About
We equip regions with the knowledge, tools, and courage to design the economies they want.
Our Approach
Formation is the product of years of experience at both the frontlines and frontier of regional economic development. Our work is driven by a strong theory of what the economy is, what it should be, and how to get there. We constantly test this theory alongside the best practitioners and thinkers in the country, and apply what we’ve learned to change the trajectory of regions and shape the field nationally.
How We Work
Formation works differently from most firms because our goal is different: transformation that endures.
Our emphasis on transformation means that we gravitate toward emerging issues where trends aren’t clear and answers aren’t obvious. Responding confidently to economic shifts, whether driven by the rise of AI or energy constraints, requires new approaches. That’s why we build strategies that intentionally span disciplines, weaving together tools from economic and workforce development and beyond.
Formation’s focus on durable change is just as important in how we work. We bring an uncommon degree of attention to the work of developing relationships and building trust across sectors, designing the structures that allow that trust and risk tolerance to deepen over time – especially between businesses and government and nonprofit partners.
Field Building
We knows that bold efforts in regions can only be sustained if local innovators are linked with other pioneers from across the country, and if their work is supported by national policy and reinforced by new paradigms. That’s why Formation creates networks that link ambitious practitioners to allow them to refine their craft and define a new discipline. And it’s why we invest in translating lessons from the field to influential policymakers, funders, and researchers.
Our Values
Relentless Curiosity
Insight begins with inquiry. We stay open, listen deeply, and seek unexpected connections that reshape what’s possible.
Rigor
Precision, structure and discipline are how we earn trust and make transformation real.
Empathy
Systems don’t change without people. We honor the complexity, dignity and emotional reality of those doing the work.
Discernment
We act with intention, not impulse. We weigh what matters and move when the moment is right.