Praxis Strategy Group
Praxis Strategy Group is a privately held economic development consulting firm in Grand Forks, ND that provides strategic planning, economic research, and public engagement services to communities, regions, states, nonprofits, and private industry in the U.S. and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersGrand Forks, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Praxis Strategy Group does
Praxis Strategy Group is a privately held economic development consulting firm headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, founded in 1989 by Delore Zimmerman (President & CEO) and Mark Schill (VP for Research). The firm provides strategic planning, economic and demographic research, public engagement, and facilitated initiative execution for communities, regions, states, private industries, nonprofits, and associations in the United States and internationally, including Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Tanzania, Togo) and parts of Europe and Asia (Wales, England, South Korea). Its core service offering centers on multi-stakeholder strategic plans, working group facilitation, and policy-oriented research reports, delivered through project-based consulting engagements initiated via direct outreach, referrals from organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and thought-leadership-driven inbound interest. Notable engagements include the U.S. Chamber Foundation's Enterprising States program (2010-2015), the Red River Valley Research Corridor coordination (since 2004, with 21+ Action Summits), and strategies for clients ranging from city governments (Grand Forks, Wenatchee, Salinas) to private consortia (Valley Prosperity Partnership, Greater Houston Partnership).
The firm's underlying technology stack comprises economic and demographic research methodologies, stakeholder engagement frameworks, and audience response systems for public input sessions, plus proprietary assets including the Metropolitan Tech-STEM Growth Index (covering the 53 largest U.S. metros) and a suite of SBIR-funded tools for micropolitan and rural regions developed across nine USDA SBIR awards totaling more than $1 million. Praxis also operates three adjacent platforms: NewGeography.com (an online media platform co-developed with Joel Kotkin), the Red River Valley Research Corridor coordination function, and Praxis Africa (a Ghanaian NGO). The business model is project-based professional services, supplemented by federal SBIR grant funding; pricing is not publicly disclosed, with prospective clients directed to the firm's direct phone line (701-775-3354) or contact form. Distribution is built on thought leadership through Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette coverage, the NewGeography.com media channel, and a recurring Action Summit event series.
Praxis Strategy Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Praxis Strategy Group
- Legal name
- Praxis Strategy Group
- Website
- https://praxissg.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Praxis Strategy Group is a privately held economic development consulting firm in Grand Forks, ND that provides strategic planning, economic research, and public engagement services to communities, regions, states, nonprofits, and private industry in the U.S. and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Praxis Strategy Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Consulting
- NAICS
- Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)
Keywords
Where Praxis Strategy Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Forks
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Praxis Strategy Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Strategic Planning and Consulting Services: Praxis generates revenue through direct consulting engagements with communities, regions, states, private industries, nonprofits, and associations. Engagements include strategic planning for multi-stakeholder groups, economic research, public engagement facilitation, task force facilitation, and coordinated initiative execution. Revenue is project-based, typically scoped engagements ranging from focused planning sessions to multi-year strategic partnerships.
- SBIR Research Grants: Nine-time winner of Small Business Innovation Research awards totaling more than $1 million from the USDA. These awards funded the development of tools and practices for rural economic development, representing a grant-based revenue stream that extends the company's reach nationally.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Praxis Strategy Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Praxis Strategy Group is an economic development consulting firm that helps communities, regions, states, private industries, nonprofits, and associations with strategic planning, economic and demographic research, public engagement facilitation, multi-stakeholder task force coordination, and implementation of coordinated economic development initiatives. Engagements range from focused planning sessions to multi-year strategic partnerships and include industry-specific projects in agriculture, unmanned aircraft systems, energy, and high-tech.
Product overview
Praxis Strategy Group is an economic development consulting firm offering strategic planning, economic research, and community engagement services. Their portfolio includes research initiatives (Enterprising States, NewGeography.com), regional development programs (Valley Prosperity Partnership, Red River Valley Research Corridor), strategic planning services (APEX, workforce strategies, downtown revitalization), and international development (Praxis Africa). The company provides facilitation, policy development, and implementation support for communities, regions, states, and private industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Planning and Facilitation Services Core consulting service for multi-stakeholder groups, business teams, and community organizations. Includes strategic planning, facilitated task forces, public engagement sessions, economic and demographic research, and coordinated initiative execution. Designed for communities, regions, states, private industries, nonprofits, and associations.
- Enterprising States National Policy Program A national policy program for state economic development focused on workforce development, science and technology, and infrastructure, designed to determine best practices for job creation and state-level economic prosperity.
- Valley Prosperity Partnership Coordination
Quantifiable outcome
- Northern Plains Nitrogen decision to locate a $1.5 billion fertilizer plant in Grand Forks County was influenced by Praxis's agricultural asset mapping and diversification strategy
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Praxis Strategy Group
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Praxis Strategy Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Praxis Strategy Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce FoundationcorePraxis worked with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation from 2010-2015 on the Enterprising States initiative to spur job creation across all 50 states. Praxis served as lead analyst, co-author, and spokesperson for the study. The initiative also included state roundtables with governors and state chambers for Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Reports were launched at annual governors' summit events in Washington, DC.
- New Geography (NewGeography.com)coreDeveloped and operated by Praxis Strategy Group and Joel Kotkin, NewGeography.com is a website and online media platform publishing work by leading thinkers in economic development, public policy, and economic and demographic trends. Mark Schill serves as co-founder and managing editor.
- Valley Prosperity PartnershipcorePraxis coordinates the Valley Prosperity Partnership, a private-sector effort spanning multiple counties in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota. More than two dozen companies contributed to the strategic plan. Praxis guided four multi-stakeholder working groups and later Delore Zimmerman returned to serve as executive director.
