College Township Industrial Authority Launches Initiative to Gather Feedback From Local Businesses

The College Township Industrial Development Authority (CTIDA) has launched a new business outreach initiative aimed at gathering feedback from local employers to help shape future economic development efforts. 

The Business Pulse Project & Listening Initiative officially began Aug. 1 with the opening of the College Township Business Pulse Survey, which will remain available through Sept. 18. 

According to the CTIDA, the initiative is intended to strengthen relationships with the local business community while collecting information that will help guide future business retention, expansion and investment strategies. 

The online survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, asks businesses about current trends, workforce challenges, infrastructure needs, expansion plans and other issues affecting their operations. 

Results will be used to help identify priorities for future economic development programs and services. 

“The Business Pulse & Listening Initiative is intended to become a cornerstone of CTIDA’s Business Retention and Expansion efforts,” Keri Kenepp, executive director of the CTIDA, said. “By engaging directly with our businesses each year, we can make better-informed decisions, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that our programs and investments reflect the needs of the businesses we serve.”

The survey is one component of a broader listening campaign that will continue throughout August. CTIDA staff and board members will visit businesses across College Township to introduce the initiative, encourage participation and hear directly from owners and managers about opportunities and challenges facing their businesses. 

Beginning Aug. 15, the authority also will mail informational postcards with a QR code linking directly to the survey in an effort to expand participation among businesses throughout the township. 

Businesses that complete the survey by the Sept. 18 deadline will be entered into random prize drawings for gift cards and gift baskets featuring products and services from College Township businesses.

Once the survey closes, CTIDA will compile the responses and incorporate the findings into its strategic planning process during September and October. 

The authority said the results will help guide future business support programs, infrastructure investments, economic development initiatives and partnerships. 

CTIDA also plans to host a community event later this winter where participating businesses, township officials, board members and regional partners will review the survey’s aggregate findings, discuss the authority’s updated strategic priorities and explore next steps for strengthening the local business community. 

“Our local businesses are the backbone of College Township’s economy,” CTIDA board chair Ray Liddick Jr. said. “This initiative is about more than collecting information. It’s about building relationships, understanding the opportunities and challenges our businesses face, and ensuring that their voices help shape the future of our community.”

CTIDA supports economic development through business assistance, financing programs, strategic initiatives and partnerships intended to encourage long-term economic growth and investment in the township.

Businesses located in College Township can participate by completing the online survey through Sept. 18. Additional information about the initiative is available on the CTIDA website and its social media channels.