Second-stage companies in Niagara County are invited to do some “economic gardening” and accelerate growth.

The county Center for Economic Development, in partnership with Invest Buffalo Niagara, is now offering the economic development program Economic Gardening to companies in the cities of Lockport, North Tonawanda and Niagara Falls, and the town of Lockport, with sales of $1 million to $50 million and 10 to 99 employees.

Economic gardening is a term used to describe a strategy that’s focused on growing the local economy from within, according to Michael Casale, county commissioner of economic development. For the county, it means helping existing local businesses grow and expand their operations, he said.

There is no cost to participating businesses. The program provides information through database research, geographical information systems and digital marketing, according to Kim Grant, vice president of business development for Invest Buffalo Niagara.

Jon DeWald, CEO of HelixIntel, a company that previously participated in the program, said, “HelixIntel is focused on growth, and the research that the Economic Gardening team conducted will help us move even faster to connect with businesses that will benefit from using our platform.” 

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