Greater Washington Partnership

09/01/2026

The Greater Washington Partnership’s Emerging Tech Talent (ETT) Scholarship is helping strengthen the region’s talent pipeline. During the 2025–2026 academic year, more than $325,000 has been distributed to promising students across 12 regional universities. After five years, the program has supported nearly 800 students pursuing technology-related education and career pathways.

Beyond financial support, scholars gain opportunities to connect directly with regional employers through career panels, networking, and experiential programming—building the skills and relationships that support long-term career success. Thank you to Northrop Grumman Corporation, General Dynamics, and T. Rowe Price for investing in the region’s emerging technology talent.

Read the 2025–2026 ETT Scholarship Impact Report to learn more: https://bit.ly/4x4OJRI

08/11/2026

Nearly $490 million in federal investment is advancing improvements at Union Station, Washington D.C., one of the nation's most important transportation hubs. Modernizing Union Station is a critical step toward creating a more advanced, reliable and integrated transportation network that strengthens the Nation's Capital Region's role as the seat of government, a leading economic center and a gateway for millions of residents, workers and visitors.

In May, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $466 million for near-term improvements, including structural repairs; upgrades to the passenger concourse, Amtrak lounge and ticketing experience; enhanced security and family-friendly amenities; and expanded opportunities for retail, parking, office space and digital signage. An additional $24 million announced this month will help U.S. Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation develop a public-private partnership strategy to support the station's long-term expansion, refine project delivery and attract private investment.

These investments represent meaningful progress and an important step toward modernizing one of the nation’s most important transportation assets. Fully realizing Union Station's long-term expansion vision will be critical to accommodating future passenger demand, strengthening the Northeast Corridor, and ensuring the region has a world-class rail gateway that better connects people to jobs, businesses to markets and communities across the region.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3TzOKir

08/06/2026

Metro is a competitive advantage for the Washington region. It connects employers to a large, highly skilled talent pool while linking business districts, commercial centers, airports, universities and major destinations across the region. As companies evaluate where to invest, locate and grow, the safety and reliability of the region’s transit system are important measures of its competitiveness.

New data from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) shows serious and violent crime has declined by 61% since FY2023, reflecting sustained investments in safety, security and system operations that strengthen the region's appeal for businesses and the workforce alike. Metro attributes these improvements to a comprehensive safety strategy that includes expanded fare enforcement, increased Metro Transit Police patrols on Metrobus, a greater presence of special police officers and National Guard personnel at rail stations and a policy banning individuals convicted of violent and sexual offenses from the system. The agency says expanded fare enforcement alone has helped recover approximately $200,000 in bus fares each week.

As Metro serves more riders, maintaining a system people can depend on expands access to jobs, education and opportunity while supporting the region's long-term economic vitality.

Learn more at WTOP News (via Luke Lukert): https://bit.ly/3UhV5z9

08/04/2026

The redevelopment of the RFK campus has the potential to reshape one of the region's most prominent sites into a vibrant, transit-oriented destination with new housing, jobs, recreation and year-round activity.

Realizing that vision will depend on the transportation network that supports it. From expanding Stadium-Armory Metro station to advancing the proposed Gold Line bus rapid transit corridor and improving pedestrian and bicycle connections, strategic mobility investments will be essential to ensuring the District can accommodate major events while supporting a thriving mixed-use neighborhood for decades to come.

Our latest Perspectives article examines the transportation investments, planning considerations and regional opportunities that will shape one of the most significant redevelopment projects in Greater Washington's future.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4wHXkdI

07/20/2026

Greater Washington's combination of talent, research institutions and public-sector leadership continues to attract companies at the forefront of artificial intelligence.

NVIDIA'a reported decision to establish a downtown Washington, DC office adds to the region's growing concentration of AI leaders, joining recent expansions by OpenAI and Anthropic Together, these investments reinforce Greater Washington's role as a place where AI innovation, policy and commercialization come together.

As AI reshapes the global economy, the region's strengths continue to position it for long-term growth and investment.

