HOLLAND, MI — Lakeshore Advantage, the economic development organization for Allegan and Ottawa counties, said it has surpassed the fundraising goal of a new campaign aimed at creating over 9,000 jobs in West Michigan.
Launched in April, the Powering Our Future campaign, raised $2.4 million through commitments from 38 regional businesses and organizations as of the end of September, according to a release from Lakeshore Advantage.
Lakeshore Advantage beat its original goal of raising $2.3 million. Another $1.8 million was secured during a quiet phase of fundraising.
The campaign was chaired by Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens, MillerKnoll Chief Operating Officer Jeff Stutz and Trans-Matic CEO P.J. Thompson.
“This campaign has been about more than dollars — it’s been about uniting our region’s leadership around a shared vision for the future,” Stutz said in a statement. “These investments will directly fuel the initiatives that our region’s employers and communities need to remain strong, resilient and competitive for years to come.”
The funds raised will help Lakeshore Advantage execute its five-year growth plan. By 2030, the organization aims to create 5,000 new primary jobs and 4,374 indirect jobs, $375 million in new capital investment and $10 million in new capital investment in startups.
The plan also aims to create a “strengthened regional resilience and competitiveness” against regions with similar demographic traits. The key performance indicators are average annual pay, total employment growth, median household income and educational attainment.
“When my father started Trans-Matic in 1968, he was investing in the future of our community,” Thompson said in a statement. “That’s exactly what this campaign represents — laying the foundation for the region’s immediate future and the next generation.”
To achieve its goals, the growth plan is built around three initiatives:
Accelerating attraction, retention and growth in the talent pipeline, with a focus on emerging workers in high-demand positions
Supporting the stability and growth of existing businesses while continuing to position the region as a top choice for business investment
Growing a dynamic startup ecosystem for product and technology entrepreneurs
Top supporters of the campaign include:
Now for the Next Fund
Grand Haven Area Community Foundation
MillerKnoll
Allegan County Community Foundation
Corewell Health / Priority Health
Fifth Third Bank
Huntington Bank
LG Energy Solution
Lakeshore Advantage contracted Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, a consulting firm based in Atlanta, to help conduct the campaign.