We advance research about community and economic development in Wisconsin and provide applied research, education, and assistance to individuals, local governments, and community organizations.
Using the latest research and data, the Wisconsin Rural Economic Summit focuses on Wisconsin’s rural economy. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends, an examination of labor force trends, a focus on tech entrepreneurship in rural communities, and discussions on rural healthcare and rural child care. The event ends with a discussion of the 4th wave of economic development and its importance to rural Wisconsin.
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.
October 2021 — The need for communities to work together on issues of mutual interest and concern has been widely expressed by both academics and community development practitioners for a number of years. Small town decision-making capacity to “go it alone” is inhibited by a growing number of external linkages in both the public and […]
Summary October 2021 — Across the nation in downtowns large and small, leaders and stakeholders are beginning to ask questions such as: Where will retail be in downtowns like ours as we recover from this very stressful crisis? What are the best opportunities for regaining, and possibly increasing, the strength of our downtown’s retailing? What […]
Summary August 2021 — In the final session on entrepreneurship, Tessa Conroy, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW–Madison and Community Economic Development Specialist, discusses “how to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem”. Webinar Recording Additional Materials Entrepreneurship 101, Part 3, PowerPoint Explore Our Lunch-n-Learn Series
Summary August 2021 — In part two of a three-part series on entrepreneurship, Tessa Conroy, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW–Madison and Community Economic Development Specialist, discusses the “what” of entrepreneurship in economic development. Webinar Recording Additional Materials Entrepreneurship 101, Part 2, PowerPoint Explore Our Lunch-n-Learn Series
Summary August 2021 — In part one of a three-part series on entrepreneurship, Tessa Conroy, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW–Madison and Community Economic Development Specialist, discusses the “why” of entrepreneurship in economic development. Webinar Recording Additional Materials Entrepreneurship 101, Part 1, PowerPoint Explore Our Lunch-n-Learn Series
Summary July 2022 — Stephanie Gutierrez, co-founder of Hope Nation, LLC, and author of “An Indigenous Approach to Community Wealth Building: A Lakota Translation”, and Cecily Englehart, Indigenous Community Wealth Building Coordinator with Hope Nation, LLC and the Advancement Director with the new nonprofit, Seven Fires, share their work on the transformative practice of building […]
Nonemployer establishments, sole proprietorships and partnerships without any paid employees, are an important part of the country’s economy. As of 2018, they made up a large and quickly growing share of businesses in the United States at 77% of the total while the other 23% of establishments were employer businesses [1]. Given that nonemployer establishments are businesses without employees, they are predominantly independent contractors who work for themselves or small businesses operated only by the owner(s) or unpaid members of their family.
Summary May 2021 — Industry recruitment. Small business support. Public-private partnerships. These strategies characterize waves of economic development in the United States. Are we in the 4th wave of economic development? If so, what does this mean for economic development practitioners? Steve Deller, professor in agricultural and applied economics and community economic development specialist, discusses […]
Summary May 2021 — What type of community economic development practitioner are you? Do you emphasize the “C” (i.e., community)? The “E” (i.e., economic)? Or, the “D” (i.e., development)? Steve Deller, professor in agricultural and applied economics and community economic development specialist, describes several roles community economic development practitioners can assume. Webinar Recording Additional Materials […]
When one thinks about the term “business climate”, factors such as taxes, regulations, and unionization come to mind. These items tend to be viewed as potential costs that businesses face when making investment decisions. Anything that is viewed as increasing the costs of business operations is considered bad for the business climate of a community or region. To foster economic growth and development the business climate of the community or region must be enhanced. The logic follows that strategies or policies that reduce tax burdens, limit or reduce regulations, or weaken the strength of labor unions (e.g. Right-to-Work laws) will enhance business climate and foster economic growth and development.
