Region 1 Planning Council

Region 1 Planning Council (R1) is a government entity that serves a five- county area in northern Illinois by providing support to local governments through resources at the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, the Federal Economic Development Administration, and various other departments and agencies (project by project). We are a staff of 50 subject-matter experts in the fields of transportation, economic development, housing, health, and the environment. We are governed by a cross-section of elected and appointed officials from local governments across the region, with Mayor Jury of Loves Park as our current board chair.

As we enter 2025, R1 is excited to see
the new direction the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) is taking and believe that our region wins when local chambers work hand in hand with the public sector to attract additional private and public investment. As the Chamber reinvests in programs that grow and strengthen private businesses, R1 analyzes which infrastructure and public sector resources are needed to strengthen the regional economic climate.

Regions that are nationally and internationally competitive are those that plan for the future, invest in infrastructure, and prioritize key development areas that can attract outside investment. Planning for the future means understanding what the region’s industries will want five or 20 years from now in a skilled workforce, new housing capacity, energy and water requirements, as well as reliable transportation networks that move goods and provide personal mobility options.

Businesses who invest capital for
private enterprise, for either relocation or expansion, evaluate entire regions rather than just one city. They look for the collection of assets (including infrastructure) that give them the most profitable advantage. The community attributes businesses want have drastically changed in the last two decades, as criteria are now far more specific, diverse, and complicated. Regions that attract growing capital investment are those that accurately forecast and then build needed infrastructure, not for today, but for 10 years from now. That is extremely difficult, considering how quickly industry demands change and costs rise.

More importantly, it’s regions where the public sector and the local private sector align that typically enjoy the compounding effect of reinvestment. Twelve years ago, our local public sector was not aligned with itself, higher levels of government, or the local business community. Over the past three years, the public sector, led by Mayor Tom McNamara of Rockford, and R1, began to build a Council Of Governments (COG) program designed to align regional mayors and county chairs on issues of local importance. How could government operate more efficiently by sharing or aligning resources? How would the region develop a shared, prioritized list of policy and funding objectives for the state or federal government? How can we all be present around a table when a federal official or state leader comes to our community? These were key questions that the public sector asked themselves, and thanks to every COG board member’s time and partnership commitment, the local public sector is working together better than ever.

In 2025, the renewed GRCC is well on its way to supporting the private sector’s responsibility for alignment and investment. The Council of Governments and Region 1 Planning Council look forward to a future partnership with the GRCC, and we believe that our shared leadership will further our abilities to compete for outside capital investment while creating a great community for all of us.

See R1’s recurring column in the VOICE for more updates and insights on regional planning and partnerships.

The views expressed are those of Dunn and do not necessarily represent those of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.