Prosper Portland invests in job creation, innovation and economic opportunity throughout Portland to create one of the world’s healthiest, most desirable and equitable cities. The agency’s values – Love Portland, Make a Difference, Do Excellent Work, Build Partnerships, Advance Equity, Honor the Public Trust, Innovate – are the foundation for Prosper Portland’s work, as we make good on our commitments, shape our future course, work with partners and redefine our business model.
Prosper Portland is guided by the Strategic Plan, which focuses our efforts around five objectives to achieve the goal of widely shared prosperity:
Create Healthy, Complete Neighborhoods Throughout Portland – Strengthen Portland’s communities by striving to build and increase access to neighborhoods that respond to and respect the diversity of their residents, and that offer essential goods and services, transportation options, connections to employment centers and community and open spaces. Neighborhoods should feel safe, clean and inspire pride among their residents; they should be places where businesses form, jobs are created, and the built environment serves to reduce carbon emissions and other harmful impacts to the climate.
Increase Access to High Quality Employment for Portland Residents – Leverage and maintain Portland’s economic competitiveness and create access to high quality employment by supporting traded sector business growth, access to new domestic and foreign markets, and connections for Portland residents to quality employment opportunities across both traded sector and local-serving industries. Incorporate both place-based approaches and people/business-focused approaches to bring activity into underserved neighborhoods and help Portland and all of its residents thrive in an innovation- and knowledge-based economy.
Foster Wealth Creation within Communities of Color and Low-Income Neighborhoods – Promote wealth creation by increasing the diversity of high-growth firms, improving the success rate and growth trajectory of local small businesses, increasing opportunities for property ownership among underserved populations, and ensuring Prosper Portland’s construction and redevelopment projects support the growth of minority-owned construction and development firms.
Form 21st Century Civic Networks, Institutions and Partnerships – The agency plays a unique role as convener of private and community interests. Strengthen and in some cases redefine the partnerships and networks required to address the most pressing barriers to widely shared prosperity – education, workforce development, neighborhood affordability, infrastructure –  and establish creative, effective, silo-busting solutions.
Operate an Equitable, Innovative and Financially Sustainable Agency – Model the values of the Strategic Plan and maintain Prosper Portland’s ability to be an agent of positive change in the city of Portland. Instill equity into all facets of operations, exercise transparent and accountable stewardship of public resources, incorporate best practices in management and operations, and value and support employees through training and leadership development.