Tracey Nichols, EDFP, HDFP

Director of Financial Services
Project Management Consultants
Cleveland, OH

As Director of Financial Services, Tracey Nichols works with clients to identify and secure public financing opportunities for business expansion and real estate projects. In addition, she works with non-profit and municipal clients to assist with economic development strategies, real estate strategies, brownfield projects, program development and technical assistance. Tracey has been nationally recognized for her talents in economic and community development and enjoys working with businesses, developers, counties and municipalities as well as community development corporations and other non-profits. Her current projects include the City of Cleveland Mayor’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, NRP Group, Fairfax Innovation Square, Scranton Peninsula, 45 Erieview, and the City of Lakewood.

Tracey joined Project Management Consultants after serving nearly nine years as Director of Economic Development for Mayor Frank G. Jackson of the city of Cleveland. During her tenure, Tracey led her team to complete almost 900 projects, representing nearly $3 billion in investment in the city of Cleveland and creating and retaining more than 27,000 jobs. Tracey’s team also secured nearly $100 million in grants and pass-through funding.

Tracey is known for creating innovative programs such as the Vacant Property Initiative, which has resulted in the development of nearly 4 million square feet in vacant buildings and more than 100 acres of vacant land, creating and retaining over 7,500 jobs. She worked diligently to move the city of Cleveland forward by undertaking some of the most complicated financing projects, including the Flats East Bank, nuCLEus and Health Tech Corridor, as well as other projects large and small that have helped the city gain recognition for its economic resurgence.

Tracey has a degree in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University and is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional. Her work has been nationally recognized and she has been invited to speak at numerous conferences and events by organizations such as the Clinton Global Initiative, National League of Cities, National Brownfields Conference and the International Economic Development Council on topics including economic development finance, economic inclusion, transit-oriented development and redevelopment. Tracey has received the Cleveland Foundation’s Homer Wadsworth Award and was honored as Public Executive of the Year by Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits and was given the Robert W. Davenport Community Development Leadership award from the National Development Council in October 2017. She is a board member of the International Economic Development Council.