunchCamps/Furlough to Entrepreneur Tech: 44 companies | 44 individuals | 81 % M/WBE • A 2 to 3-day intensive program built specifically to engage and educate entrepreneurs on the entrepreneurial mindset, customer discovery, and product-market fit methodologies. co//ab Average of 29 members/month in 2020 with an average membership term of 14 months. • There was a significant decrease in members, day pass users, and room rental this year due to COVID-19. Capital Connects 232 attendees to pitch competition | 13 presenting companies | 38 attendees to investor education session

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

“My time in LaunchLab Growth was one of the most “needle-moving” experiences I’ve had in my time as an entrepreneur, both from personal and business standpoints. The leadership of Jennifer Hensel and Lou Anne Flanders-Stec continually challenged us with the singular goal of growth even amidst an unparalleled global pandemic--the programming and expert speaker choices created a learning opportunity with every meeting and the lessons learned were invaluable. The ability to have one-on-one, small group, and cohort activities served to create a sense of community that sometimes seems difficult in a world of solopreneurs and small-team startups and I’m immensely grateful for my time in LaunchLab Growth.”

- LO G A N H A R V E Y FanParkApp.com, Spring 2020 Growth

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

First Launch Capital Fund In 2020, First Launch Capital Fund invested in 4 companies. ThreatSketch. ThreatSketch develops software tools providing data, analytics, and tools to reduce human costs related to cyber risk management. Their first product augments the knowledge and capacity of professionals working within the cybersecurity space, including legal and accounting firms, commercial banks, and insurance carriers. Future tools will augment operations by allowing businesses to generate a risk-optimized cybersecurity plan based on their profile. Serial entrepreneurs and investors leading their team was key to this investment. Proodos. Founded in 2019, Proodos is a people-oriented project management technology solution that improves project efficiency. They provide a new approach to manage skills, talent management, and communications gaps in managing projects reducing costs. Soelect, Inc. Soelect develops advanced solid state battery components to power the next generation of electric vehicles, power tools, and mobile electronics. Founded in December 2018, Soelect develops products providing superior performance, safety, and manufacturability compared to lithium-ion batteries in use today. Board Chair Matt Bailey stated, “having the support of an institutional investor creates a halo effect for us locally and sends a powerful message of credibility and seriousness to future partners." Graceful Ideas, dba Unbox the Dress. Founded in 2016, the company is the first online service that allows brides, old and new, to care for, store, and transform their original wedding dress into family heirlooms and gifts for loved ones. Grace Rojek, Founder and CEO states “Wedding gowns are of high emotional and monetary value, worth caring for today and every day. We take that value to heart as we work with clients to create heirlooms their families treasure for a lifetime and beyond.” After their move to NC from Ohio and receipt of a NC IDEA Seed Grant, the fund led their seed round.

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

First Launch Capital Fund “The First Launch Investment marked a critical milestone for Threat Sketch. It was our first institutional capital, signaling confidence in our product to the investment community.”

- ROB ARNOLD, CEO

A K H I L P E N DA LWA R , C O O , is pleased that “this investment, men-

torship and guidance from First Launch Capital Fund will fuel growth of our technology in the midst of a global pandemic.”

“First Launch's investment supports us in so many ways. The investment dollars, of course, are crucial. But equally important are access to the Chamber's resources and access to the greater Greensboro business community.”

- FOUNDER AND CEO SUNG-JIN (“JIN”) CHO

“The First Launch investment provided a vote of confidence in our vision making a major impact on our fundraising efforts. And their thorough due diligence process created confidence among our other investors. We're happy to call the Triad home, and First Launch is an excellent example of the strength of this startup ecosystem.”

