About Forward Lawrence
Forward Lawrence is an alliance of the Lawrence County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation. This partnership was designed to support county businesses and our communities by transforming lives through serving as a creative force that promotes excellence in leadership, coordination, and orderly business development activities. We strive to accomplish this through the following actions:
CONNECT
Our businesses have a variety of needs whether it be workforce, capital, supply chain, patrons, or clientele. We facilitate business to business, business to consumer, and business to community connections that help to expand networks, increase local collaboration, and build a stronger community.
MARKET
Lawrence County is a great community with fantastic assets. We work to expand the reach of our community by marketing our advantages, locally, regionally, and beyond.
ADVOCATE
Our elected officials create an economic environment in which our businesses and community must operate.
As the primary business and economic organization in
Lawrence County, we advocate on behalf of our members and the county as a whole at every level of government to ensure our elected leaders understand the value that pro-business policy implementation has on our members and community.
EDUCATE
We understand that the business environment is ever changing and, as such, continued learning is a requirement of all businesses no matter the size. We offer an educational Noon-Time Knowledge series to members and non-members to help ensure they stay sharp in areas across the spectrum of business operations.
We partner with our local small business development centers to ensure those that need access to business planning tools have access to this valuable resource. Lastly, we understand that leadership is a learned trait, as such we offer an annual Leadership Lawrence County Cohort where the county’s emerging leaders can build upon and hone their leadership skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the public and private sectors in Lawrence County along with the advantages and challenges our community faces.
ENHANCE
We work to enhance our community through traditional economic development principles, including site and infrastructure development, and redevelopment and reuse of blighted or brownfield properties, providing low-interest business financing and through conducting business retention and attraction initiatives. We have also begun to look into non-traditional economic development principles such as housing development, talent attraction, and fostering entrepreneurship throughout our community.
OUR COMBINED MISSION
To be the driving force enhancing economic growth and opportunity throughout Lawrence County while serving as the voice of business and industry and promoting excellence in leadership, collaboration, and development activities.
VISION
To transform the lives of Lawrence County’s citizens through the promotion and execution of a unified countywide plan by: raising the standard of living throughout Lawrence County; facilitating the creation and retention of jobs that pay family-sustaining wages; expanding the tax base of local governments so higher quality essential services may be provided; providing business and industry a voice by advocating for pro-growth public policies, and preparing promising leaders of tomorrow for business, government, and civic positions of responsibility.
Our Story
Get to Know Us
Established in 1849, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania is located between Pittsburgh, PA; Erie, PA; Cleveland, OH; and between New York, NY; and Chicago, IL, along the PA / OH border. Our county seat, New Castle, serves as the epicenter for a trade area of one million residents.
Lawrence County is home to approximately 90,000 residents and is a transportation mecca. Interstates 76, 79, and 376 cross the county, and Interstate 80 runs along the county’s northern border. New Castle, located in the County’s center, is 43 miles north of the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and 103 miles east by southeast of the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Two Class 1 and two Class 2 railroads provide service to our businesses.