photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

Mark Buhler, co-chair of the All In economic development fundraising campaign, speaks at a kick-off event on Sept. 24, 2026.

The push is officially on for the local business community to raise $2.5 million in funding to support economic development programs that leaders hope will bring more than 1,000 new jobs to the Lawrence area.

The Lawrence chamber of commerce and the Economic Development Corporation of Lawrence & Douglas County will seek to raise the $2.5 million in funds over the next five years, and have set a goal of using the investments to attract at least 1,500 new jobs in the areas of “advanced manufacturing, information technology, engineering and design and scientific research and development.”

Smitty Belcher, CEO of P1 Group, and Mark Buhler, a partner at CEK Insurance, are serving as co-chairs of the fundraising campaign. Both told a crowd of about 50 people at a Thursday afternoon kickoff event that the competition to attract quality companies and jobs was becoming more competitive between communities, and that private investment to build a solid economic development program was an important key to success.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

Smitty Belcher, co-chair of the All In economic development campaign. Speaks at a campaign kickoff event on Sept . 26, 2026.

The new fundraising campaign — titled “All In” by organizers — is a follow-up to the five-year, $2.5 million Rising Together campaign that is concluding later this year. That campaign also had a goal of attracting 1,500 new jobs. It is on pace to finish the year with about 1,000 new jobs created, but has topped its goal of helping attract $100 million in new business investment in the community, according to the campaign’s online dashboard. During the five-year period, Amcor — the company formerly known as Berry Plastics — US Engineering, and Amarr Garage Doors completed nearly $120 million of expansion projects between the three companies.

The Rising Together campaign also funded a new microloan program that provided $187,500 in funding to 13 start-up businesses in the county. Dollars from the campaign also were used to support the marketing efforts to promote Lawrence and Douglas County to site selectors who help companies decide where new projects should be located.

Funding from the new campaign is expected to continue much of that work, and will focus on four economic development strategies: job creation and prosperity; workforce and talent development; innovation and entrepreneurship, and advocacy for pro-business policies and placemaking.

At a kickoff event on Thursday afternoon at the Jayhawk Club, leaders of the campaign said they had raised about 80% of the campaign’s $2.5 million goal during the quiet phase of the campaign. They now hope to raise the remaining $1 million during the public phase of the campaign in the coming months.

Belcher, whose company is a major heating, cooling and mechanical contractor with large fabrication facilities in Lawrence, announced at Thursday’s event that his family foundation was donating $575,000 to the campaign.

In addition to the 1,500 new jobs in targeted industries, the All In campaign has several other targets it aims to hit in the next five years. They include:

• $172 million in increased annual payroll for the Douglas County economy;

• $95 million in additional consumer spending in the local market;

• $100 million of new capital investment by targeted businesses;

• An additional 1,400 new jobs that will be added in the service sector, which leaders predict will grow as a result of the 1,500 new primary jobs.

Campaign materials also provided some details on how the organizations plan to spend the projected $2.5 million. Over the five-year period, the campaign intends to devote $800,000 to marketing and job attraction activities; $450,000 to build new internship and education partnerships related to workforce development; $400,000 for innovation and entrepreneurship programs, including expanded funding programs for new businesses; and $450,000 to advocate for business-friendly policies, infrastructure investments and streamlined processes, among other initiatives.