Community Partnerships Local Economic Development Partners AgenciesTompkins County Industrial Development Agency (IDA): TCAD's work is deeply linked with the goals the IDA, which is able to offer economic incentives to businesses in order to develop quality employment and strengthen the tax base of Tompkins County. Emphasis is on the industrial sector, though the IDA also supports the construction and expansion of manufacturing, warehousing, commercial, research, and recreational facilities. The IDA ensures that proposed projects are part of a larger development plan and are formally endorsed by the appropriate municipal bodies.
The IDA supports programs that reflect community values and which deliver multiple benefits, including the City of Ithaca Density Incentive Program, which considers tax abatements to encourage new construction and rehabilitation of multi-story, mixed-use buildings in downtown Ithaca.
Finger Lakes Entrepreneurs Forum: To encourage networking opportunities, strategic planning, and coordination, TCAD convened this roundtable of representatives in 1995. Today FLEF has some 50 members representing all sectors, including private firms in high-tech manufacturing, research, and services, as well as government, education, and nonprofits. Like TCAD, the group is focused on for-profit enterprises providing good and services beyond the local community. Members meet several times throughout the year to discuss common interests and keep abreast of emerging trends.
Annual Dues are $50 for an individual membership, and $100 for a corporate membership. All are welcome.
Other Partnerships
The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce advocates for the free enterprise system and sound economic development. It fosters success for its for-profit and not-for-profit members, and promotes a high quality of life for all residents. The Chamber hosts a number of networking and educational programs for business. A key strength is its ability to bring diverse parties together to solve community problems.
The Ithaca / Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau (I/TCCVB), a division of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, is the Destination Marketing Organization that serves the greater Ithaca area. The I/TCCVB actively promotes the area and operates two visitor centers. The County's Strategic Tourism Board oversees the work of the I/TCCVB and also supports development of visitor attractions such as The Sciencenter.
The Ithaca Downtown Partnership (IDP) is a Business Improvement District created in 1997 and charged with the development, management, and promotion of a 22-block area of downtown Ithaca. The IDP provides small business technical assistance and organizes major events and an outdoor entertainment series. It also provides supplemental cleaning, safety, and beautification services to the center city.
The primary goals of the City of Ithaca's Department of Planning and Development are strengthening the City's economy, improving the quality of life of its citizens, and strengthening its residential neighborhoods. This work depends on the effective partnership among the City, the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, and Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services.
The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) works to revitalize urban neighborhoods and strengthen the local economy. The IURA works to implement the Urban Renewal Plan, manages the City's HUD Entitlement Grant award of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds and administers various economic development loan programs and industrial park leases.
The Town of Ithaca Planning Department develops and maintains the Town's comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, and site design regulations. The Department balances the goals of preserving the Town's significant and sensitive natural features and open space and neighborhood character with the need to provide for reasonable growth, economic development and housing that is affordable to households at all income levels.
The Tompkins County Department of Planning provides planning and related services to County government and local municipalities. The Department is charged with preparing a comprehensive plan for the development of the County; collecting and distributing data and information on population, land use, housing, environment and community facilities; and preparing planning studies and analyses.
The Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC) works to advance projects and programs that provide for an efficient, flexible, and multi-modal transportation system in Tompkins County. The ITCTC works cooperatively with all local governments, TCAT, NYSDOT, and federal transportation agencies. The ITCTC has expertise in the areas of transportation planning, data gathering, and analysis.
The mission of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (TCCCE) is strengthening youth, adults, families, and communities through learning partnerships that put knowledge to work. TCCCE is a portal to Cornell - New York's land grant university - and applies research in understandable and useful ways for the community. Three broad programming areas are: agriculture, community well-being, and youth development.
For more about our work with community partnerships, see Business Support.
Regional Resources
