In 2025, Greater St. Cloud (GSC) advanced key initiatives to strengthen Central Minnesota’s economy, businesses, and talent pipeline. None of this happens without the support of our 180 investors!
Your investment drove growth and opportunity, and renewing for 2026 helps attract businesses, develop talent, and keep our region competitive. With more than 90% of our funding coming from investors, your continued commitment is essential to sustaining this work and strengthening our regional impact.
What Your Investment Made Possible in 2025
In 2025, Greater St. Cloud delivered a strong and wide-ranging body of work that advanced our four strategic pillars: Business Vitality, Talent Resourcing, Regional Promotion, and Quality of Life.
BUSINESS VITALITY – Strengthening the region’s economic backbone.
- 10+ business attraction projects, 6 expansions, and 47+ technical assistance efforts through Q3
- Major wins like Niron Magnetics’ $400M Sartell facility (175 jobs) and nine downtown revitalization projects supported by $624K in DEED grants
- StageWorks launched as the region’s entrepreneur hub
TALENT RESOURCING – Building the workforce of tomorrow.
- DisruptHR St. Cloud energized 200+ leaders with 30+ speaker applicants
- MYALP continued expanding with new cohorts and strong alumni involvement
- Workforce leadership advanced through key state appointments and strategic partnerships
REGIONAL PROMOTION – Sharing Greater St. Cloud’s story
- Consistent 41–44% newsletter open rates—double the industry average
- Triple-digit social growth, including a 109% increase on SCS Instagram
- My Town docuseries poised to introduce millions to the region
QUALITY OF LIFE – Investing in a community where people want to live and work.
- Block by Block launched to strengthen downtown cleanliness and safety
- Child care expansion, infrastructure planning, and job transition support reflect a broad commitment to livability
INVESTOR MOMENTUM – A strong and growing coalition.
- 15+ new investors YTD, including architects, financial institutions, consultants, nonprofits, and corporate partners
- High-value engagement through biannual meetings, pitch competitions, and regional events
Take a look at our Quarterly Spotlights to learn more.
New Investor Tiers for 2026
We created new investor tiers to better match the range of businesses and organizations that support our work. As our region grows, the gap between small investors and large investors has widened. More tiers give everyone a fair, scalable entry point while ensuring larger organizations contribute at a level that reflects their size and impact.
- Cornerstone Partners I $25,000+
- Visionary Partners I $10,000+
- Regional Champions I $8,500
- Strategic Partners I $5,750
- Community Connectors I $1,000
- Baseline Benefits
- Friends of GSC I $500
The full list of Investor by Tier benefits is available here.
New 2026 - 2029 Strategic Plan - Regional Currents, Guided By Vision
We just completed a year-long strategic planning process grounded in data, collaboration, and a clear look at where our region is heading. Staff, board members, investors, and partners across business, education, civic, and community sectors all helped shape the work. We also benchmarked against peer metros, studied market and workforce trends, and examined what’s working—and what needs to evolve.
The plan sets a focused path forward built on three pillars:
- Unified Regional Leadership – strengthening our ability to plan, speak, and act together with shared messaging and aligned regional priorities.
- Business Retention, Expansion & Attraction – supporting companies at every stage with modernized tools, improved capital access, and stronger succession and transition pathways.
- Amplifying the Region’s Return – delivering clear value to investors and partners through consistent reporting, strong storytelling, and measurable impact.
A new regional progress dashboard will provide real-time data on demographics and economic indicators while tracking our goals and progress with greater transparency.
Introducing the New Greater St. Cloud Brand
Guided by our new strategic pillars, the GSDC is now Greater St. Cloud (GSC). This refreshed brand is designed to strengthen alignment, accelerate growth, and amplify the impact of regional collaboration.
It tells the story of a region defined by connection and progress and where ideas ripple outward to create lasting impact.
Together, these elements position GSC as a unifying force that drives a thriving future in Central Minnesota.
Attention GSC Logo Users: If your organization uses the Greater St. Cloud logo, you can download the updated versions:
Expect your 2026 renewal invoice in the mail the week of December 15.
We’re grateful for your partnership. Your continued involvement truly matters. Let’s keep building Greater St. Cloud’s next big wave of impact together!
