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Olivia Hill
Business Development Manager
Grow your Business through Economic Gardening
Invest Buffalo Niagara’s free Economic Gardening program provides local second stage companies with the resources and research to grow. Emerging local companies can access tailor-made assistance and sophisticated data tools to accelerate growth, innovation, and revenues – all at no cost to the company. Economic Gardening helps local companies grow new verticals, enhance business models, and make data-backed, growth-minded decisions.
Tools to Help you Grow your Business
Economic Gardening provides the tools and concepts of a much larger company to those within Buffalo Niagara ready to grow. Participating companies could receive:
- Market research, industry trends, competitor intelligence, new product releases
- GIS computer maps of customers/competitors/potential markets/trade areas
- Search engine optimization, web marketing, social media
- Analysis in five classes of business problems: Core Strategy, Market Dynamics, Innovation, Temperament, and Qualified Sales Leads
Is Economic Gardening Right for my Business?
Forward-thinking, second stage companies in Buffalo Niagara can apply to Invest Buffalo Niagara’s Economic Gardening program.
- ~10-99 employees
- $1-50 million in sales
- Maintain principal operations in New York’s Erie or Niagara Counties
- Note: Retail, restaurant establishments, and local service providers (e.g. accounting, legal, staffing firms) do not qualify for this program.
View our overview sheet to learn more View companies who have completed Economic Gardening in WNY
The Economic Gardening Timeline
The Economic Gardening program, free of charge to companies, generally runs about four-to-six weeks, working with a team of national consultants from across the country who specialize in several areas. A typical CEO will commit 8-12 hours to the process and gain insight and strategic guidance from experts using high-end development tools.
How do I Apply?
For-profit, privately held second stage companies headquartered in Erie, Niagara, and Chautauqua counties may apply by downloading this application. Completed application should be emailed to ohill@buffaloniagara.org with Economic Gardening as the subject line.
Additional Resources
Local Business Growth Blog 
Download Program Overview Grow Thanks to Our Partners
Invest Buffalo Niagara, in partnership with National Center for Economic Gardening, is offering this program to select companies in Erie, Niagara, and Chautauqua Counties at no cost thanks to funding from Erie County, Five Star Bank, Niagara County Department of Economic Development, Verizon Media Community Benefit Fund of Niagara County, and Chautauqua County. Other Buffalo Niagara counties are expected to soon participate.