This page offers an example of a possible opportunity for collaborating on the Request for Proposals for a NERCRD-sponsored planning grant: Regional Delivery of Successful CRD Extension Programs.
Community Need
Communities often need economic data for decision-making. Communities looking to attract or retain a business may want information on how that business/industry affects their local economy. Communities facing the sudden loss of a key employer may find information on the ripple effects of the loss helpful in decision-making and in seeking additional assistance.
Extension Response
University of Minnesota Extension has developed two successful programs to address these needs.
- Futures Workshop: Go in-depth exploring how industries in your economy interact and the implications for other industries and households. More about the Futures Workshop...
- Emergency Economic Impact Analysis: Explore how a sudden economic change will affect your economy, industries, and households. More about the impact analysis…
Collaboration Ideas
University of Minnesota Extension is willing to partner with two to four other states to train specialists or specialized educators on these two programs. One idea would be for interested states to meet somewhere in the Northeast. University of Minnesota Extension would spend one to three days training Extension staff. More...
Cost
The grant will reimburse travel and meeting costs of the Northeast participants and the Minnesota Extension up to $10,000. Minnesota Extension has a standard fee for staff time for this training outlined above of $4,000. This covers two to four states. However, we have arranged for a special rate for this grant of $1,000 ($250 to $500 per state depending on number participating)
Contact
If you wish to participate, contact Neil Linscheid (lins0041@umn.edu or 507-337-2800) before March 2, 2015 so the participating states can help us develop the grant proposal by March 20th.
Webinar
Brigid Tuck will do a webinar to answer questions and to do preliminary grant planning during the week of February 23th, with time determined by Doodle poll. If you wish to join us, please register here (Doodle poll to be sent to all who register by Feb 18th).
More information about the Futures Workshop and the Emergency Economic Impact Analysis.
- Communities compare and contrast the economic impact of 100 jobs in 5 to 7 industries of their own choosing.
- Communities not only see how one particular business or industry affects their local economy, but also see the different type of effects. For example, not only is the magnitude of the impact of a manufacturer quite different than the magnitude of the impact for a health care facility, but the types of impacts are also very different.
- Workshop participants report a better understanding of their local economy and increased appreciation for the need to work together to improve their economy.
Emergency Economic Impact Analysis
- Communities facing the loss of a major employer due to an emergency (fire, downsizing, etc.) are often forced to make quick decisions about how to react.
- A simple analysis is performed with two to four weeks.
Communities receive a short report along with a public presentation by Extension staff. - Participants report information has been useful in decision-making. One community used the report in a successful application for a federal EDA economic adjustment grant.
More information on collaboration ideas
Once one of the participating states has an interested community, Minnesota Extension would return to coach during an actual workshop (with other states attending to observe). Finally, Minnesota Extension would be available via online connection to coach the other states during live workshops in a community in their state.
