The New Next

The New Next

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 entrepreneurship in the U.S.-Mexico border region. 

At the heart of the plan are several new innovation centers in the heart of our 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 include state-of-the-art office, training and meeting space, a business incubator that strengthens the historic core of Nogales, Arizona. Donate to The New Next.

We contracted with branding and PR firm WestWordVision to develop a theme, strategic messages and capital campaign communications to attract the necessary investment for redeveloping the historic real estate where the new centers will be housed. Our goal is to raise $2 million.

Working with WestWordVision was a rewarding process. Their team developed the campaign theme, key messages and storyline for the campaign by tracing our organization’s track record and problem-solving abilities as a small, efficient organization that delivers programs and services tailored to the needs of this bi-national region. They also 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, they considered our community’s historic and current role as a major Port of Entry on the U.S.-Mexico border and the potential impact the innovation centers will have on our international region.

WestWordVision positioned the campaign as “The New Next”, because the innovation centers represent a significant step forward in our community’s 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. Donate to The New Next.

Our message to investors is this: 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. With expertise in higher education, healthcare, economic development, workforce and life skills training, housing and food, our collaborators bring programs and resources to the innovation centers will move citizens from poverty to economic self-sufficiency. 

As the campaign rolls out, we are anticipating the future 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 as early as 2016. The former Foxworth Galbraith property will be our next priority. Stay tuned as “The New Next” takes hold in Nogales.

Donate to The New Next. Or, learn more about “The New Next.”