Project History

myregion.org wasn't born in a corporate boardroom. No one dreamed it up in a government chamber. myregion.org came from Central Florida's people -- their questions, their worries, their hopes for our community.

Light Rail, a penny sales tax, school reform, the 2012 Olympic bid -- all of these issues needed some common ground, some consensus to succeed. Sometimes we were able to work together and make it happen, sometimes we weren't.

After listening to their members, constituents and customers, 18 public and private organizations came together and identified a void in Central Florida. We all wanted to work together, but this region had no sense of itself. We have plenty of resources and tools at our disposal, but there was no place to bring it all together; no place to combine the power and potential of this community to create something really special. Residents and leaders have no place to go to put their heads together and figure out how to make this region a better place for everyone.

Beginning in 1999, the Funding Partners set out to fill that void. myregion.org is the result of their teamwork.

Project Timeline

September 16-17, 1999

· Central Florida Regional Retreat · Introducing Michael Gallis & Regional Development Program

Spring 2001

· myregion.org is created · Beginning of Phase I

April 30, 2001

· Partnership formed between myregion.org and the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council

December 13, 2001

· Regional Kick-Off Event - Osceola County Courthouse

Spring 2002

· Electronic Newsletter and Website are launched

January 2002 – March 2003

· Community Conversations Held - 3,000 People Engaged

July 11, 2003

· Regional Roll Out · The Central Florida Sourcebook – A New Regional Agenda

Conclusion of Phase I

2003-2005

· Beginning of Phase II · Region Studies Itself:           - Our Values           - Our Growth           - Our Environment           - Our Demographics           - How We Measure Up

April 2005

· PRISM (Promoting Regional Improvement in Science and Math) Unveiled · 27 Community and Business Leaders Pledge to help promote new initiative in science and math

October 5, 2005

· CD Highlighting “More than a Million Dollars of Regional Research” is released

January-March 2006

· Regional Leadership Academy Convenes · 75 Regional Leaders spend five-days discussing the “key Issues” facing Central Florida

March 2006-August 2007

· How Shall We Grow? Regional Vision Project · 200 Community Meetings and Presentations · More than 20,000 Engaged Citizens

March 29, 2006

· Kick off – “How Shall We Grow?” · 325 Citizens Launching the “How Shall We Grow?” Initiative

April 26, 2006

· First Central Florida Regional Leadership Council Meeting

May-September 2006

· “How Shall We Grow?” Community Input Sessions

May 22, 2006

· First Central Florida Council of Mayors Meeting

May-July 2006

· New Outreach to Community          - Blog          - Redesigned web site          - Communications Committee          - Speakers Bureau

October 13, 2006

· Regional Event: Building Policies that Shape Our Shared Vision · 450 Citizens Discussing the Key Issues Facing Central Florida

January 22-February 14, 2007

· “How Shall We Grow?” Media Week and Selection of a Shared Future for Central Florida · 7,319 people complete on-line "How Shall We Grow?" Survey

August 2007

· “How Shall We Grow?” Regional Summit · 600 Participants at the unveiling of the Central Florida Regional Vision

December 2007

· Conclusion of Phase II of myregion.org · Board of Directors approve Organizational Structure for Phase III