Joshua Cook

Creative Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Strategist

Positioning

I help cultural organizations, businesses, and governments design ventures and programs that turn bold ideas into durable economic outcomes.

Based in Baltimore. Available for consulting, leadership, and project design engagements.

At a Glance

Program Manager, Jefferson County Development Authority — leading economic development initiatives and investor-facing partnerships.

15+ years building ventures, accelerators, and cultural initiatives across private sector, government, and higher education.

Advised $100M destination project site selection; managed strategic planning procurement and multi-stakeholder coordination.

Co-founded and scaled a $5M+ food venture to worker-owned cooperative in Brooklyn.

Commended on the floor of the U.S. Senate for public engagement on Opportunity Zones.

Visual Arts Chair, WorldPride 2025 Arts & Culture Committee.

Former Instructor, Entrepreneurial Finance (West Virginia University).

Advisory & Project Work

Investor Relations & Capital Formation

Fund operations, investor communications, capital calls, reporting, and stakeholder management for impact-first investment strategies.

Impact Investment Analysis

Economic impact assessment, cultural sector feasibility, and financial frameworks for mission-driven capital partners.

Grant Development & Strategy

Six- and seven-figure capital stacks for municipalities, nonprofits, arts organizations, and public-private consortia.

Strategic Planning Facilitation

Multi-stakeholder coordination, intergovernmental alignment, and institutional strategy for complex initiatives.

Creative Placemaking & Cultural Economy

Festival/conference design, brand architecture, and culture-as-economic-driver initiatives.

RFP Response Development

Proposal strategy, narrative development, and partnership coordination for government and foundation solicitations.

Selected Highlights

$100K Feasibility Study — Federal/state-funded plan to attract remote workers to Appalachia.

Brooklyn Food Venture → Cooperative — Scaled to $5M+ then transitioned to worker ownership.

Pandemic Recovery — Small-business support with WV SBDC and regional partners.

WorldPride 2025 — Shaped a global visual arts program elevating diverse creators.

National Press & Recognition — Profiles in major outlets; U.S. Senate commendation.

Recent Case Studies

$100M Destination Project Site Selection — Primary point of contact for investor-facing site tours and strategic engagement contributing to finalist selection and positive statewide visibility for Jefferson County Development Authority.

County Strategic Planning Procurement — Led end-to-end RFP process: drafted solicitation, distributed to 100+ contacts, managed proposal evaluation, delivered board recommendation demonstrating institutional execution capacity.

Multi-Stakeholder Economic Development Working Groups — Facilitated state-level research and policy development on Opportunity Zones, capital formation frameworks, and emerging technology adoption requiring cross-agency coordination.

Business Park Development Strategy — Advanced planning for next-phase county business park emphasizing site readiness, execution discipline, and financially sound selective development approach.

Cultural Sector Partnership Development — Initiated agritourism business funnel and cultivated targeted food/beverage sector opportunities through direct producer engagement and strategic alignment.

Biography

Community Organizing Fellow for Obama for America in Denver (2008). Founder and CEO of an NYC sustainable food distribution startup (2011-2016). Entrepreneurial Finance Professor and Economic Development Research Fellow at West Virginia University (2017-2020). Founder of Places I Never Heard of LLC, a business and economic development consulting firm (2020-2026).

Education: Georgetown University (BSFS) and the London School of Economics (MSc).

Contact

joshua.m.cook@gmail.com