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Mission statements: Home

Why develop a mission statement for economic development?

A mission statement states the values of the municipality and states what is going to happen and why. To increase the interest of potential businesses and developers, the mission statement should reflect the community’s vision and demonstrate a commitment to supporting local/existing businesses. They should be concise, outcome oriented, and inclusive.  That is, the development of the mission statement should involve a wide variety of stakeholders including residents, business owners, and local organizations such as business organizations, regional economic development groups, and planning entities.  Perhaps more important than the final product, the process of developing this mission statement will engage these stakeholders in achieving the community’s economic development goals.  All of the economic development work including objectives and strategies, should be guided by the mission statement.

Community Examples

For example, the city of Groton’s mission statement is: to unify the economic interests throughout the City of Groton by serving as a conduit between stakeholders to implement strategies that enhance the attractiveness and viability of doing businesses in the city of Groton. This is from the City of Groton’s Economic Development Commission and is stated on their website. Their mission statement shows that their city is looking out for the interests of businesses and this will attract more businesses.

Tools and Resources