IMPACT POSSIBLE 2021

A Five-Year Economic Development Plan

to Implement Aggressive Outcome Driven Initiatives

for the Rogers-Lowell Area from 2017 through 2021

Growing Business. Building Community.

Northwest Arkansas is recognized nationally as one of the best places for affordability, livability, economic growth, business and career opportunities. Our exceptional healthcare, education, dining, shopping, arts, culture and entertainment are among the best in the nation. Our cities in the region are working together to make an impact on our quality of life now and into the future. 

Your Campaign Investment Makes Impact Possible.

The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with local governments, community organizations, businesses and community leaders, has launched its Impact Possible 2021 campaign, an aggressive economic development and business expansion and attraction plan. The campaign’s primary goal is to build a cooperative vision while raising necessary funds to achieve five-year (2017-2021) measurable goals in five key areas of implementation

The five-year cost for Impact Possible 2021 is a minimum of $3.1 million invested by the private sector. Investors include businesses, institutions, civic groups, foundations and individuals like you who want to invest in the future of our region. The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce will insure accountability for funding and outcomes.  See Investment Spending | 2017 through 2021. 

Invest in Our Future.  Invest in Your Future.

No investment is too small. Your contribution represents an investment in both the future of our region and your family’s future. Working together, we’ll continue to make an impact on our quality of life for generations to come.  

Invest Now

Impact Possible 2016

Information About Our Last Campaign

Five years ago, the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce developed Impact Possible 2016 to build upon its first successful initiative, Define Our Destination. The results for both campaigns have accelerated economic growth in the Rogers-Lowell Area significantly.

Impact Possible 2016 was created using input gathered from current investors and new stakeholders, and crucial planning meetings were held across the area with the purpose of continuing to move economic growth forward. Investors in Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce stepped up and overwhelmingly supported Impact Possible 2016. Stakeholders agreed that a strong economic development organization must continue to make a difference in our community’s global competitiveness.

Investments in Impact Possible 2016 – from corporations, small businesses, foundations, and individuals – provided critical financial support, enabling us to make a big difference in growing business and building community. These investments helped to achieve the following results, establishing the Northwest Arkansas region as a globally competitive area.

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Northwest Arkansas continues receiving national accolades for its economic vibrancy from a variety of notable sources.

Working together, we’ll continue the momentum that we have helped to create by “seizing the opportunities” developed from our recent successes. This will allow our community to take advantage of the continued growth and prosperity that is on the horizon for Rogers-Lowell Area and the Northwest Arkansas Region. The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce works hard to create an environment where businesses can thrive, grow the economy and provide the quality of life that residents and businesses of the community seek. We have the right assets to not only compete, but to thrive on a global scale!

Impact Possible 2021 identifies the challenges to our community moving forward and proposes key core strategies with measurable goals that properly assess the progress of the initiative. Your five-year investment in Impact Possible 2021 will help to ensure our community gains its rightful place at “center stage” in the global economy.

Impact Possible 2021

Executive Summary

What Is the Plan?

The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce’s Impact Possible 2021 campaign is an aggressive economic development and business expansion and attraction plan. The Plan has input and support from the private and public sectors within the Rogers-Lowell Area. Impact Possible 2021 is designed to raise the necessary funds to continue broadening, developing and implementing the Chamber’s expanded economic development initiatives for the next five years.

In partnership with local governments, community organizations, businesses and professional firms, the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce will build a cooperative vision for achieving the five-year measurable goals outlined in its economic development initiatives. 

Business Retention and Expansion/Entrepreneurship


Business Recruitment and Marketing

Workforce Partnership Development

Advocacy and Outreach

Quality of Life/Downtown Redevelopment

Business Retention and Expansion/Entrepreneurship

  • Aggressively boost the business outreach program focusing on creating opportunities for growth.     Continue providing low or no cost services to Chamber members
  • Empower entrepreneurial businesses through education, training, development.

Business Recruitment and Marketing

  • Maintain role as identifier for regional community development initiatives.

  • Work with Northwest Arkansas Council to implement strategic economic development marketing plan.

  • Confirm the target market industry clusters, aggressively market and promote the Northwest Arkansas area to other areas across our nation and the globe.

  • Involve existing businesses in determining the possibility of their suppliers establishing facilities in the region. 

Workforce Partnership Development

  • Link businesses, job seekers and educators to support job readiness/preparation for those entering workforce or seeking additional training.

  • Engage employers in workforce programming decisions through workshops and focus groups.     Continue awakening job readiness for students after secondary education.

  • Further develop, recruit and retain the next generation of business and community leaders in Northwest Arkansas. 

Advocacy and Outreach

  • Advocate for pro-business, transportation, infrastructure funding and quality of life issues of importance to Northwest Arkansas.

