Wyoming Business Council Discusses Bold Ideas for Economic Growth

Casper, Wyo – The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) Board of Directors concluded its quarterly meeting this week with renewed focus on transformative economic development strategies designed to address Wyoming’s persistent challenges with job growth and population retention.

During a strategic work session on May 20, CEO Josh Dorrell presented sobering economic realities facing the state, including stagnant job growth, limited high-quality employment opportunities, and the concerning trend of 60 to 70 percent of residents over the age of 30 leaving Wyoming permanently.

“What we’re doing today is not enough,” Dorrell told board members and staff. “The activities in our economy are not enough to create a high quality of life for people who live here and want to live here. We can do more, and we have to do more if we’re going to get where we want to go, which is an economy we can all be proud of.”

Strategic Planning and Risk-Taking Emphasized

The work session featured collaborative discussions between board members and staff investigating bold ideas and evaluating state and local authority, ability, and acceptance to implement change. The conversations emphasized the importance of calculated risk-taking to achieve meaningful economic transformation.

The opportunities exist for Wyoming to retain its young people, grow strong local economies, and build a future that reflects the grit of its past and the ambition of its people. The WBC is committed to investing in building capacity, earning trust, and showing that meaningful change, driven by data, grounded in people, and shaped by shared values, is within reach.

“We’re building the muscles, we’re building the know-how, we’re building the way that change will be created in our state,” Dorrell explained.

Board Actions and Approvals

The board, which includes five new members, addressed multiple agenda items during its May 21 quarterly meeting:

• Team and program updates, including efforts to build out Wyoming’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Wyoming Venture Capital, and Kickstart’s relaunch 
• Approved broadband infrastructure contracts
• Endorsed Challenge Loan program reports and related lending matters
• Advanced proposed changes to the Business Ready Community (BRC) grant and loan program rules, which will enter the public comment phase in the coming weeks

Three Planning Grants Recommended

The board unanimously recommended three BRC Planning grants for final approval by the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB):

• Town of Burlington Economic Development Plan – $40,000; Burlington’s first BRC application requests funding to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy for the community.
• City of Evanston Comprehensive Economic Development Master Plan – $100,000; The city seeks support for creating a 25-year comprehensive economic development master plan to guide long-term growth strategies.
• Washakie County Economic Development Master Plan – $75,000; This collaborative initiative will develop a unified economic development framework for Washakie County, the City of Worland, the Town of Ten Sleep, and the Washakie Development Association. It represents the first coordinated economic planning effort among these entities.

The SLIB will consider these recommendations during their June 5, 2025, meeting.