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

- G R AC E R OJ E K , F O U N D E R & C E O

S TA R T I N G & G R O W I N G O U R O W N

Our Companies Growth

LIT League of Indoor Track Blockheads Woodwork Piedmont Data Points McCollum Ventures LLC EmpowerU Health Care MOA Ventures Curvi Milieux Beasts Train Mean iScribble Destiny Partner Enterprises, LLC Kameo Parks Consulting Route Run KCALOR Fit Maui Insights

Modern Day Hypnosis Conscious Healing and Art CANTAG Solutions Percensys Core Learning

Summer 101 Multifaceted Camp Glam Froxy’s Prime Choice Events & Entertainment Sew Meaningful The Performance Project Vesta House Cleaning Community HART Beats

Entropy Nemesis Know the Boro Eliz Creative Rise & Flow Square of Truth TableTop Envy Prememoriam Grands

Annual Report 2020 | Starting & Growing Our Own

Spring 101

Fall 101 Brand Elements Coaching Stubbs Physical Therapy Farm School Sustainable Sue

TA L E N T & W O R K F O R C E D E V E LO P M E N T

impact. Leadership Conference In early 2019, following a visit to a leadership conference in another city, a group of Chamber leaders presented the concept of a national-level leadership conference to be hosted in Greensboro. Greensboro is the home of the Truist Leadership Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership, seven colleges and universities, countless community programs and organizations focused on talent and workforce development, and a broad range of corporate innovators. In short, Greensboro knows leadership. The impact. Leadership Conference is designed to harness the leadership knowledge in our community to grow impactful leaders committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and positive change in their community and their world. 2020 has certainly been a year of reinventing our programs to fit the needs and desires of our members/investors and community. Last fall when the conference steering committee was working with us to plan our new impact., none of us envisioned having to offer it virtually. We also had no idea just how relevant our chosen topic of change and disruption was going to be. Impact. featured four nationally recognized speakers: Jon Gordon, L. Diane Bennett, Jessica Glazer, and Jeremy Spidell. The conference was presented virtually on October 22 and 23 in half-day sessions while also being made available to sponsors/registrants to fit their schedules beyond those set dates/times. Local educators received free registrations provided through sponsorships. The pre-pandemic attendance goal for the conference was 500 attendees. Over the two half-days we reached 1,072 total views.

Annual Report 2020 | Talent & Workforce

Additional conference information including the 2021 conference date may be found at www.impactgso.com.

Impact: The Boro Podcast The first season of our podcast, impact. The Boro, launched this year. The 36 episodes touched on topics related to leadership, small business, entrepreneurship and the greater Greensboro community. When COVID hit, we were able to use the podcast to disseminate important information about disaster relief funding and resources. Our episodes were listened to more than 3,500 times on podcast apps, our website and YouTube.

TA L E N T & W O R K F O R C E D E V E LO P M E N T

Leadership Greensboro Leadership Award winners: The Leadership Greensboro New Year Reception and Awards Presentation was held January 9. Over 140 people attended the event including LG alumni, 2020 class members, and honorees. The 2020 award recipients are: • Leadership Greensboro Service Medal – Adriane Singleton & Jose A. Sandoval • Leadership Greensboro Connector Medal – Ray Trapp • Denise E. Maleska Leadership Impact Award – Tina Akers Brown The Leadership Greensboro (LG) program had a transformational year. The LG 2020 Class was well underway when the pandemic impacted the community. The program quickly pivoted to a virtual format for April to June which included their graduation. The Leadership Greensboro 2020 Class also did virtual action learning project presentations for the first time. The Affordable Housing project team won the prize for Most Innovative Solution; the team developed a mobile app that will be used by Greensboro residents to empower them with the tools and knowledge to secure fair and quality housing, to improve tenant-landlord relationships, and to streamline housing inspections. This app will be available in early 2021. The Leadership Greensboro 2021 class of 36 outstanding leaders began in September. The diverse group of leaders is the first to experience a hybrid program year that includes online program days and small, in-person experiences. The theme for the class year is Better Together and will center the program year around diversity and inclusion. Though it was not safe to gather in person for our Annual Summer of Service, the Leadership Greensboro Alumni Association still gave back to our community. Our alumni pitched in to donate 70 gift bags of treats and encouragements for each staff member at Foust Elementary - a local Title I school. The council also hosted an electronics drive for students learning virtual through Guilford County Schools. The council teamed up with Summit Credit Union to collect devices at all of its Guilford County branches, and collected 22 devices for students.

Annual Report 2020 | Talent & Workforce

“Leadership Greensboro is an excellent program to build a family of servant leaders who create innovative solutions to address real issues faced by our family, friends, and neighbors. This program is critical for any city that desires to be progressive as it takes a commUNITY to serve a commUNITY.”

