ALBANY, N.Y. (DEC. 30, 2025) — Highland Planning is proud to announce that the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) has been awarded $32 million in New York State funding through the inaugural ACHIEVE (Advancing Collaboration for High-impact Initiatives for Economic Visions & Expansion) Competition, a statewide initiative focused on advancing transformational, implementation-ready regional strategies.
As lead consultant, Highland Planning guided the Mohawk Valley REDC through the development of its 2025 Annual Report and ACHIEVE Competition proposal, Rooted in the Mohawk Valley. Our team led regional engagement, data analysis, visioning, and implementation planning to translate local priorities into a compelling, fundable strategy centered on rural resilience, agribusiness, tourism, workforce development, and reinvestment in community assets. This work was delivered in close collaboration with our sub-consultant partners MIG, AZAR Design Co., MUD Workshop, and Insight Ops, whose interdisciplinary expertise strengthened the proposal and its implementation framework.
Highland Planning is grateful for the strong partnership and collaboration with Empire State Development and the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council, whose leadership and stewardship of the ACHIEVE Competition helped elevate locally driven ideas into a statewide investment opportunity. The State’s selection of the Mohawk Valley underscores both the region’s readiness to advance bold, community-rooted initiatives and the value of a collaborative planning process that turns vision into action.
To learn more, visit the announcement from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.
For more information about Highland Planning, visit Highland-Planning.com.
Media Contact:
Megan Jasinski Morsch
Director of Marketing and Business Development
585-504-1672 | Megan@highland-planning.com
