'Achieving This Vision': How Prince George's County Is Securing Its Role As A D.C. Metro Hub

Prince George’s County, Maryland, which serves as a vital corridor between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, has seen tremendous growth in the past two years. 

This includes adding 6,000 new residents between July 2024 and July 2025, accounting for more than 25% of Maryland's population growth, while also helping to bring the state nearly $35B a year in economic activity from private-sector industries alone.

Prince George’s County Economic Development Corp., or PGCEDC, an organization designed to attract, retain and expand businesses, holds a key role in this growth. 

Recently appointed PGCEDC President and CEO Ingrid Watson said one of her top priorities is not only supporting local businesses in the county but attracting new ones by collaborating closely with county leadership, municipal governments, the Chamber of Commerce, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and international partners to ensure its goals and strategies are unified.

“The PGCEDC plays a vital and unique role in shaping the county's economic landscape,” she said. “As the central organization responsible for driving economic empowerment, business attraction and retention, and job creation, we are positioned at the intersection of economic opportunity, community needs and private-sector growth.”

Watson said she is proud of county programs like Employ Prince George’s, or EPG, a workforce development agency, providing services such as career counseling, skills training and recruitment assistance for more than 40,000 job seekers and businesses.

EPG partners with local businesses, educational institutions and community programs like the University of Maryland and the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network. 

Through its collaboration with EPG and local educational institutions, PGCEDC ensures that residents have access to training, upskilling and employment opportunities that align with industry demand, Watson said. 

“Through our programs, we can create economic mobility, support minority-owned and small businesses and foster inclusive growth across communities,” she said. “This helps residents secure meaningful employment, allows families to build stability and strengthens the overall fabric of the county.”

PGCEDC also provides mentorship to budding entrepreneurs who are facing challenges getting their business off the ground, including accessing startup funds.

PGCEDC Executive Director of Business Development Larry Hentz said businesses can connect with a business development manager, or BDM, who specializes in their industry. 

Hentz said eight BDMs focus on the following sectors: retail; federal, state, county and public school procurement; industrial, manufacturing and warehousing; information technology; healthcare; small-business services; Latino business development; and international business development. 

The process begins when a business contacts PGCEDC or when the EDC team identifies a company through outreach, research or economic development initiatives.

“During the initial engagement, the EDC gathers key information about the business, including its industry sector, operational needs, growth goals and any challenges the company may be experiencing,” Hentz said. 

Based on this research and the information gathered during the initial contact, Hentz, along with the business development directors and managers, determines which BDM is best suited to support the candidate. The BDM not only informs the business on how the EDC can help with taxes, grants and funding but acts as a consultant, “providing industry-sector knowledge and training to help it avoid pitfalls and roadblocks,” Hentz said. 

Entrepreneurs who need funding can apply for the Economic Development Incentive, or EDI, fund. This is a collaboration between PGCEDC and fund manager FSC First, allocating $50M toward business retention, expansion and attraction to boost the local tax base and create jobs. 

For an entrepreneur to meet this criterion, the business must have “substantial capital expenditures and create 25-plus full-time jobs in Prince George’s County” paying over $17 per hour before the fund can be considered, Hentz said.

He added that the goal of the EDI fund is to provide gap financing for substantial business development projects that would have a strong positive effect on the county’s commercial tax base and the number of full-time jobs.

If the project's total capital expenditures were $1.25M and the business had $1M, the gap would be $250K, Hentz said. Also, the project must meet the “but for” test. 

He describes it as standard protocol, meaning that if it weren't “but for” the EDI fund, the project would not happen.

The EDI fund has produced tremendous results for the county’s economy and workforce, Hentz said. 

“Since 2011, the EDI fund has leveraged $1.5B, creating 8,480 jobs and helping retain 6,266 jobs,” he said. “The EDI fund is the most successful economic incentive in the state of Maryland's history.”

This is just part of the vision that Watson has for Prince George’s County as she aims to build more innovation, inclusion and thoughtful growth over the next five years. 

“I see a county that continues to build a strong and diverse economy, one that supports homegrown businesses, creates opportunities that uplift our diverse population while attracting new investments,” she said.

She added that while supporting entrepreneurship and small-business development will remain central to its strategy, she wants to expand on opportunities for minority-owned businesses while partnering and strengthening workforce development programs so residents have access to high-quality jobs and businesses have the skilled talent they need.

Quality of life will also be “a key pillar of this vision,” including investments in parks, housing, public service and community-focused amenities that make Prince George’s County a destination of choice for families and businesses, Watson said.

Not only is Watson prioritizing sustainability to help ensure growth aligns with environmental responsibility and long-term resilience, she said she believes continuing to collaborate with local and state leaders to enhance transportation and infrastructure networks will also be essential to supporting the county’s economic development.

“PGCEDC will focus on elevating and positioning Prince George’s County as a leader in innovation, diversity and economic opportunity,” she said. “Achieving this vision will require a collaborative environment where all stakeholders work together, and I am committed to cultivating the partnerships needed to make it happen.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Prince George’s County Economic Development Corp. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.