It's time for Q2030 to become independent and more focused on making the Quad Cities "cool, creative, connected, and prosperous."
Michelle O'Neill reports the chamber of commerce has announced it's creating a new, stand-alone nonprofit and hiring an executive director.
Co-Chair of Q2030, Kent Pilcher, says a mid-course review shows a lot of progress.
And many people and groups have become empowered to take more risks and find the support they need to grow.
He cited Rev. Rogers Kirk and the Lincoln Center in Davenport as a grass roots organization that's already doing excellent work.
Reverend Dwight Ford is the Vice Chair of the Q2030 board and head of Project NOW. He says it's been easy to bring people together. But now the Quad Cities needs to stay together and start solving more difficult problems.
Ford says one example is the need to reduce the poverty rate. One of every eight adults and one in five children in the Quad Cities area lives below the federal poverty level.
Besides creating a new nonprofit with an executive director, Q2030 also announced plans to raise $400,000 dollars in the first year of a three-year campaign to sustain the organization.
Originally the initiative was a regional action plan developed by businesses, then expanded to include governments, nonprofits, colleges, and others. Successes include the Big Table conversations and increased pride in being a "Quad Citizen."
In the next nine years, Q2030's goals include increasing regional GDP to $35 billion (currently $28 billion) and population to 500,000 (currently 471,000). More information is available online HERE.
