IMAGINE Berks 2022-2025
It is hard to believe that over 3 years ago is when Berks County officially adopted IMAGINE Berks, the first county-wide and county-led Economic Development Strategic Action Plan in our nearly 275 year history. Throughout the past 3 years, the only time the IMAGINE Berks plan left our desk was when we were taking a hard copy to a meeting. A lot has changed since the adoption of the plan, however, our commitment to implementable plans has only grown.
We’ve adopted the Greenways Parks and Recreation Plan, the Workforce 2030 Update, the Growing Berks Agriculture Economic Impact Strategy, and have now just embarked on the update to the County’s Comprehensive Plan, now known as the IMAGINE Berks Comprehensive Plan. Each of these plans creation, adoption, and implementation have involved countless hours of community engagement and support to help shape the future of Berks County. As we move forward with the comprehensive plan, we will again ask for your support and engagement.
Now that we’ve reviewed the background and other plans which were adopted along the way, we can talk about the direct impact of IMAGINE Berks. Below you see the 1-page overview of the impact of IMAGINE Berks. Since the launch of the plan in August 2022, over $35 million dollars have been used to support the implementation of the plan. These funds include local, state, federal, and private dollars which helped with the implementation of the 5 areas of focus.
An overview of the key activities and programs supported throughout the 2022-2025 IMAGINE Berks implementation
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
There were over 60 grants and 40 loans funded. Each of these represents a small business or entrepreneur working on improving their ability to access capital and expand their operation. This was a key point highlighted in the plan as lack of access to capital was a barrier for many small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Berks County. Work continues to take place in this area through Penn State Berks Launchbox IMAGINE Your Business grants; as updates take place, they will be shared on our website.
Adulting Sucks “Shark Tank” Event hosted by Barrio Alegria at Goggleworks Center for the Arts
Barrio Alegria is continuing their work on small business credit repair through lending circles and their “Adulting Sucks” financial wellness program. In Summer 2025, Barrio Alegria hosted a “Shark Tank” style pitch competition for their Adulting Sucks students. This pitch competition focused on improving the student’s ability to present information, speak publicly, receive constructive feedback on their products and ideas.
Housing
Housing is an area which traditionally was not found in an economic development plan; however, housing is an integral piece of the puzzle in any vibrant community. The County is in the process of preparing a Housing Needs Assessment strategy to further define and outline housing supply issues in the county and is engaging partners and stakeholders to discuss potential policies and solutions.
New market-rate housing in Spring Township
Since 2021 there have been over 3,500 housing units added to Berks County with another nearly 5,000 which have been reviewed and are in various stages of planning and construction. Even with this increase in housing stock, we still have lagged behind many of our neighboring counties. In the coming months, Pennsylvania is slated to release their housing plan. A review of this plan along with how it relates to the goals of IMAGINE Berks will be
Talent & Economic Mobility
Talent and Economic Mobility is a section of the plan which saw great strides during implementation. Through the creation of an additional Industry Partnership in Healthcare, the Berks County Workforce Development Board helped lift up Healthcare occupations to a higher level of priority and created new pathways for people to find and enter those roles.
PA CareerLink May 2024 Job Fair hosted at Doubletree Hotel, Reading PA
The Career Fairs held throughout 2023-2025 saw over 5,000 attendees interact with upwards of 100 employers looking to grow their teams in Berks County. In the plan, disconnected youth was a group which was highlighted; the Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy (EEA) helped take undecided seniors and other students interested in owning their own businesses and provided pathways for them to learn from existing business owners in the community and learn from experts. As we enter 2026, the curriculum for EEA continues to expand and take on a larger role for students across the 18 school districts throughout Berks County.
Placemaking
Placemaking is one of the sections of the plan which saw some of the most tangible improvements throughout the county. Many of the Greenways projects which received funding were for improving access to natural amenities or supporting the creation of a plan which focused on improving local trails and park systems. These funds were spread throughout the County, from Hamburg Borough to Wolmelsdorf and Washington Township, the vast array of our outdoor recreation assets touch every corner of the County.
Crystal Lake drawn down during the de-silting process to improve water quality
The investments in greenspace and outdoor recreation help provide support for native wildlife, improved resiliency from storms, and connect visitors and residents alike to our beautiful spaces.
BUILD
Finally, BuILD focuses on development throughout Berks County. Commercial, Industrial, Residential, and Agriculture all play a part in the impact development has on not just our community, but the local tax base as well. With the creation of the $5 million Infrastructure Loan Fund through the Berks County Industrial Development Authority, the IDA works with local municipalities and municipal organizations looking to increase utility capacity in an area that can be developed or re-developed to help increase the tax base of the County and local communities following SMART Growth principles. The first Infrastructure Loan Fund project is a water expansion project in Lower Heidelberg Township. This project is located along a key transportation corridor and aims to improve access to water for future SMART Growth development in that community.
While there have been a lot of goals accomplished over the past 3 years, there is still work to be done. With the rollout of the new IMAGINE Berks Comprehensive Plan, these goals will be reviewed and included in the goals and metrics as we look towards the next 10 years in Berks County. Topics like SMART Growth help drive the policy recommendations and actions of the Berks County Planning Commission. Stay connected on here, the new website is home to the Berks County Planning Commission, the Berks County Workforce Development Board, and the Berks County Department of Agriculture. When we work together, change is possible.