Regional Website Solution Overview

A well-designed, information-rich website is an essential component for successful economic development agencies and chambers of commerce and subsequently, the communities they serve. VisionASP and MacWest Marketing conceived of a regional website system that will allow a professional, customized online presence for each of the economic development agencies and chambers of commerce in six rural northern Nevada counties. It will also allow for data feeds and information sharing, an important component for successful economic development websites.

VisionASP and MacWest Marketing approached Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) with the concept. The leaders of NNDA endorsed the concept and chose to partner with VisionASP and MacWest Marketing in bringing the project to fruition. NNDA along with VisionASP and MacWest Marketing presented the concept to the chambers of commerce and economic development agencies in the northern Nevada rural counties. The concept was well-received and quickly endorsed by each organization. NNDA, VisionASP and MacWest Marketing worked together to apply for a grant from the Nevada Commission on Economic Development (NCED). A $388,000 application for funding was presented to the NCED Commissioners on October 18, 2006, and it was unanimously approved.

Key Factors in the project:

• In today’s information-based society, businesses and individuals expect to find what they need online. Economic development agencies and chambers of commerce in rural areas face a challenge. They do not have the funds, which typically come from a large membership base, to create a comprehensive internet solution. Websites are essential for providing information and resources as well as communicating with members, prospects and businesses considering moving to the region.

• While each organization needs a presence that reflects its unique mission, strengths and services, it’s important for building credibility that organizations serving overlapping areas or the same region provide consistent data and statistics.

• Chambers and economic development agencies need to collaborate in an ongoing, routine exchange of information in order to provide consistent information on all levels—city, county, region and state.

• A dependency and interconnectivity allows for the mutual support of the responsibilities each entity has in the communities and a merging of interests in others.

• Economic development agencies and chambers of commerce in rural areas play a crucial role in providing information, services and networking opportunities to area businesses.

• Additionally, the critical information needed by businesses when seeking expansion or relocation opportunities requires significant effort to compile and maintain, a daunting task for a small chamber or economic development agency.

• Economic development agencies and chambers in rural counties in northern Nevada lack the resources to create the imperative web presence which properly markets the economic value for their areas and services. Infrastructure, knowledge of programs, software, hardware requirements, networking, cross platform issues, ADA and peripheral compliance are likewise essential. Ongoing education and training to maintain and improve information are all impediments to a leanly staffed organization’s ability to create and maintain a robust website.

• NorthernNVision—Imagine the Future, is a recently-completed, eight month study on the economic development opportunities for rural, regional northern Nevada. The study was conducted to help determine and market the unique economic development assets for the region as a whole as well as for each of the seven rural northern Nevada counties:  Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, and Storey. AngelouEconomics, who conducted the study, has performed economic development studies in over 100 cities/regions/countries across the globe. AngelouEconomics recommends “successful economic development is done on a regional basis.” This website initiative adheres to the “regional basis” approach and provides solutions in keeping with the AngelouEconomics findings for the northern Nevada region.

Key Contacts:

Rafael Cappucci, CEO, VisionASP

w: 775.841.7389

e: info@visionasp.com

Miya MacKenzie, President, MacWest Marketing

w: 775.885.1434

c: 775.846.0112

e: miya@macwestmarketing.com

Ron Weisinger, Executive Director, Northern Nevada Development Authority

w: 775.883.4413

c: 775.848.2221

e: weisinger@nnda.org