As businesses continued weathering the pandemic, REDI bolstered its support and services to businesses and entrepreneurs, developed new programs that help Rockville’s most vulnerable industries recover, and engaged with regional organizations and institutions to prepare for the future economy.
Here’s a review of REDI’s impact in 2021:
Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion; Business Incentives:
- Worked with the City of Rockville to reposition the Shady Grove Bio+Tech Campus on Choke Cherry Road as an adaptive reuse project with new Class A lab space, attracting life science businesses to the campus, including supporting changes to the City’s codes to allow for more streamlined processes for adaptive reuse projects
- Consulted on and assisted with permit services for Duball’s Phase II of Rockville Town Center (the Ansel) multifamily project, including 400 apartment units
- Developed a rapport with Connected DMV to provide input and support on a number of their initiatives including a Global Pandemic Prevention & Biodefense Center that located in Rockville, a center for Quantum, development of strategies to provide equal access for minorities and underserved populations to education and work opportunities, and regional economic development initiatives
- Refined and streamlined the MOVE/Expansion and Small Business Impact Incentive Funds requirements and application process to make the programs more accessible to Rockville businesses and surveyed recipients of REDI’s MOVE/Expansion and Small Business Impact Incentive Funds to gauge the added economic impact to the City that these programs provide, as well as to provide support for REDI’s requests for additional funding for these programs
- Provided $475,639 incentives to 5 businesses resulting in 100+ full and part time jobs retained and the creation of 35+ full-time jobs over 3 years:
MOVE | $10,837 | 40 W. Gude Drive | 8 FTE in Rockville with projected 7 new with move | 3,136 sf | |
MOVE | $34,557 | 1570 E. Jefferson Street | 29 FTE in Rockville increase of 12+ new within 3 years | 22,500 sf | |
MOVE | $14,245 | 1390 Piccard Drive | 10 FTE in Rockville with 10 new in 3 years | 4,122 sf | |
SBIF | $16,000 | 12300 Twinbrook Parkway | 5 FTE with 7 new in 3 years | 2,771 sf | |
SBIF | $400,000 | 225 N. Washington Street | 26 FT/33 PT employees | 25,029 sf |
Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC)/Small Business Support:
- Supported 329 Montgomery County home-based childcare programs through one-on-one counseling and the development of a workshop series designed to strengthen financial practices
- Launched the 14-week new program VetBizLady Grow program utilizing the GrowthWheel program with 15 Maryland participants through a partnership that includes the DC WBC, the ODU WBC, and the US Department of Veteran Affairs
- Expanded MWBC’s Retail Incubator, ShopHer, to Union Station with a partnership with the DC WBC
- Assisted 11 vendors receive funds from the Maryland RELIEF Act Online Sales and Telework Grant Assistance through MCEDC
- Presented a three-part series of workshops on leadership development in the food and beverage industry to over 70 attendees
Workforce/Talent Alignment:
- Continued producing the Workforce Development Roundtable Discussions on topics including Cybersecurity, Mental Health, and Workforce Education and Employer Needs drawing over 300 in key industry sectors
- Continued talent alignment conversations with Montgomery College, Universities of Shady Grove, the Montgomery County Public School System, and WorkSource Montgomery to better facilitate conversations with the business community about current/future hiring needs
Marketing/Tourism Development:
- Introduced commercial districts concept and received City approval for the creation of the Rock East District as a pilot, focusing on the opportunity to highlight local tourism and business attraction and local business support
- Launched the Rock East District with a brand guideline, branded items, partnerships with local businesses, a media familiarization tour, a ribbon cutting and three days of events to highlight the new District
- Entered a MOU with Visit Montgomery to create a Rockville tourism site
- Increased social media reach and curated highlights of Rockville’s economy and companies including;
- City of Rockville earns perfect score on Human Rights Campaign Municipal Index 5th year running
- Rockville companies among TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative fund recipients
- Rockville’s Snacklins featured on another segment of Shark Tank
- Rockville Ranks Among Best Small Cities for Retirement
- Eight Rockville Companies Rank as Top Workplaces in 2021
- Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville Area Ranks #9 on the 2020 Arts Vibrancy Index among U.S. Large Communities
- 22 Rockville Companies (representing nine industry sectors) Rank on Inc.’s Annual 5000 List