Establishing A Business Retention and Expansion Program
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Transcript Establishing A Business Retention and Expansion Program
Selecting a BR & E Model
Ten Questions to Guide the Process
2004 RCCI INSTITUTE
August 2004
Kathleen Tweeten
North Dakota State University
(701) 328-9718
[email protected]
Henry Cothran
University of Florida
(352) 392-1826 ext 409
[email protected]
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?
Jobs
Income
Quality of life
How can you accomplish the
goal?
Attract
Create
Retain
Expand
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 May involve
Chamber offices
partnerships with
Involves one or more other ED
organizations
paid staff
Focuses on a limited
Does not involve
“volunteers” to assist number of businesses
annually
paid staff
“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 infrastructure
Services available to businesses
Socio-economic data
Quality of life data
Describe Current Situation
Economic Performance Data
Business Vitality Data
Development Capacity Data
Environmental 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.