In 2004, a cross-section of 38 leaders from across business, nonprofits, government and academia came together to discuss the Madison Region: where we are, where we are going, and how do we achieve the vision of growing the region's economy in ways that preserve and enhance the quality of life? This was the beginning of the Collaboration Council.
The Collaboration Council met for the next two years, formed work and research teams, and ultimately presented a portrait of our region (at that time, beginning with Dane County), including our region's assets and opportunities, strengths and needs, and a vision of how to take the work and begin to make it a reality.
A short (six month) window of fundraising brought three years of operational funding to launch a not-for-profit entity, Thrive, in February 2007 to execute the ideas and the work of the Collaboration Council. Thrive is the economic development enterprise for the 8-county Madison Region.