PUBLICATIONS
Large Foundations Making 'Big Bets' on Social Change
A growing number of large, national foundations are making "big bets" on structural solutions to complex problems in an effort to bring about lasting social change, the New York Times reports. Earlier this year, for example, the Ford Foundationannounced that it was refocusing its grantmaking — about $500 million annually — on inequality in all its forms, while the Rockefeller and MacArthur foundations announced that they are redoubling their commitments in the areas of climate change, urban resilience, and criminal justice reform. Philanthropic organizations have long supported efforts to alleviate poverty and inequities, of course, but many of the largest increasingly are seeking to address not just the symptoms but the structural causes of those problems — inspired, in part, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's efforts to not only treat or prevent diseases such as polio and malaria but to eradicate them altogether, the Times suggests.
Large Companies Claim Majority of Economic Development Deals, Dollars
Despite the important role that small- and medium-sized businesses play in job creation and economic growth, economic development incentives are consistently awarded to large companies, according to a reportby Good Jobs First with support from both the Surdna Foundation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In an analysis of more than 4,200 economic development incentive awards from 16 programs across 14 states, large companies received anywhere between 80 percent and 96 percent of total dollar values. Read more...
Rural school districts and those in the Southwest reported largest lunch price increases
Paid-lunch prices rose by an average of 6.8 percent for school districts in the Southwest and 4.8 percent in the Mid-Atlantic between school years 2010-11 and 2011-12, according to ERS calculations using data from a USDA-sponsored study. Rural school districts reported an average increase of 4.7 percent in paid-lunch prices compared to an increase of 3.4 percent for city districts. Areas with higher price increases may experience greater reductions in paid-lunch participation since research shows that some families cut back on school lunch purchases when lunch prices rise. This chart appears in “A Look at What’s Driving Lower Purchases of School Lunches” in the October 2015 issue of ERS’s Amber Waves magazine.
Enabling Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
This report from the Kauffman Foundation is a valuable read for anyone interested in growing an entrepreneurial economy.
Becoming "the place" for local food firms
Read how one Iowa town is building an economy around the local food and farm sector as a way to attract young people and entrepreneurs.
KCSourceLink Shares their Story.
Another great example of an annual report that effectively communicates the outcomes of entrepreneurial efforts. Check out their focus on measuring results!
Ten Principles for Responsible Tourism.
This article from UrbanLand magazine is a must read for any community interested in improving their tourism development game plan.
SEC Adopts Rules to Permit Equity Crowdfunding for Non-Accredited Investors
On April 5, 2012, President Obama signed Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) into law with the intent of helping small businesses and startups raise capital through several changes to long-standing securities regulations, including a change that would allow companies to raise equity from both accredited and non-accredited investors through a publicly solicited crowdfunding campaign (Title III of the Jobs Act). However, it took over three years for the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) to finally adopt the rules that will permit companies to offer and sell securities through crowdfunding. The new rules also include amendments to existing Securities Act rules to facilitate intrastate and regional securities offerings. The new crowdfunding rules and forms will be effective 180 days after they are published in the Federal Register. The forms enabling funding portals to register with the Commission will be effective January 29, 2016. Read the Press Release.
EVENTS
“Building Native CDFIs’ Sustainability and Impact” Training Webinar
The “Is a CDFI Credit Union Right for Your Native Community?” webinar will be held on November 19, 2015. Participants will learn what makes a credit union unique and hear about key considerations to assist with their decision making process. The webinar will provide an overview of the start-up process, focusing on common challenges, resources, and how a credit union might impact the operations of an existing CDFI loan fund serving the Native community. Throughout the webinar, representatives from two Native credit unions – Lakota Federal Credit Union and Northern Eagle Federal Credit Union – will share their experiences and perspectives. Representatives of the National Credit Union Administration will also be available to assist with questions. The webinar is free and open to the general public, but advanced registration is required to access the presentation. Registration may be completed up until the start time listed for the session. Click here to register.
To learn more about “Building Native CDFIs’ Sustainability and Impact” series and the other training series available under the Capacity Building Initiative, please visit www.cdfifund.gov/cbi.
EDA to Host Conference Call for 2016 Hannover Messe International Trade Show
On Friday, November 6, at 10:00 A.M. ET, the Economic Development Administration will host a conference call for economic development organizations that are interested in participating in Hannover Messe 2016 – the world’s largest trade show for industrial goods, technology, and R&D. The conference call agenda includes information on U.S. Industry Pavilions for SMES/Export Services; the show’s Research & Technology Pavilion; and, a Q&A with SelectUSA, U.S. Export Assistance Centers, Deutsche Messe AG, and Hannover Fairs USA. To register, please e-mail Micah Escobedo (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
LEARNING
Top Ten Lessons Learned from the Sustainable Communities Initiatives
This prerecorded webinar gives an overview of the groundbreaking grant program, The Sustainable Communities Initiative. The webinar will touch upon the lessons learned from this program and highlights from locally-led collaborative efforts that brought together diverse interests from the many municipalities in a region to determine how best to target housing, economic and workforce development, and infrastructure investments to create more jobs and regional economic activity. This webinar also explores how the SCI grantees developed the Six Livability Principles into strategies that direct long-term development and reinvestment and used data to set and monitor progress towards performance goals.
Free Webinar: Leveraging Peer-to-Peer for Your Fundraising Campaign
Did you know that donors are three times more likely to give when asked by a friend? Peer-to-peer fundraising is an easy and affordable way to extend your reach, acquire more new donors, and raise more money through the networks of your supporters.
The Affordable Care Act 101 Webinar Series
Find out how to navigate the opportunities in health care through the Affordable Care Act 101 webinar series. Registration is free, but required.
The webinar takes place every other Thursday at 2 PM ET.
- Thursday, November 12: Click to Register
- Thursday, December 3: Click to Register
- Thursday, December 10: Click to Register
The Affordable Care Act 101 in Spanish takes place once monthly on Tuesdays at 4 pm ET/1 pm PT.
- Tuesday, November 17: Click to Register
- Tuesday, December 15: Click to Register
For more information on what the health care law means for small businesses, check out www.sba.gov/healthcare.
WV BAD Buildings Program Launches Website & Toolkit
As reported by WVU Today, WV BAD Buildings Program has launched their website and toolkit. The BAD Buildings toolkit is an invaluable resource designed specifically for West Virginia communities to help them address the issue of blighted, abandoned, and dilapidated properties.
Investments in Arts Fertilize Growth in Rural Towns
Sauk County, Wisconsin is linking local culture and the arts with the unique attributes of the community to grow the economy. According to Star Tribune, Sauk County is one of only three counties in the state, and the only rural county that has a public arts funding program.
New from BALLE.
A strong entrepreneurial ecosystem includes supportive policy as well as direct assistance to entrepreneurs. Check out BALLE's Local Policy Toolkit for policy ideas to better support small businesses and an economy that works for all.
23 entrepreneurs share their lessons learned.
Check out this blog and share it with entrepreneurs in your community
