A group of local leaders will collaborate with officials from six other regions in the national Communities that Work Partnership.
Three local leaders will represent the Buffalo area during the 15-month collaboration: Maria Whyte, Commissioner, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning; Laura Smith, Vice President, Economic Development at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership; and, Dennis Eisenbeck, Regional Director at National Grid.
"We've already spoken to some of the other communities on the things that they are focusing on," said Liz Callahan, Workforce Development manager for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
"We have similar industries, similar problems in education and training, and we're going to be able to really talk about best practices, but also the things that communities have tried that haven't worked so we don't repeat the same mistakes."
Groups from Phoenix, Houston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City and Northwest Georgia have also been selected to join in the effort.
The participants were chosen by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Aspen Institute.