Accomplishments

Central Florida has all the components necessary to be one of the world's greatest and most admired places. A beautiful environment, a thriving tourism industry, and a variety of technological offerings fill our community with countless opportunities to work, grow, play and explore. To provide a sound future for Central Floridians, we must develop a collaborative plan to maximize regional resources based upon expanded research, collective goals and mutual understanding.

Led by a group of public, private and civic leaders, myregion.org is encouraging unprecedented cooperation among community leaders to create a coordinated, comprehensive plan for Central Florida’s future. By creating a collective vision for the region, we’re ensuring Central Florida’s place in the global economy and improving opportunities for generations to come.

Phase I:  In the first phase of myregion.org, more than 3,000 citizens and leaders from across Central Florida identified the key issues facing the region and then began crafting strategies for how to make a positive impact on the future.

Phase II: After identifying the key issues facing Central Florida, it became clear that we needed baseline data about the region: our strengths, weaknesses, values, demographics and future population growth. This wealth of knowledge has been used to educate and engage over 20,000 regional residents in an 18-month dialogue on "How Shall We Grow?" with the goal of "Creating a Shared Vision for Central Florida."

Awards and Recognition:

myregion.org Honored by the American Planning Association

"How Shall We Grow?" Project Wins Sustainable Florida Award

Regional Priorities (download a pdf)                     Major Regional Accomplishments 1998 - 2007
Economic Leadership
Resolve 2: Research Corridor Recognizing the success of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, we resolve to expand the research corridor to maximize the potential synergies between the region’s public, private and institutional research organizations. In addition to current efforts in technology research, this corridor should focus additional efforts on the region’s unique niches in the aerospace and marine industries and other emerging technologies.	ü       Regional medical and research capabilities were expanded through the addition of The Burnham Institute, University of Central Florida Medical School, Nemours, and the Veterans Hospital. ü       The Florida High Tech Coordinator Council (FHTCC) research participation expanded to include the University of Florida.
Resolve 4: Regional Economic Development We resolve to support the development of a comprehensive and integrated seven-county economic development strategy that will strengthen and expand existing businesses, actively seek to attract quality new businesses, and support the creation of new businesses through entrepreneurial initiatives. Two important components of this strategy are the development of the world-class Disney/SBA National Entrepreneur Center and the creation of a venture capital pool.	ü       In 2007, the Central Florida Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) was created by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), multiple Regional Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) and myregion.org.
Education
Resolve 7: Educational Excellence We resolve to develop the region’s human capital as the most important asset and basic building block of the future through a regional pre-K to 12 educational strategy capable of placing Central Florida in the top 10 percent of the nation’s school systems, while simultaneously supporting our colleges and universities to attain global leadership in educational excellence.	ü       A regional Pre-K to 20 educational strategy was developed to recognize excellent teachers of math and science: PRISM has provided $500 each to 21 teachers and $5,000 to the top three. Regional Districts have received $25,000 each in grant money enabling the addition of 40 new math and science competition teams serving 220 new students in all participating school districts.
Environment
Resolve 5: Environmental Assets We resolve to develop a strategy to effectively weave together Central Florida’s environmental and urban systems to sustain and protect a region of exceptional natural resources This will require recognition of the international significance and biological diversity of our region’s unique environmental assets.	ü       A regional environmental coalition was formed and key environmental assets identified in Central Florida - Naturally Central Florida. ü       The Congress of Regional Leaders is working to adopt a “Green Print” in 2008.
Fragmentation
Resolve 1: Regional Leadership We resolve to create a Regional Leadership Network as a basic tool for organizing and mobilizing the region’s leaders to develop and implement the initiatives outlined in the SourceBook and those identified in future planning. This network will include representation from the following sectors: - Regional Congress of Government - Key public officials - Regional Business Council - Leaders of the 100 largest businesses - Regional Alliance of Community Organizations - Key civic leaders	ü       The Central Florida School Board Coalition was created to address common needs and strategic planning for nine county school districts. The CFSBC includes a school board member from each participating district and all superintendents. ü       The Congress of Regional Leaders was formed to champion the Regional Growth Vision and includes the Chairman (or representative) from each of the seven county commissions, a Mayor representing all the City Mayors in each county and two members of the Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition. ü       Three organizations – Metro-Orlando Economic Development Commission (Metro-EDC), Central Florida Partnership (CFP), Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau (OOCCVB) - came together at a Leadership Conference to define regional roles and strategic direction.
Quality of Life
Resolve 8: Regional Access We resolve to build a services network to address the availability of resources required to meet the needs and support the quality of life for all residents by providing access to transportation, affordable housing, healthcare, social services, child/elder care, and information and referral services.	ü       Three counties have formed a Central Florida Regional Coalition on Homelessness. ü       myregion.org’s Demographic and Social Services White Paper called for a Social Services Alliance. ü       Arts Councils from seven counties completed a comprehensive Arts and Economic Prosperity Study. ü       “Project Hometown” resulted in the approval of three Orlando arts and sports venues that will have “spinoff” regional effects. ü       The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. Central Florida’s ExtraCredit is a unique national model and the only prosperity campaign in the country that is led by a business organization.
Resolve 10: Regional Brand We resolve to develop a comprehensive strategy for branding the region to communicate its assets: space, emerging technologies and research; tourism; excellence in higher education; unique natural environmental assets; arts, heritage, sports and entertainment; and multi-culturalism.	ü       Three regional organizations reached agreement on roles and responsibilities: the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (Metro-EDC) markets the brand, the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau (OCCCVB) convenes the brand and the Central Florida Partnership (CFP) benchmarks the brand.
Resolve 9: Public Safety We resolve to ensure that Central Florida’s communities are safe and stable by creating a network of public safety professionals to prepare a deployment process for both routine operational protocols and sudden catastrophic events that may affect the region.	ü       The Red Cross of Central Florida established the first regional Red Cross Chapter, consolidating efforts of five chapters.
Smart, Quality Growth
Resolve 6: Regional Concurrency Standards We resolve to create a regional planning organization with authority to develop and implement regional concurrency standards to ensure that growth in one county or municipality does not adversely impact another county or municipality.	ü       20,000 citizens participated in How Shall We Grow? and established a 50-year growth vision. ü       Through HSWG, the Congress of Regional Leaders have begun establishing regional growth standards.
Resolve 3: Regional Transportation Organization Recognizing the success of the current Central Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Alliance, we resolve to create a regional transportation organization to plan and advocate current and future regional transportation across all five modes including road, rail, water, air and space.	ü       Central Florida Partnership has formed a Transportation Corridors Task Force (TTF), a business-led initiative to advocate current and future regional multi-modal transportation priorities. ü       Four counties (Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola) and one city (Orlando) unanimously approved 61 miles of commuter rail from Deltona to Poinciana. ü       The Regional Board of Advisors will hold a Regional Forum on Space in May 2008.