TALLAHASSEE — A prominent urbanist’s “four T’s” of economic development — technology, talent, tolerance and territory assets – are behind a new approach to how Tallahasseans will work to expand and diversify the city’s traditional base of jobs in government and education.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, in partnership with Leon County civic leaders and  forward-thinking social theorist Richard Florida, has launched the Knight Creative Communities Initiative, a venture that aims to enhance the community’s overall prosperity and build upon its quality of life assets.

Following the launch in Tallahassee, similar projects will be introduced in Charlotte, N.C., and Duluth, Minn. The yearlong effort, supported by Knight, will build upon the research and writings by Richard Florida, which spotlight human creativity as the primary engine of economic growth.  Florida, the Hirst Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University, is author of the national bestseller The Rise of the Creative Class.

The initiative will combine research, training and community dialogue to develop a community vision and an accompanying set of initiatives to foster the growth of the area’s creative economy.

“Tallahassee is an ideal setting for the Creative Communities Initiative,” said J. Michael Pate, Knight Foundation program director for Tallahassee. “Our community has a track record of success when people come together for in-depth discussions and consensus-building around major civic issues.

“Economic development is a top priority for our region. The Creative Communities approach is based on identifying and attracting the kind of creative talent communities need to thrive and grow. This will be a great opportunity for members of the community to work together on mapping out new strategies to achieve a stronger, more diverse and sustainable economy,” he said.

Compared with other state capitals of comparable size, Tallahassee depends much more on government and education, said Pate, former president and publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat. Together, the two sectors represent more than 30 percent of the region’s economy, compared with less than 18 percent in other state capitals.  

The Creative Communities Initiative will be led by a local committee of top civic leaders, who will enlist the involvement of 30 additional volunteers through a selection process to begin later this month. The volunteers, called “community catalysts”, will be charged with understanding and applying effective methods of developing sustainable economic prosperity. They will participate in a two-day training seminar and, over the course of the year, will work together to build local consensus and engage the broader community in a range of economic development efforts.

Prof. Florida’s work is considered a breakthrough analysis of the importance of creativity and innovation in cities’ economic growth. At the heart of his theory are what he calls the “four T’s” of economic development – technology, talent, tolerance and territory assets. Healthy communities have a balanced quotient of all four, he says.

“My team and I are excited to be part of this program. This up-to-date approach is testament to Knight Foundation’s dedication to advancing communities,” said Florida. “Tallahassee’s quality of place combined with its university and its governmental assets make it a unique setting for positive economic developments that can benefit the entire region.  Our work there is sure to be a model of success for other forward-thinking cities.”

In developing the Knight Creative Communities Initiative, Florida’s consulting staff conducted research on Tallahassee and other Knight communities, measuring indicators of their potential for supporting a creative economy. Not surprisingly, Tallahassee ranks high in the percentage of residents enrolled in college or graduate school, one indicator of a creative community.

“This project has great potential to become the tipping point that helps move Tallahassee toward an economy that is diversified beyond government and education,” Pate said.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. For more information, visit www.knightfdn.org.