Selecting a BR & E Model

Ten Questions to Guide the Process

2004 RCCI INSTITUTE

August 2004

Henry CothranUniversity of Florida

(352) 392-1826 ext 409hmc@ifas.ufl.edu

Kathleen TweetenNorth Dakota State University

(701) 328-9718ktweeten@ndsuext.nodak.edu

What is Economic Development?

“Economic development is the process of creating wealth through the mobilization of human, financial, capital, physical and natural resources to generate marketable goods and services. The developer’s role is to influence the process for the benefit of the community.”

American Economic Development Council

What is the Goal of Economic Development?

JobsIncomeQuality of life

How can you accomplish the goal?

AttractCreateRetainExpand

Why Engage in Business Retention and Expansion?

Every economy looses about 10 % of its jobs annually.

Studies show that up to 80 % of net new jobs come from existing businesses.

Identify concerns, issues, and opportunities for business in our communities.

Improve the overall climate for investment, employment, and competitiveness.

Prevent overlap and duplication in government's dealings with business.

TWO BR&E MODELS

VOLUNTEER

PAID

“VOLUNTEER”

Developed by New Jersey Bell (Late 70s)

Refined, expanded and popularized by Extension in WV, Ohio, Minnesota

Widely used by Extension (30 + states)

Booklets describing process published by NERCRD (1998)

Many other “How to” manuals published (USDA, TX, WV, ND, UT, MN, etc.)

Wrongly described as a rural only program

“VOLUNTEER”

Relies primarily on volunteers to manage program and collect data

Relies primarily on Higher Education entities for training and technical assistance

Important benefit is building community capacity

Generally has a 3-year lifespan

Awareness and increased use through BREI

Used to certify “consultants”

“PAID”

Operated by ED or Chamber offices

Involves one or more paid staff

Does not involve “volunteers” to assist paid staff

May involve partnerships with other ED organizations

Focuses on a limited number of businesses annually

“PAID”

Targets major employers

Primary goal is to address immediate problems

Rarely results in long range BR&E ED plan

Does not attempt to build local capacity

Usually does not involve non-ED folks in the “business” of economic development

Now that we’ve introduced and described two general approaches to organizing a BRE program, how do you go about selecting and adapting one of these approaches to your community?

Initiating the Process

1. Who are the key actors in the community?

2. Who do you select as partners for economic development?

3. What is the community’s economic base?

Initiating the Process

4. What is the proposed or actual service area?

5. Does the community have a comprehensive economic development strategy that includes BR&E as a vital component?

Implementing the Program

6. Where will the program be housed?

7. How will the program be staffed?

8. How will the program be funded?

Implementing the Program

9. What services will be offered?

10.What external sources of business assistance exist and where are they?

Identify key actors and potential partners

What is the scope of your program? What is the proposed role of the partner? What can the partner bring to the table?

Personnel Financial support

Does the partner share the community vision? Is the partner willing to work collaboratively?

Do you have a Comprehensive Economic Development Plan?

YES. You are ready to move forward. NO. You need to ask and answer:

Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How do we get there?

Where is the community now?

Develop a community profile. Develop background information on

the current economic situation. Ensure broad community involvement

in planning.

What’s a Community Profile and what’s in it?

Available infrastructureServices available to businessesSocio-economic dataQuality of life data

Describe Current Situation

Economic Performance DataBusiness Vitality DataDevelopment Capacity DataEnvironmental Health Data

International City/County Management Association Harvesting Hometown Jobs, p. 18.

Current Local Situation

Geography Natural resources and

environment Population Labor force Educational/technical

resources Infrastructure Housing availability Commute to work

Employment by sector Growth sectors Declining sectors

Community strengths and weaknesses?

What is driving the local economy?

Where is it headed?

Current National Situation

Employment by Sector Growing Declining

Long-term economic forecast

Opportunities and threats

Population migration trends

What national trends and forces impact the local economy?

What is driving the national economy?

Where is it headed?

Where Do We Want to Be?

What are the future infrastructure plans? Develop a vision for the future. (Where do

you want to be in 10 to 20 years?) Develop an action plan (including specific

projects to implement) to achieve the vision. Develop benchmarks and an evaluation plan

Housing the Program

Public

Private

Partnership

Staffing the Program

Paid Staff Outside Consultant Elected Officials Volunteers Combination of above

Funding the Program

Public funds

Private funding

Combination

Programs and Services to be Offered

Financial assistance Workforce

development Technical assistance General training Specialized training Workshops

Business appreciation events

Business roundtables Industry research Business-to-business

links Other

External Sources of Business Assistance?

Public schools Vocational school Community College University Workforce Board Local agencies Regional agencies

State agencies Federal agencies Financial institutions Other private

organizations SCORE _________________ _________________

Checklist for Establishing Your Community’s BR & E Program

Have you determined the programs and services you need to and can offer existing businesses?

Have you identified sources of technical, educational and financial assistance?

Does the community have a “vision” for economic development that includes retention and expansion as a vital (and equal) component?

Does the community have the capacity to implement the program?

Determining Community Capacity

Is the community ready?If not:

What needs to be done to build capacity?

What’s the Bottom Line?

The form that works best … is a function of many factors, including community size, economic circumstances, local development objectives, and the level of commitment of public and private sectors to economic improvement.”

Alan Gregerman (Research Director, CUED)

Questions?

Suggested Reading

What is Economic Development? A Primer,

National Council on Economic Development, Washington, D.C.

Harvesting Hometown Jobs The New Small Town Guide to Economic Development

(1997) National Center for Small Communities, Washington, D.C.

Business Attraction and Retention: Local Economic Development Efforts

(1996) Kotval, Mullin & Payne, International City/County Management Association, Washington, D.C.

Economic Development: Strategies for State and Local Practice

(2003) Koven & Lyons, International City/County Management Association, Washington, D.C.