Stein administration releases new four-year economic development plan

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Commerce have released a new four-year economic development plan intended to guide state policy on infrastructure, workforce development, business competitiveness and community well-being.

The plan, called “First in Opportunity,” was announced Wednesday by Stein and Commerce officials. The Department of Commerce described it as a statewide roadmap for North Carolina’s next phase of economic growth, long-term competitiveness and expanded opportunity.

The plan builds on the state’s 2021 “First in Talent” strategy but broadens the focus to include additional economic pressures, including population growth, workforce needs, infrastructure demands, technological change and the continuing effects of severe weather events such as Hurricane Helene.

Stein said in the announcement that the plan is intended to keep North Carolina competitive while creating opportunity across the state. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said communities need tools and resources to support workforce development, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship, housing, child care and health care.

The plan is organized around four strategic goals: modernizing and fortifying infrastructure, accelerating economic competitiveness, enhancing community well-being, and building a resilient, future-ready workforce.

Commerce said the plan was developed through regional listening sessions, stakeholder engagement, economic analysis and collaboration with leaders from business, education, workforce development, local government and nonprofit organizations. The department partnered with the UNC School of Government’s ncIMPACT Initiative during the community engagement phase.

According to Commerce, ncIMPACT led nine public listening sessions across North Carolina’s Prosperity Zones and facilitated a statewide webinar that involved about 650 participants representing 91 counties.

The announcement was paired with a visit to Wilson, where Lilley and Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Reginald Speight highlighted downtown revitalization, tourism, infrastructure, housing, workforce development and public-private partnerships. Commerce pointed to several Wilson projects as examples of rural economic development, including the Barnes Street Rehabilitation project, North State Consulting’s downtown building reuse work and life sciences investment in Wilson County.

The plan’s release gives the Stein administration a policy framework for economic development debates during the legislative session. Its priorities overlap with several issues now before state leaders, including rural infrastructure, workforce training, housing, child care, disaster resilience and incentives for business recruitment.

The plan does not itself appropriate money. Its practical effect will depend on how state agencies, lawmakers, local governments and economic development partners use it to shape future budget requests, grant programs and policy decisions.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.