Economic development teams play a critical role in shaping a community’s growth. They manage prospect pipelines, oversee site selection activity, structure incentive agreements, coordinate with finance and legal, track compliance, and report to executive leadership… often all at once.

Yet, in many jurisdictions, these responsibilities are still managed across spreadsheets, email threads, and disconnected systems. Over time, that fragmentation creates risk. Across the country, jurisdictions are facing tighter budgets, increased public scrutiny, and growing expectations around transparency. Incentive agreements are larger. Reporting demands are higher. Interdepartmental coordination is more complex. And leadership wants clarity, not summaries built from five spreadsheets the night before a council meeting.

The Cost of Fragmentation

Fragmented systems do more than slow teams down.

They create uncertainty around:

• Financial commitments tied to incentives and bonds
• Performance benchmarks and compliance deadlines
• Reporting accuracy for leadership and council
• Long-term fiscal impact projections

In many jurisdictions, the challenge isn’t effort, it’s structure. Teams are working hard, but without a unified operational framework, critical data lives in disconnected environments. That model is becoming unsustainable.

Transparency Is Now a Strategic Advantage

Economic development has entered an era where transparency is not optional.

Leadership expects real-time insight into:

• Total incentive exposure
• Active vs. pending commitments
• Departmental coordination
• Project status across the pipeline
• Measurable return on economic investment

Communities that can answer these questions confidently (and consistently) build internal trust and external credibility. Operational clarity becomes a competitive advantage.

Additional Resource

For a more detailed overview of how jurisdictions are modernizing economic development operations, download the GovSense Economic Development Data Sheet below.

Economic Development Data Sheet

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GovSense is the first complete cloud solution purpose-built for local governments, empowering over 60 communities and supporting more than 2 million citizens. Govsense built on Oracle NetSuite—the #1 true cloud ERP platform with over 50,000 customers worldwide— GovSense delivers a modern, unified system that streamlines operations, enhances transparency, and drives efficiency. GovSense’s team has been implementing cloud solutions since 2005, bringing over two decades of expertise in delivering scalable and secure technology for local agencies. As a five-time GovTech 100 recipient, we are recognized as an industry leader in transforming government technology. GovSense is one modern platform that has everything you need for your local government, ensuring your community is equipped with the tools to thrive in the digital age.