Regional and State Resources
Commerce Lexington works with many regional and state partners to ensure our economic development efforts are successful. Below is a description of several regional and state resources. Questions? Call us at 859-225-5005.
BLUEGRASS ALLIANCE
The Bluegrass Alliance is a partnership of economic development professionals in Central Kentucky, working together to promote progress and preservation for the benefit of the region. The Bluegrass Alliance consists of the following counties: Fayette, Jessamine, Madison, Clark, Bourbon, Scott, Woodford, Franklin, and Montgomery. Local utility companies, as well as representatives from the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, comprise the remainder of the Alliance.
www.lexbgalliance.com
DOWNTOWN LEXINGTON PARTNERSHIP
The Downtown Lexington Partnership (DLP), formerly known as the Downtown Lexington Corporation, and the Lexington Downtown Development Authority combined to create the DLP, a single entity that oversees the growth and succes of Lexington’s downtown. Their mission is to promote downtown as a unique and vibrant place in Lexington for business, residential life and Entertainment. The DLP accomplishes their mission by working with various partners to develop and improve downtown, providing enhanced beautification and safety services, marketing downtown and the businesses located there, and addressing important issues influencing the success of Lexington’s downtown and its various stakeholders.
KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Since 1967, the Kentucky Association for Economic Development, formerly the Kentucky Industrial Development Council, has worked hard to promote economic and industrial development in Kentucky. The way we see it, economic development is about more than just the retention and expansion manufacturing. It’s about improving the business environment and quality of life for every citizen in Kentucky. Our members work together on a local, regional and statewide basis to accomplish these goals.
KENTUCKY CABINET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Cabinet for Economic Development is the primary state agency in Kentucky responsible for creating new jobs and investment in the state. Programs administered by the Cabinet are designed to support and promote economic development within the state, primarily by attracting new industries to the state, assisting in the development of existing industries, and assisting communities in preparing for economic development opportunities.
By statute, the Cabinet is governed by the Kentucky Economic Development Partnership (or the Partnership Board). The Partnership Board is responsible for directing and overseeing the Cabinet and adopting a Strategic Plan. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) is a statutorily created committee under the authority of the Partnership Board. KEDFA is responsible for awarding most of the financial incentives offered by the Cabinet.
KENTUCKY SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
The Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation is a private, nonprofit corporation committed to the advancement of science, technology and innovative economic development founded on Kentucky know-how. KSTC is a fast-paced leader with a reputation for developing and managing creative initiatives in education, economic competitiveness and scientific research. Established in 1987, KSTC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of leaders from business, education, and government.
KENTUCKY STATE DATA CENTER
The Kentucky State Data Center is located in the Urban Studies Institute at 426 W. Bloom Street, Louisville, KY on the University of Louisville’s main campus. Since 1980, KSDC and its 76-member affiliate network has provided training and technical assistance in accessing and using Census data for research, administration, planning, and decision making by the government, the business community, university researchers, and other interested data users. The State Data Center is a cooperative effort among the University of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program.
LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) is the local municipality for Fayette County and Lexington. Lexington and Fayette County became a merged government in 1974. LFUCG’s mission statement is: Working in partnership with the community to provide a safe and secure environment, excellent customer service, a vibrant organization, and economic opportunity empowering all to thrive.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America’s future, and to helping the United States compete in today’s global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) is strengthening Kentucky’s small business community by providing unparalleled training and consulting services to new ventures and existing businesses. With offices statewide and over 25 years of experience, the KSBDC positively impacts the economy by cultivating existing companies, nurturing new ventures, creating new jobs, retaining existing jobs, and increasing profitability. KSBDC is an innovative partnership between Kentucky’s institiutions of higher education, economic development organizations, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
VISITLEX
VisitLEX offers a variety of services including vacation planning assistance, convention planning assistance, as well as your key to history and facts about Lexington and Central Kentucky. VisitLEX will help you map out your vacation or convention in the Bluegrass Region. Growing the region’s visitor industries is an important area of economic development. Marketing the region for business or recreation involves many partners, namely VisitLEX. To help strengthen and grow these industries, Commerce Lexington Inc. and VisitLEX’s teams have embarked upon a more formal partnership to develop strategies to recruit associations and business meetings to the area.
WORLD TRADE CENTER KENTUCKY
Doing business beyond Kentucky’s borders is one of the greatest challenges your company will face, but it is also one of the greatest opportunities. Whether you are a small company just getting started or a large, well-established corporation, importing and exporting products and services can prove to be some of the most rewarding and exciting projects you will undertake. With offices in Lexington and Louisville, the World Trace Center Kentucky (WTC-KY) is a leading provider of trade services across the state. Our unique public-private partnership works to advance the global competitiveness of Kentucky companies by responding to individual service requests and organizing high-profile trade programs featuring business and political leaders from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Our relationship with the World Trade Centers Association, which encompasses a global network of over 300 world trade centers in 101 countries, allows our members access to the global marketplace.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
As the state’s flagship institution, the University of Kentucky is a catalyst for economic growth throughout Kentucky. UK President Eli Capilouto and his staff work closely with Commerce Lexington Inc. and supports several economic development functions through the University of Kentucky.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLDSTREAM RESEARCH CAMPUS
The University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus is a premier business location in the heart of the world-famous Kentucky Bluegrass Region. Once a prominent Kentucky horse farm and home to the first Kentucky Derby winner, Aristides, Coldstream’s 735-acre campus has transitioned into a hub of innovation and creativity. Today, Coldstream is home to 66 organizations with more than 2,000 employees working in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, equine health, and a variety of other industry sectors.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY VON ALLMEN CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship conducts market research, commercialization assessment, provides assistance with business plans and marketing strategies, offers connections to vetted service providers, and access to federal, state, and private funding sources including the federal SBIR-STTR programs and the state SBIR-STTR awards.
