What Makes For A Resilient Community?
Professor Deller addressed: Why are some communities more resilient to shocks? What can communities do to improve their ability to rebound?
Lunch-n-Learn
We provide regular webinars free of charge and open to all. Our webinars cover a wide range of topics related to community economic development and include approaches to research, theory, and practice.
Articles
Supporting Business Succession & Transition: Lessons Learned from Minnesota
There are about 50,000 employer businesses owned by people over 55 years old in Minnesota. Or about 50% of the businesses in the state. In this webinar, guest presenter, Michael Darger, describes efforts at the University of Minnesota Extension to work across organizations to raise awareness among business owners and create support for business succession and transition (BST) planning in rural areas.
Pandemic Fad or Here to Stay? Impacts of Remote Work on Employees, Businesses and Communities
The movement of employees to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been well-documented. Indeed, the Census Bureau recently reported that the number of people working primarily from home tripled between 2019 and 2021. This shift certainly caused hardship among some employees but was widely embraced by many others. With the World Health Organization noting that the pandemic is nearing its end, employees, businesses and communities face questions regarding the future of remote work. This webinar explores trends in remorse work and offers insights into questions about the future of remote work.
A Broader Vision of Quality of Life as Economic Development Policy
Over the last couple of decades, community economic development practitioners and researchers have explored the importance of quality of life on economic activity and population growth. Dr. Amanda Weinstein discusses her work on the importance of quality of life for Midwestern communities and shares what this might mean for a broader set of economic development policy recommendations.
How to Utilize Data for Community Economic Development (Part II)
Building on the data sources described in Part 1, this session explores how to use data once you have extracted it. Real-world examples will be shared to demonstrate how data can be used in applications related to commuting patterns, retail surplus and leakage, workforce development, housing analysis, and industry expansion and retention.
How to Access Data for Community Economic Development (Part I)
This session provides an overview of data sources to help guide community economic development efforts at the local and regional levels. Topics covered include labor force characteristics, demographics, measures of industrial concentration, sales tax collections, and housing data options.
The Hotel Industry: Recovery and Future Development in Our Communities
Hotels provide an important service to our communities and represent a significant economic engine for jobs, business income, and taxes. They often serve as a gateway to a community, influencing perceptions of the local community. During the pandemic, the hotel industry experienced significant challenges, including changes in travel behaviors, both in the US and in Wisconsin. In this webinar, we discuss the hotel industry during and after the pandemic with three industry experts, Michael Lindner, Bill Elliott, and Richard Sprecher.
The Rise Of Entrepreneurship During the Pandemic
Summary June 2022 — Dr. Tessa Conroy discusses entrepreneurial activity in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic. Entrepreneurship is a key part of any healthy economy but ensuring that new business activity leads to significant economic impact by creating high-quality jobs can be difficult. Learn about entrepreneurial activity in the state and hear discussions on what […]
Early Care and Education in Wisconsin: Challenges and Opportunities
Summary April 2022 — Dr. Alejandra Ros Pilarz discusses the early care and education landscape in Wisconsin, how it has changed over the past 15 years, and the implications for children and families. She describes the current state of the early care and education workforce, as well as challenges and opportunities for supporting the workforce […]
BIDs and Activating Downtowns
In this webinar, we discuss how city leaders, businesses, property owners, and others can “shape their city” for the betterment of all and how Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) can be used as a tool in that process. The focus of the webinar is on leadership and partnerships that help create an effective downtown organization.
Integrating Affordable, Multi-Family Housing and Clean Energy Solutions
Summary October 2021 — Peter Kilde, CCAP, Executive Director of West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency (West CAP) discusses the successful development of high-quality, affordable multi-family housing that integrates cutting-edge clean, renewable energy. Webinar Recording Additional Materials Integrating Affordable, Multi-Family, Energy-Efficient Housing, PowerPoint About the Project On a clear day, the sun rising over River […]
Addressing Affordable Housing in Rural Communities, A Developer’s Perspective
Summary September 2021 — Real estate development professional and creative entrepreneur, Heidi Zimmer, discusses affordable housing in rural communities and shares her experience and perspective as a developer. Webinar Recording Additional Materials A Developer’s Perspective, PowerPoint About Our Presenter Heidi Zimmer is the founder of Wild Rice Retreat in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and President of Zimmer Development, LLC. […]
