The Longmont Economic Development Partnership today will start sending email surveys to local businesses as part of its annual effort to take the pulse of industry in the city.
The annual ELEVATE Longmont primary industry survey, which has been conducted for the past 30 years, aims to “identify trends, gather strategic intelligence, understand challenges, and offer support to Longmont-area businesses,” according to a news release from the Longmont EDP.
“This year, the ELEVATE Longmont survey is more significant than ever,” Longmont EDP economic development specialist Stephanie Pitts-Noggle, who manages the ELEVATE Longmont program, stated in the release. “Like many businesses, Longmont's primary employers have felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey will provide Longmont EDP, our partners and city leaders the most current information about the state of Longmont's economy in the wake of the pandemic, and help us better understand current needs, identify potential challenges, recognize new opportunities, and tailor our resources to best support businesses during this uncertain time.”
Longmont EDP recognizes primary employers as those businesses that “generate the majority of their revenue from outside of the region, bringing new dollars into the community in the form of tax revenue and wages supporting the growth of Longmont’s local economy,” according to the release.
“These businesses generated more than $1 billion in economic activity in 2018-2019, and contribute significantly to the creation of a more prosperous, inclusive, and healthy local economy,” the release states.
The survey historically is conducted via onsite visits from Longmont EDP’s ELEVATE Longmont committee, but the process will look different this year in response to the pandemic.
In an effort to “maintain social distancing and ensure the health and safety of its volunteers and the businesses the program seeks to engage,” local primary employers can expect to receive an initial survey in their email inbox this week, according to the release.
Follow-up to survey responses could include virtual conversations, virtual executive roundtables and connections to needed resources and assistance for individual businesses, according to the release.
Survey responses also will be aggregated to develop Longmont EDP’s annual “State of Industry” report.
