As most readers will be aware, Priority One was founded by the local business community to strategically grow the sub-region's economy and create an economic environment which continually increases employment opportunities and average income levels for the community.

Priority One is a unique model for an economic development organisation in New Zealand, as it receives half of its funding from a committed and growing business membership and half through a contract with the sub-region's local authorities. The significant level of private sector funding sustained since 2001 is a tangible and critical demonstration of the fact that the role and contribution of Priority One is understood and valued by the business community.
The issue of how economic development and the resulting ‘community wealth' is generated and funded in any region is important. However, it's not just the business community that benefits from economic development. A robust and prosperous economy benefits everyone by:
- providing for increased employment opportunities and wealth creation through an increase in business numbers and career choices.
- providing higher paid jobs and a better overall standard of living.
- enabling easier access to a wide range of goods and services.
- increasing investment in areas such as health, social services, the environment, recreation, arts and culture.
- providing better quality and more affordable infrastructure, such as an efficient roading network, business land and increasingly efficient broadband services, which underpin our competitive and comparative advantages.
- ensuring efficient transportation networks.
- enabling the Bay of Plenty community to attain higher levels of education.

In summary, the beneficiaries of economic growth in a region are all of those who live, work and play in it. Therefore regions will be strongest and will sustain growth where all of the community understands and contributes to the process of economic growth.
Those contributing to economic growth understand they are playing a vital role in creating a thriving, forward looking community and business environment. Such an environment will continue to provide a business, learning and lifestyle location of choice for the whole community and those wanting to be an active part of it – the young and old, providers of goods and services and customers alike.