- JASMINE BEARD LG 2020 & LG 2021 Program Chair

TA L E N T & W O R K F O R C E D E V E LO P M E N T

Other Voices Other Voices (OV) graduated 25 new alumni in its 27th class, OV Class 2020. The class make-up included a diverse group of participants in the “circle,” with 13 in business sectors; 2 in educational institutions; 4 in government entities; 5 in nonprofit sectors & 1 in a foundation. From visiting the Underground Railroad Tree at Guilford College to spending a program day at International Civil Rights Center and Museum, covering social justice topics were key components of the program. Race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economics, immigration, differently abled, look-ism, etc., etc., etc. These topics, plus others, encapsulate the conversations shared among participants in the “Circle” in an effort to experience a different viewpoint, acquire a different understanding, and see the world from someone else’s perspective. In addition, over 25 guests visited the“Circle” to bring expertise or lived experiences around the various topics.

“In today’s world, it’s more important than ever that we focus on creating an inclusive community. Other Voices provides a safe space to initiate meaningful conversations, complex, and sometimes difficult. It pushes you out of your comfort zone to learn from experiences and perspectives of others.”

Annual Report 2020 | Talent & Workforce

- MARIA GONZALEZ CEO, ClubFitness Greensboro

T E L L I N G O U R S TO R Y

Notable Accomplishments Action Greensboro is comprised of six local charitable foundations that work collaboratively with the Chamber of Commerce, as the city’s primary economic and community development group. We are a catalyst for public-private partnerships and serve as an intersection of government, education, nonprofit sector, entrepreneurial community, arts & culture and young professionals. Through our programs, we align the needs of employers and coordinate existing education and workforce development initiatives to attract, connect and develop the next generation of workforce. Action Greensboro’s programs include the Downtown Greenway, synerG Young Professionals, Campus Greensboro and Made in Greensboro. As an evolving and nimble organization looking to advance the community quickly, our approach often pivots and develops additional projects and programs. Support for Our Schools • 181,031 people voted YES to support the 300 Million SMART School Bonds with the support of hundreds of volunteers and campaign funders. Cecelia Thompson co-chaired the Campaign. Action Greensboro Foundations helped to fund the campaign; foundation directors worked on the campaign. Construction and Use of the Greensboro Downtown Greenway • Approximately $7,000,000 was spent on the Downtown Greenway including construction along Murrow Boulevard and public art projects. • Over 43,000 people were reached with over 7,000 people attending Downtown Greenway community meetings and events. • Over 36,000 people trekked the Downtown Greenway trail. • 4 major works of public art are underway on the Downtown Greenway with 2 completed: Bridging the Gap by artist Darlene McClinton and her Creative Minds team and WestWoods by artist Thomas Sayre. 2 additional works have approved designs with expected fabrication and installation in 2021: Northern Passage by Roots First Design and the Freedom Cornerstone by artist Radcliffe Bailey. Annual Report 2020 | Talent & Workforce

Response to COVID-19; Keeping Our Community Together; and Responding to Community Concerns • 100 community leaders participated in a Racial Equity Institute Groundwater training. 3 listening sessions with 10 African American community members were held to seek input on how Action Greensboro can support our African American community and support equitable systemic change in Greensboro.

T E L L I N G O U R S TO R Y

Notable Accomplishments Growth and Retention of College Students and Young Professionals • Over 16,000 people viewed online synerG’s online programs covering leadership and professional development, social and entertainment, and local culture/community. • A combined 1,372 students applied for Campus Greensboro’s programs including Fellows Program, Spring Forward, and Next in FinTech Community Challenge. • Campus Greensboro posted a record-breaking 188 internships with 58 employers for the 2020 Fellows Program. • 72% of Next in FinTech Community Challenge student participants reported that they have a stronger interest in pursuing a career in FinTech in Greensboro/the Triad. • synerG collaborated with 63 businesses, entrepreneurs, and experts to produce sessions and events throughout the year. • 10 new young professionals were welcomed to join synerG Council in 2021 representing ages 23 to 36, 3 races/ethnicities, and 8 different industries. • 8 young professionals participated in synerG’s inaugural Career Seeker Cohort. 6 cohort members found local employment by the end of the program. • Launched a new campaign to recruit Boomerangs back to Greensboro.

