Choose ATL

Choose ATL
Name	Choose ATL
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2018
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Region served	Atlanta metropolitan area
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	J.P. (Jay) Monaco
Focus	Talent attraction, retention, economic development

Choose ATL Choose ATL is an Atlanta-based nonprofit civic initiative focused on talent attraction, retention, and placemaking in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Launched to coordinate efforts among public, private, and non-profit actors, the organization works with corporations, cultural institutions, and municipal agencies to influence workforce migration, housing, and quality-of-life narratives. Its activities intersect with urban planning, transportation projects, corporate relocation strategies, and cultural branding campaigns across Atlanta, Georgia, Fulton County, Georgia, and the broader Metropolitan area of Atlanta.

History

Choose ATL emerged in the wake of regional efforts to respond to workforce shifts following major corporate moves and demographic trends affecting Atlanta, Georgia, Cobb County, Georgia, and DeKalb County, Georgia. Founders drew on examples from organizations linked to New York City Economic Development Corporation, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Greater Boston talent initiatives. Early backers included executives from The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, and representatives from Invest Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Initial programming coincided with national debates involving Silicon Valley, Austin, Texas, and San Francisco over tech talent flows and remote-work patterns. In its formative years, Choose ATL partnered with civic groups tied to Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., Woodruff Arts Center, and Southface Energy Institute to craft placemaking pilots.

Mission and Programs

The stated mission centers on attracting and retaining skilled workers for the Atlanta metropolitan area through marketing, research, and targeted programming. Core program areas have included talent outreach to alumni networks at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Georgia State University, and Clark Atlanta University; employer engagement with firms such as Equifax, SunTrust Banks (now Truist Financial), and UPS; and quality-of-life initiatives linking to Piedmont Park, High Museum of Art, and Woodruff Arts Center. Choose ATL conducted labor-market analyses referencing data from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and regional planners, while pilot programs explored housing supply partnerships with developers active in Midtown Atlanta and Buckhead. Educational outreach included collaborations with institutions tied to Teach For America alumni and workforce pipelines associated with Atlanta Technical College.

Governance and Funding

Choose ATL is governed by a board composed of executives and civic leaders drawn from organizations such as Delta Air Lines, The Coca-Cola Company, Home Depot, Mercedes-Benz USA, and regional philanthropy like the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. Funding streams have combined corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and strategic contributions from regional institutions including Invest Atlanta and business membership groups like the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Fiscal transparency discussions referenced nonprofit best practices from Council on Foundations guidance and benchmarked to peer entities like Choose Chicago and Seattle Foundation-backed initiatives. The organization's leadership structure has included partnerships with consulting firms connected to McKinsey & Company alumni and local economic research organizations.

Partnerships and Community Impact

Choose ATL has cultivated partnerships with cultural institutions such as High Museum of Art, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Center for Civil and Human Rights, and community development organizations like Habitat for Humanity International and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Workforce pipelines tied to the initiative worked with Goodwill Industries International affiliates and sector employers in technology, finance, and logistics, overlapping with campus recruitment at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Place-based projects linked to the Atlanta BeltLine and transit authorities such as Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority sought to align talent strategies with infrastructure investments. Impact claims have been evaluated against data from Atlanta Regional Commission and independent analysts at Pew Charitable Trusts-affiliated studies.

Marketing and Events

Marketing efforts involved campaigns highlighting neighborhoods like Midtown Atlanta, Decatur, Georgia, Virginia-Highland, and Old Fourth Ward, and leveraged regional events including Music Midtown, Atlanta Film Festival, Dragon Con, and Shaky Knees Music Festival. Choose ATL convened roundtables and recruitment events at venues associated with Georgia Aquarium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and university career centers at Georgia State University. Digital outreach included collaborations with media outlets such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and lifestyle partners tied to Atlanta Magazine and national business press referencing Forbes and The Wall Street Journal coverage of regional talent trends.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics have raised concerns about the role of corporate-funded talent initiatives in shaping housing markets and displacement patterns linked to redevelopment in Westside, Atlanta and Gentrification in Atlanta. Observers cited tensions between employer-driven recruitment and affordable housing advocacy groups such as Atlanta Land Trust and tenant organizers allied with ACORN-style networks. Questions also surfaced about the measurement of impact relative to public spending priorities debated at Atlanta City Council meetings and oversight by entities like Invest Atlanta. Commentators in outlets like The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times opined on whether interventions prioritized corporate talent pipelines over long-term equity outcomes.

Category:Organizations based in Atlanta