- Red River Valley Research CorridorcorePraxis coordinates the Red River Valley Research Corridor, an initiative championed by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan designed to build world-class research centers and support the region's high-tech sector, anchored by North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota. Praxis has organized 21 Action Summit events since 2004.
- Praxis AfricacorePraxis Africa began as a partnership between Ghanaian entrepreneur Tony Mensah-Abrampah, Praxis Strategy Group, and AdFarm in 2009. It is a registered Ghanaian NGO enterprise that catalyzes local development by mobilizing entrepreneurial support and workable technologies related to agriculture, food, water, and energy. Partners include entrepreneurs and innovators in West Africa as well as North American companies. Projects span Ghana, Liberia, Tanzania, and Togo.
- Joel KotkincoreJoel Kotkin is a Presidential Fellow in urban futures at Chapman University and a long-standing strategic partner of Praxis Strategy Group. He co-founded NewGeography.com with Praxis and has co-authored numerous reports including Enterprising States, Enterprising Cities, Opportunity Urbanism, and analysis featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Orange County Register.
- Roger ReiersonminorRoger Reierson is a strategic partner providing expertise in economic development and strategic communications.
- Greg PorembaminorGreg Poremba is a strategic partner serving as a senior energy consultant and NEPA/SEPA project manager.
- Flint GroupminorFlint Group is listed as a strategic partner providing additional breadth of knowledge for optimal project results.
- Prime46minorPrime46 is listed as a strategic partner specializing in market research.
- Development Capital NetworksminorDevelopment Capital Networks is listed as a strategic partner providing products, management, and training.
- Cimarron Capital PartnersminorCimarron Capital Partners is listed as a strategic partner serving as a venture capital and private equity funds manager.
- N.C. Doty and AssociatesminorPraxis partnered with N.C. Doty and Associates to develop an agriculture and agri-business strategy for a four-county region around Grand Forks. The project contributed to Northern Plains Nitrogen's decision to locate a $1.5 billion fertilizer plant in Grand Forks County.
- Better City Superior WisconsinminorThe privately led Better City Superior project was a community engagement and strategic planning initiative. Praxis conducted three focus groups and developed and deployed an online survey, resulting in a community vision that supported a successful public referendum with 75% voter approval.
- Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development CorporationminorPraxis worked with the Regional Workforce Partnership & Collaboration led by the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, Chamber, Fargo Moorhead Area Foundation, United Way of Cass-Clay, and Convention and Visitors Bureau to develop a five-year strategic action plan addressing regional workforce challenges.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Praxis Strategy Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TIP Strategies: An economic development consulting firm providing strategic planning, target industry analysis, and workforce strategy for cities, regions, and states—directly comparable to Praxis's core consulting practice and client base.
- McCallum Sweeney Consulting: A site selection and economic development consulting firm serving corporate and public-sector clients with location strategy, target industry analysis, and incentive advisory—overlapping with Praxis's industry-targeting and cluster work.
- Market Street Services: An economic and workforce development consulting firm conducting research, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement for public and private clients—closely matching Praxis's research-driven, facilitation-led practice.
- Avalanche Consulting: An economic development strategy consultancy serving communities and regions with target industry analysis, workforce development, and strategic planning services that overlap closely with Praxis's offerings.
- Camoin Associates: An economic development and workforce consulting firm providing data-driven strategies, target industry studies, and implementation support to communities, states, and regions—directly comparable in service mix and public-sector client base.
- Angelou Economics: An economic development consulting firm serving cities, regions, and states with target industry studies, workforce analysis, and strategic planning—closely aligned to Praxis's methodology and client types.
- Garmer & Associates: An economic development consulting firm providing strategic planning, organizational development, and stakeholder facilitation services to communities and regions—closely comparable to Praxis's facilitation-led consulting practice.
Others
- International Economic Development Council (IEDC): The leading membership organization for economic developers globally, offering training, certification, publications, and advocacy. Adjacent to Praxis as a community of practice and standards body rather than a direct consulting competitor.
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA): A professional association for local government managers that publishes research and provides consulting-adjacent resources to municipalities. Relevant as a peer ecosystem player serving the same municipal and county clients as Praxis.
Broad incumbents
- Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program: A leading economic and urban policy research institution producing reports on regional competitiveness, metros, and growth. Operates at significantly greater scale and broader scope than Praxis but competes for similar thought leadership audiences and policy-level clients.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Praxis Strategy Group social profiles
Digital presencePraxis Strategy Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Praxis Strategy Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Praxis Strategy Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Praxis Strategy Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Praxis Strategy Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Praxis Strategy Group
What does Praxis Strategy Group do?
Praxis Strategy Group is an economic development consulting firm that helps communities, regions, states, private industries, nonprofits, and associations with strategic planning, economic and demographic research, public engagement facilitation, multi-stakeholder task force coordination, and implementation of coordinated economic development initiatives. Engagements range from focused planning sessions to multi-year strategic partnerships and include industry-specific projects in agriculture, unmanned aircraft systems, energy, and high-tech.
Is Praxis Strategy Group a public or private company?
Praxis Strategy Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Praxis Strategy Group founded?
Praxis Strategy Group was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Praxis Strategy Group based?
Praxis Strategy Group is headquartered in Grand Forks, United States, in the North America region.
How does Praxis Strategy Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Strategic Planning and Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are SBIR Research Grants.
Who are Praxis Strategy Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TIP Strategies, McCallum Sweeney Consulting, Market Street Services, Avalanche Consulting, Camoin Associates, Angelou Economics and Garmer & Associates. Others are International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Praxis Strategy Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Praxis Strategy Group.
What industry is Praxis Strategy Group in?
Praxis Strategy Group's product category is Economic Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAN, Public Sector & Policy Consulting, with a secondary code of BPADABAO, Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs. Its NAICS code is 541613 and its SIC code is 8742.