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NCGrowth-SmartUp to partner with Bertie County Tall Glass of Water Project

Bertie County, NC – July 14, 2020 NCGrowth-SmartUp, an initiative based at UNC-Chapel Hill, will work with Bertie County to analyze the potential for economic development and new business startups associated with the Tall Glass of Water (TGOW) project. The project will include a market analysis, case studies, and recommended strategies for leveraging the TGOWproject for sustainable economic development and local wealth generation.
“As a citizen of Bertie County, I am elated to be part of a project that has the potential to create a lasting impact on our community,” said Nicole Outlaw Staton, Program Manager at NCGrowthSmartUp.
Over 900 residents and friends of neighboring communities attended Bertie Beach Day in June of last year. “The Commissioner’s wanted a ‘kick-off’ celebration to introduce everyone to the natural landscape of TGOW, swim, have lunch together and learn more about the project. While sustainable economic development is an objective of the project, the primary focus was to create a waterfront recreation area for all the citizens of Bertie County. TGOW “Where History Meets Adventure” brings together Bertie’s most significant assets: water, a pristine natural environment, rich heritage and our people” said Chairman Ron Wesson.
In 2013, NCGrowth worked alongside citizens and county officials to develop Blueprint for Bertie: A Community Economic Development Plan (https://ncgrowth.unc.edu/index.php/blueprint-bertie/). Community feedback and research from that project revealed several goals and recommendations for the county to consider.
Founded in 2012, NCGrowth-SmartUp is an award-winning applied economic development center, housed at UNC’s Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. NCGrowth-SmartUp helps businesses and communities create good jobs and equitable opportunities through applied research and technical assistance. Through this work, NCGrowth-SmartUp directly addresses inequality, poverty, underemployment, and other factors that keep people and communities from reaching their highest potential. The team includes expert staff across the Carolinas, academic advisors from multiple universities, and hundreds of local partners. NCGrowth-SmartUp is also part of CREATE, an economic development research center working to tackle the problem of severe and increasing wealth inequality by generating shared economic prosperity through a combination of research, data analytics, homegrown interventions, and policy development.
For more information on The Tall Glass of Water Project:
http://www.co.bertie.nc.us/projects/2019/tgow/tgow.html

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