Ever since the arrival of two railroads in 1882 and construction of its first port of entry in 1903, Nogales has attracted exceptional entrepreneurs. Today, visionary civic leaders are building on this good fortune with new ways to encourage revitalization and entrepreneurship in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

Nogales is creating several new innovation centers in the heart of its downtown business district where people of all ages and walks of life will work together to close the gap between aspiration and accomplishment. The innovation centers will be state-of-the-art office, training and meeting space, a business incubator that strengthens the historic core of Nogales, Arizona.

Community Story Sparks Revitalization, Entrepreneurship Investment

Nogales Community Development (NCD) asked WestWordVision to develop capital campaign communications to attract the necessary investment for redeveloping the historic real estate where the new centers will be housed. NCD has set a goal of raising $2 million. 

We developed our theme, key messages and the community story for the campaign by tracing NCD’s track record and problem-solving abilities as a small, efficient organization whose programs and services fuel community revitalization and entrepreneurship in the bi-national region. We looked at the unique design of the innovation centers—the facilities, services and programs to be delivered, and the value of the restored historic properties to the overall redevelopment of Nogales’s central districts. And finally, we considered the community’s historic and current role as a major Port of Entry on the U.S.-Mexico border and the impact the innovation centers will have in stimulating revitalization and entrepreneurship in the international region.

Research led us to position the campaign as “The New Next”, because the innovation centers represent a significant step forward in the community’s entrepreneurial progress. It is rare to find a community revitalization effort of this scale in any city the size of Nogales. This revitalizing project marks the beginning of a new era for Nogales as the fortunate forerunner of small global cities of the future. 

Our community story communicates to investors that their investment will be used to build on significant in-place capital investment, organizational expertise and entrepreneurial history to grow the strength and stability of the region. Led by NCD, a consortium of collaborators with expertise in higher education, healthcare, economic development, workforce and life skills training, housing and food, will offer programs and resources to move citizens from poverty to economic self-sufficiency.

As the campaign rolls out, NCD and its partners are sharing their community story and their vision of what will emerge at the new innovation centers. The first property to be completed, the Bowman Senior Residencies, will bring seniors back to downtown by February 2016. The former Foxworth Galbraith rehabilitation project is already in full force.

View “The New Next” capital campaign brochure.

Visit Nogales Community Development website to learn more about their work.

Learn more about the power of story.