Read more from Washington Business Journal (via Ben Peters): https://bit.ly/4bpMWOW

07/15/2026

Today, Greater Washington Partnership released Powering Growth: Solutions for a Competitive Energy Future. The brief identifies the business conditions needed to support a reliable, affordable and competitive energy future, while recognizing the coordination required across utilities, employers, government, workforce organizations and other regional partners.

Informed by more than a year of research and engagement with our utility partners Dominion Energy, Exelon and Washington Gas, as well as more than 50 organizations across the region’s energy infrastructure ecosystem, Powering Growth reflects a range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Those insights were further reinforced during yesterday’s Powering Growth convening, which brought together leaders from across sectors to discuss near-term opportunities, state and federal developments and the collaboration needed to advance this work. Rather than prescribing a specific policy agenda, the brief provides a common foundation for continued collaboration and sustained action around one of the most consequential competitiveness issues facing the region.

Special thanks to Janene Jackson, Willie Phillips, and Ronan Gulstone at Holland & Knight LLP for their partnership in convening leaders from across the energy ecosystem and helping shape the thoughtful discussions that informed this work.

Download Powering Growth: https://bit.ly/4yj5JFr

07/13/2026

Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen operations and help organizations focus their talent where it matters most. McLean-based Trase, co-founded by Red Cell Partners Founder and CEO Grant Verstandig, recently raised a $107 million seed round—one of the largest seed investments for a Greater Washington startup. Already demonstrating real-world impact in healthcare by automating time-intensive administrative work, the company is now expanding its technology into new sectors while growing its local workforce.

As the region continues to lead in AI and other advanced industries, companies like Trase AI—and the venture builders helping launch them—are attracting investment, translating innovation into real-world impact and reinforcing the region's position as a destination for transformative technology and long-term economic growth.

Read more at Washington Business Journal (via Nate Doughty): https://bit.ly/3SDzaSq

07/09/2026

Maryland’s Purple Line is entering the final stages of construction, bringing the region closer to a major new east-west transit connection.

Beginning July 6 through September 6, Metro will complete critical Red Line construction that will temporarily close the Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, and Bethesda stations. This work will support long-term system improvements, including new construction to integrate with the MTA Purple Line, platform rehabilitation and elevated rail structure maintenance. During these closures, Metro will operate shuttle buses in place of trains and dedicated bus lanes will be implemented to help keep riders moving.

Once complete, the Purple Line’s integration with Metro will expand access to jobs, housing, education and opportunity across Greater Washington. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4pa2Vqd

07/07/2026

Strong organizations are built by leaders who invest in people, culture and the ability to adapt. Those qualities help shape the workplaces that attract and retain the talent our region needs to compete.

Tony Pierce, Partner in Charge of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Washington, D.C. office, was recognized with WTOP News' Trusted Leadership Award as part of the 2026 Top Workplaces program. Leading more than 500 employees, Pierce has emphasized communication, workplace culture and embracing AI as a tool to strengthen client service and prepare the workforce for the future.

As the region continues to compete for talent and investment, leadership that fosters collaboration, innovation and continuous learning will remain a defining advantage. Read more: https://bit.ly/4vbVHDb

06/25/2026

Capital follows certainty. Projects follow speed.

Across the Greater Washington region, the ability to build housing, energy infrastructure, research facilities and commercial developments is increasingly tied to economic competitiveness. Yet lengthy and inconsistent permitting processes create uncertainty that slows regional progress, increases costs, delays critical projects and weakens our region's ability to attract investment.

Our new brief, Building to Win: Modernizing Permitting to Strengthen Regional Competitiveness, is designed for policymakers, business leaders and economic development stakeholders seeking to strengthen the region's investment climate. It highlights how permitting modernization can improve predictability, accelerate project delivery and support long-term growth, while offering recommendations that can help leaders align efforts across jurisdictions and all levels of government.

Read the full brief:

Across the region, spanning from Baltimore through Washington DC to Richmond, the ability to build housing, infrastructure, energy systems, research facilities, and commercial development is increasingly tied to economic competitiveness. Companies evaluating where to invest, expand, and grow are loo...