Recent Research and Reports

These studies have been completed since the start of the Future Forward Initiative

• Future Forward Industry Growth Analysis (Includes industry targets and supporting community college programs)
• Centralina CEDS (Economic Development Strategy affecting Lincoln and Iredell Counties)
• Isothermal CEDS (Economic Development Strategy affecting McDowell and Rutherford Counties)
• High Country CEDS (Economic Development Strategy affecting Avery, Mitchell, Watauga and Wilkes Counties)
• Rutherford County Workforce Analysis (Assessment of Rutherford County Workforce prepared by The Pathfinders)
• Western North Carolina Economic Index (Report of Economic Progress in Western North Carolina produced by Appalachian State University's Regional Development Institute)
• Advantage West Vision Plan (Executive Summary of Advantage West's future mission and strategies)
  

The following reports provide the foundation underlying the Future Forward Initiative

• Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (Includes the 10 Future Forward Economic Alliance recommendations)
• Economic Development Strategy Performance Monitoring Plan (Describes the Measures Used to Assess the Future Forward Strategy's Success)
• Background Briefing Paper for the Future Forward Leadership Committee (Summarizes the Region's Current Economic Challenges)
• Situation Analysis of the Future Forward Study Region (Analyzes the 12-county Future Forward region covering the 10th and parts of the 11th Congressional Districts)
• Appendix: Economic Situation Analysis for the Future Forward Leadership Committee (Includes detailed information about target clusters of industries throughout the study area and in subregions within the area)
• An Analysis of Work Force Development Assets in the Future Forward Study Area (Summarizes the area's workforce challenges, assets, and resources)
• Strategic Assessment of Regional Infrastructure Assets (Examines the area's infrastructure challenges, assets, and resources)