Center for Economic and Community Development
Penn State's Center for Economic and Community Development is an applied research center dedicated to strengthening local and regional development in Pennsylvania and beyond. The Center works with communities to address the issues they face, such as economic and demographic change, government revenue and expenditure policy, community capacity building, and social and economic inequality. Our research outputs include timely short reports, economic impact analyses, and series projects, such as county-level demographic and economic profiles. The Center team includes faculty, staff, and students.
Spotlight
CECD's Cristy Schmidt named CCAP fellow
Cristy Schmidt, an applied research Extension educator with the CECD, will work with the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) to find opportunities for collaboration. She will focus on areas of secondary data and policy analysis related to county resilience, public finance and broadband expansion, among others.
Pennsylvania Unemployment Claims under COVID-19
"COVID-19 & Unemployment Claims by Sector" shows how unemployment claims varied across PA’s economic sectors during the early phase of COVID-19 (February - October 10, 2020). "Unemployment Claims under COVID-19 by Race, Sex, and Age" explores claims by worker race, sex, and age. County reports explore these patterns at a local level.
StoryMap: Vulnerable Pennsylvanians in the Context of a Pandemic
This map series looks at some of the ways that Pennsylvanians may be vulnerable to risk in times of crisis, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest News
October 20, 2021
Penn State Extension Highlight: Urban Watersheds, "You have to show up”
Penn State Extension's Master Watershed Steward program works with resident volunteers in rural and urban communities across Pennsylvania to effectively manage watersheds, addressing issues such as stormwater overflow and different sources of pollution.
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October 20, 2021
MSU Extension Highlight: Agriculture in the City, it's not brand new
Improved access to nutritious food is one important outcome of urban agriculture; however, working collectively also has important social and economic implications.
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October 20, 2021
Food for thought... what is urban resilience anyway?
Welcome to the first issue of the The Urban Resilience Report, a publication of the Center for Economic and Community Development and the Urban Resilience Working Group at Penn State. This report was born of the desire to create a platform to discuss and better understand urban community resilience.
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July 15, 2021
Recording: Rural Community Action Assembly: Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Tourism, and Seasonality
This assembly was an examination of the role that equity plays in sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystems, tourism, and revitalization.
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