Grounded Collaborative is a boutique economic development strategy consultancy based in Boulder, Colorado, led by Sarah K. Wiebenson. The firm takes a collaborative approach to advising public and private real estate owners on market-based approaches to street-level activation and asset positioning, often in collaboration with specialists in architecture, urban design, real estate development, public policy, district management, and others.

With more than 25 years of experience in the non-profit and public sector economic development industry, Sarah brings a practitioner's lens to creating great urban spaces.

Supporting the vitality of commercial districts across the country, Sarah has worked for place-based economic development organizations and government agencies in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Highland Park, Illinois; Boulder, Colorado; and Downtown Denver, Colorado. Sarah holds degrees in Urban Studies and Architectural History from Brown University; a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago; a public leadership credential from the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center; and recently served on the International Downtown Association’s Top Issues Council for Retail, winning a 2025 Pinnacle Award for innovative approaches to retail recruitment and place marketing.