| | | | | | Newsletter - September 2026 | | | | A Note from Civic Results President & CEO, Heidi Williams: | | Creating a Better VIBE for Economic Development
One of the initiatives I’m especially excited about is VIBE — Vitality in Business and Economy, an effort through Civic Results and the Metro Mayors Caucus to help communities create more predictable, transparent, and business-friendly development environments.
VIBE grew out of conversations we were hearing from both local governments and the business community. We know our communities want thoughtful, quality development—and we also know that businesses value clarity, consistency, and predictability when deciding where to invest. Through VIBE, we’re bringing elected officials, staff, economic development professionals, and the private sector together to better understand where the friction points are and identify practical ways to improve the development experience.
This month, I had the opportunity to present VIBE alongside Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon at the Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC) conference. We focused not only on the tools and practices that can improve development processes, but also on something that is sometimes harder to talk about: the political and leadership dynamics behind those processes. Staff and elected officials each have an important role to play in creating an environment where businesses can succeed.
For me, that’s really what VIBE is about. Being business-friendly isn’t simply about moving faster—it’s about building trust, creating predictability, communicating clearly, and making sure everyone understands how and why decisions are made. We’re excited to keep building on this work and learning from communities and businesses across Colorado.
Please send us examples of your business-friendly work! We look forward to highlighting your community!
Warmly, | | | | Heidi K. Williams
President & CEO | | | | | |
We are continuing to compile examples of business-friendly best practices. If you have an example, please pass it along! Email us at info@civicresults.org. | | | | | | | | | | MLA Day 2 - Water and Energy in Winter Park and Grand Junction | | | | | | We had another wonderful visit to Winter Park and Grand Junction for Day 2 of the Municipal Leadership Academy (MLA) this year with the 2026/27 cohort. As always, the Headwaters Center in Winter Park provided a perfect backdrop to discuss water issues in Colorado. We lucked out with perfectly blue skied weather on our journey to Grand Junction. Thank you to Colorado Mesa University for hosting us once again. Our participants, as always, loved hearing from CMU President John Marshall as well as learning about the geothermal system on campus. This year we also heard from the new Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center with a panel of Western Slope water experts. We finished out our trip with an informative visit to PeachFork Orchard and Vineyard in Palisade which provided a firsthand look at the impact of drought on local agriculture.
| | | | Housing Series Session 1: Exploring Solutions for Colorado’s Multi-Family Housing Supply | | | | We kicked off our first Housing Series session on Wednesday, September 23rd with the Common Sense Institute. This interactive morning brought together local government leaders, planners, builders, housing experts and partners to explore what it really takes to create more attainable starter homes in Colorado. We heard from a great panel titled: Builder, Planner and Mayor – Oh My!!! Everybody Has a Role: Building Starter Homes Together. The panel was moderated by Civic Results President & CEO, Heidi Williams, and featured Amy Schwartz (Vice President Social Responsibility and Community Partnerships; Oakwood Homes), Jeannine Rustad (Planning and Business Development Director; City of Aurora) and Josh Rivero (MMC Mayor; Town of Parker). | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Boettcher Foundation State of Leadership Statewide Survey:
What does leadership look like across Colorado, and what do communities need to support current and future leaders?
The Boettcher Foundation and the Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity are conducting the 2026 State of Leadership Statewide Survey to hear directly from Coloradans about their leadership experiences and needs.
Your perspective can help build a more complete picture of Colorado’s leadership ecosystem and inform future investments, programs, and leadership development opportunities.
Take 10-15 minutes to add your voice by Nov. 18:
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August 5th, 2026 Presentations: - Breakfast Sponsor Remarks: Connect for Health Colorado - Dr. Maria Adams, Community Partnership and Outreach Lead
- Vitality in Business & Economy (VIBE) Toolkit Presentation - Mayor Marissa Harmon, VIBE Chair and Mayor of Lone Tree
- Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (DMCC) and Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) Presentation - JJ Ament, President & CEO of DMCC; Ray Gonzales, President of MDEDC and SVP of DMCC
- Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) Presentation - Christin Crampton Day, Executive Director
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Next Full Caucus Meeting: Wednesday, October 7th 2026, 7:30 - 10 am at the Denver Zoo | | | | | | Partner Organizations and Constituent Education: | | | | Upcoming Events for Civic Results: - MMC Full Caucus Meeting**: Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 - Denver
- MLA Day 3 on Communication**: Friday, October 9th, 2026 - Aurora
- MMC Social Hour**: Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 - Boulder
- Housing Series, Part 2**: Thursday, November 12th, 2026, 8 - 11 am - DRCOG Offices
**Civic Results events are Invitation Only unless otherwise indicated. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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