Annual Report 2020 | Talent & Workforce

Promotion of Greensboro’s Story • Approximately 30,000 participated in Action Greensboro’s online programming. • Action Greensboro produced 60 online video programs including Community Coaching Sessions, Live for 45 and Try This Tuesday. 50 experts and leaders participated in our digital programming. • 6 “Social Distancing is #soGSO” emails were sent. • Made in Greensboro featured 10 makers, entrepreneurs, educators and community advocates

TA L E N T & W O R K F O R C E D E V E LO P M E N T

Campus Greensboro Campus Greensboro is dedicated to preparing college students to be emerging professionals in Greensboro through increasing industry knowledge, growing their networks, and gaining professional experience before graduation. Fellows Program: The Campus Greensboro Fellows Program is a competitive, 10-week summer program that connects college students to internships and provides soft skills/leadership training, networking opportunities with key leaders, and opportunities to explore the city as a young professional. This program is focused on increasing awareness of all that Greensboro has to offer our local college students, with the ultimate goal of retaining local college students post-graduation. Due to COVID-19, many employers had to eliminate their internship programs for summer 2020, resulting in a cohort size of 55 Fellows. Although a smaller group, students in the 2020 Fellows Cohort showed immense resilience, flexibility, and adaptability through a challenging and uncertain summer. All Fellows Program events this summer were virtual with the exception of two outdoor, socially distanced, optional activities. By the Numbers: 55 Fellows | 22 internship sites (employers) | 16 universities represented After completing the Fellows Program: • 93% of Fellows indicated they are interested in staying in Greensboro post-graduation. • 95% of Fellows reported that they built a network they believe will help them professionally. • 95% of Fellows stated that they feel more prepared applying for future job/internship opportunities. • 92% of Fellows said they better understand which organizations in Greensboro are in their desired industry. Next in FinTech Community Challenge: During this virtual week-long event, student teams from colleges and universities statewide utilized FinTech (financial technology) to tackle two community issues provided by Cone Health and Piedmont Business Capital. While working on their selected challenge, teams also participated in industry-led workshops on different areas of FinTech and collaborated with a Success Squad of community leaders who helped them formulate their ideas and create a 3-minute video pitch to be presented to a panel of judges. Annual Report 2020 | Telling Our Story

By the Numbers: 85 Students | 24 Teams | 11 universities represented After completing the Next in FinTech Community Challenge: • 83% of students indicated they have a stronger interest to pursue a career in FinTech. • 93% of students reported they have more knowledge in various areas of FinTech such as design thinking, artificial intelligence, block chain, cryptocurrency, big data, and machine learning. • 94% of students stated they have a better understanding of how to integrate FinTech when solving problems. • 93% of students reported they have a better understanding of how FinTech plays a role in different industries.

TA L E N T & W O R K F O R C E D E V E LO P M E N T

synerG The challenges and opportunities of 2020 allowed synerG Young Professionals to grow creatively like never before. Through a virtual veil, young professionals in Greensboro continued to learn, connect, and engage. synerG launched a new program this year called Career Seeker Cohort. This three-month program offered career seekers a space to navigate the job search with the help of career experts and each other. In the inaugural cohort, over 60% of participants found employment by the end of the program. GreensBREWo, a celebration of community and beer, featured synerG’s very own beer brewed in collaboration with Little Brother Brewing. synerG (in collaboration with the Chamber and other partners) was also proud to present 4 Our Future, a four-day virtual candidates’ forum series. Other programming included the third cohort of Young Professional Educators Academy, Making Connections, Lunch & Learns on personal and professional development topics, Wellness Series Sessions, and On Taps and other social events.

Annual Report 2020 | Telling Our Story

Though in-person opportunities were limited, synerG members were able to connect a few times throughout the year at a voter postcard drive, an evening at Gillespie Golf Course, and a touch-up of our crosswalk mural “Bottleground.”

