The Partnership

The Partnership is a nonprofit marketing and support organization for the Clarksville-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Visit Clarksville (Convention and Visitors Bureau), and Industrial Development Board.

Many recent advancements are possible due to generous support for the Aspire Foundation, the privately-funded economic development, and community marketing initiative for Clarksville-Montgomery County. The city is one of the fastest-growing in the nation due in no small part to the support of visionaries and business leaders in this community.

History of the Partnership

• In 1992, a blue ribbon community leader task force began a study of how economic development was taking place in Montgomery County. The group successfully completed an 18-month effort in late 1994 by uniting the Tourist Commission (now Convention & Visitors Bureau), the Chamber of Commerce, and the Industrial Development Board under one administration.

• In February of 1995, an initial Chief Executive Officer was employed. The three entities share administrative, marketing, and accounting staff.
  

• President Walton Smith "got the ball rolling" for the EDC in 1995, contracting  BLF Marketing to write a three-year community marketing plan and a fundraiser.
  

• In 1997, a significant branding campaign was launched with the development of a new EDC/Community logo and tagline, Gateway to the New South. Encouraging city and county departments to make use of the logo helped develop a consistent brand and identify for visitors, business prospects, and it also instilled a sense of pride among residents.
  

• The first Aspire campaign, “Aspire 2000” (1997-2000) raised $1.6 million in private funds for local marketing efforts. The Aspire fundraising Campaign was established as a vehicle to financially support the efforts of the IDB, CVB and CACC.
  

• The Aspire Clarksville II Campaign, “Taking Us To A Higher Level” (2001-2004) raised $2.2 million in private funds raised for local marketing efforts
  

• In the fall of 2004, the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council took action to move the Aspire Clarksville program into a foundation and call it The Aspire Clarksville Foundation.
  

• In August 2005, the Internal Revenue Service officially granted the Foundation its 501c3 designation retro-active to the beginning of the Aspire III Campaign. This new IRS designation has enabled the Foundation to be considered for grants that it would not have otherwise been able to apply for.

• In Aspire IV, (2009-2014) the structure of leadership changed to include a Board of Directors, Fundraising Campaign Leaders, and a Steering Committee.
  
  
• In March of 2013, Montgomery County's population growth surpassed all other Tennessee counties (U.S. Census 2010 to 2012). The Clarksville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was also named the second-fastest-growing metro in the nation, boasting a 3.7 percent increase.
  
  
• In June of 2020, the structure of the partnership changed to reduce board members and establish a hierarchical organization of the staff.