  • Build relationships with legislators, influence desired outcomes on both state, federal policies and legislation affecting Northwest Arkansas businesses and listen and communicate with updates and input.

  • Promote economic development and other key interests of the Northwest Arkansas business community.

Quality of Life/Downtown Redevelopment

  • Leverage City of Rogers’ investment in downtown revitalization and Vision 2030, and the Downtown Master Plan.

  • Promote the area as a premier destination, capture investment and growth opportunities within the urban core.

  • Facilitate and collaborate with strategic partners.

  • Engage and seek community for new entrepreneurial ideas for improving community greenways and trails. 

How Will “Impact Possible 2021” Be Implemented?

As a five-year economic development program of aggressive business expansion and attraction, Impact Possible 2021 will have a tremendous impact on the Rogers-Lowell Area. Funding for the strengthened program will be sought from an expanded base of business and professional firms realizing the potential for improving their community, owning  market share and visibility, and supporting the economic prosperity of the Rogers-Lowell Area.

First, the measurable goals and objectives for Rogers-Lowell Area have been developed through a process that involved many stakeholders and community leaders. This process ensures that the Chamber’s goals for this economic development initiative mirror the needs of the business community, public sector officials and other area leaders in Rogers-Lowell and Benton County.

Once the fundraising campaign is over, tapping the expertise of our investors will be an integral piece of the Impact Possible 2021 initiative. Our investors will benefit from an enhanced reporting system that will benchmark the Chamber’s economic development efforts. Full financial disclosure and accountability will continue throughout the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce’s third initiative. Additionally, the Chamber will continually develop opportunities for investor involvement in the program’s execution and implementation.

What Are the Benefits?

The economic development programs of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in the preceding years have been funded and guided primarily by the private sector.  Each of the two previous programs, Define Our Destination and Impact Possible 2016, were successful in reaching the outcomes established. With two previous successful programs under our belt, the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce is positioned to accomplish even more with the next five year program: Impact Possible 2021.

The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to a Program of Work with positive, dramatic impacts for the Rogers-Lowell Area over the next five years. In addition to increased national and regional awareness of the Rogers-Lowell Area, our key economic development goals for 2017 through 2021 are noted in the graphic to the right.

Number of Primary Jobs Created

New Capital Investment Generated

Targeted Annual Salaries

Median Household Income*

*The targeted average media household income of $52,000 represents a 12% increase
over the latest average median household income of $47,542 in Northwest Arkansas
as reported from the Northwest Area Council

How Will Your Investment Be Utilized?

The five-year cost for Impact Possible 2021 is a minimum of $3.1 million invested by the private sector. The area’s businesses, individuals, institutions, civic groups and foundations will be asked to invest in this economic development program. Each investment request will be based on the individual investor’s stake in the community, Impact Possible 2021 components, and the projected return on investment. The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce will be the organization to insure accountability for funding and outcomes of Impact Possible 2021.

Investment Spending | 2017 through 2021

Area of Implementation

Annual Budget

5-Year Budget

Business Retention and Expansion/Entrepreneurship

$144,000

$720,000

Business Recruitment and Marketing

$102,000

$510,000

Workforce Partnership Development

$102,000

$510,000

Advocacy and Outreach

$164,000

$820,000

Quality of Life/Downtown Redevelopment

$108,000

$540,000

Percent of Total Spending for Each Key Area of Implementation

  • Business Retention and Expansion/Entrepreneurship 23.2% 23.2%
  • Business Recruitment and Marketing 16.5% 16.5%
  • Workforce Partnership Development 16.5% 16.5%
  • Advocacy and Outreach 26.4% 26.4%
  • Quality of Life/Downtown Redevelopment 17.4% 17.4%
  • Business Retention and Expansion/Entrepreneurship – $144,000/yr  |  $720,000/5 yrs 23.2% 23.2%
  • Business Recruitment and Marketing – $102,000/yr  |  $510,000/5 yrs 16.5% 16.5%
  • Workforce Partnership Development – $102,000/yr  |  $510,000/5 yrs 16.5% 16.5%
  • Advocacy and Outreach – $164,000/yr  |  $820,000/5 yrs 26.4% 26.4%
  • Quality of Life/Downtown Redevelopment – $108,000/yr  |  $540,000/5 yrs 17.4% 17.4%

*Total represents the minimum investment to put the initial priorities in place and to implement the same. Exceeding the total will allow expansion of effectiveness of the five initiatives above.

The Chamber’s economic development activities are periodically reviewed and revised in partnership with the investors and are based on economic trends, Program of Work progress and outcomes.

Impact Possible Campaign Contact

Raymond Burns

President/CEO – Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce

raymond@rogerslowell.com | p: 479.636.1240

317 W. Walnut Street | Rogers, AR 72756