T E L L I N G O U R S TO R Y

Digital Engagement Made in Greensboro In 2020, Made in Greensboro highlighted 10 different educators, healthcare experts, community leaders, and entrepreneurs. Online Programming In early March when the nation was beginning to see the approaching wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Action Greensboro’s team quickly met to discuss how to pivot and provide online programming to Greensboro’s workforce. • Social Distancing is #soGSO Emails • Emails included recommendations from Action Greensboro staff on local activities to do while practicing social distancing. Digital Community Coaching Sessions • A series that provided relevant content related to quality of life, professional development and pure fun through Facebook LIVE sessions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Live for 45 • Held every Wednesday at Noon on FB live for 45 minutes of live programming that will make you feel the energy of the community without leaving your desk and motivate yourself to reach your personal best both physically and mentally. • Themes were energize, upskill and interface. Online programming had over 30K views from Facebook live.

Annual Report 2020 | Telling Our Story

T E L L I N G O U R S TO R Y

Downtown Greenway 2020 saw significant progress towards the completion of the Downtown Greenway. The eastern side was completed with 3 miles of the 4-mile loop now open. Preparations were made for the final mile along the railroad corridor, expected to go under construction in 2021. Trail use experienced record numbers. Community engagement was at an all-time high through both in person and online programming, community meetings, social media, and public talks. Construction: Murrow Boulevard was transformed from a 6-lane divided highway with unsafe pedestrian and bicycle conditions into a more beautiful, safe, and connected street system. Programming: More than 7,000 people were reached through 45 events held in person and virtually. Highlights included bike donations, a fall nature series, and goat yoga. Trail Use: Like trails across Guilford County and the rest of the country, all open sections of the Downtown Greenway experienced a tremendous increase in use this year with over 36,000 users in 2020.

Annual Report 2020 | Telling Our Story

Public Art: Darlene McClinton completed Bridging the Gap; Thomas Sayre made significant progress on the WestWoods installation; Northern Passage by Roots First was designed; and Radcliffe Bailey presented his proposal for the Freedom Cornerstone.

DOWNTOWN GREENWAY 4 MILE MULTI-USE PAVED TRAIL

CONNECTS TO OVER 100 MILES

is the first and only greenway encircling a downtown city in North Carolina.

IN JAM

Y PKW

BA TT

BEN

ENVISIONED AND INSPIRED

of existing and 460 miles of planned greenways throughout the area. Serving as the hub of the greenway system.

by the Greensboro Bicentennial Commission as the signature project to commemorate the City’s 200 th birthday.

D FISHER

Northern Passage

Holy Trinity

FISHER

”Meeting Place“

Tradition Cornerstone

Intl. Civil Rights Center & Museum

RAILROAD

Mural at Morehead Park UNCG

Bennett College

FRIENDLY

MARKET

WASHINGTON

Depot

MCGEE

Southside

G AR DE N

EUGEN

UT NL

RTI

SPRING

NC A& T State University

Cultural Center

ELM

Blandwood Mansion

Innovation Cornerstone

MURROW

Greensboro College

Center City Park

”Woven Works Park“

Children’s Museum

Central Library

Elon University School of Law

Greensboro Curb Market

CHURCH

Westwoods

E. LINDSAY

History Museum

ELM

First National Bank Field

DAVIE

co on ther wea onstructi c ding (pen d lack of les) c ta an s b o

IT H

GREENE

CTED EXPE ETION: L P COM 021 2 ting opera

LoFi Park

EUGENE

SPRING

SMITH

Douglas Park

BRAGG

Annual Report 2020 | Telling Our Story

Union Square Campus

Freedom Cornerstone COMING 2021

Five Points

, JR

Motion Cornerstone

ING

GATE CITY BLVD.

”Gateway of the Open Book“

FRE

Completed Sections (as of October 2020) Under Construction: Future Sections 2021 Public Art Corner stones Connecting Trails & Gr ee nways Parking

TAKE PART IN DOWNTOWN GREENWAY EVENTS. Visit www.downtowngreenway.org for listings. • fitness classes • biking events • running/walking events

• ribbon cuttings • groundbreakings • and much more!

To learn about all Greensboro Trails, visit: www.greensborotrails.org

www.downtowngreenway.org

CI RCL E OF C HA M P I ON S

ACTIO N G RE ENS BORO FOUNDATIONS Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater Greensboro The Cemala Foundation Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Cone Health Foundation Phillips Foundation Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation

G REENSBO RO C HAM BER OF COM MERC E 111 W. February One Place | Greensboro, NC 27401 336.387.8300 greensboro.org