Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
Alan E. Pigg
Regional Program Manager for
Rural Community Assistance
USDA Forest Service
Atlanta, GA
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Overview
 Community input and ownership-Visioning,
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brainstorming, desired future
Getting organized for success
Developing a plan- How are we going to get
there?
Finding sources of funding
Writing proposals
Implementation – Doing the work
Reporting accomplishments- telling the story
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Achieving a Balance
 Strong economy
 Creation, maintenance and distribution of wealth
and income within a community
 Healthy environment
 Land, water, air, plants, animals and people
interacting
 Stable/livable community
 A sense of place, history, culture, common goals
and values- who we are
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Community Involvement
 You can’t do it all by yourself
 Ownership of the process and the
success-with me, not to me
 Visioning, brainstorming, desired future
 Methods of getting community
involvement
 Meeting management/facilitation
techniques
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Visioning, brainstorming and
desired future -exercises
 What would you like to read in the headlines
about your community in 5 or 10 years?
 If money and resources were no object, what
would you desire to happen in your
community?
 What is the biggest need in your community?
 What do you like most about your
community?
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Organize for Success
 Set up temporary working committees or ad-hoc
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committees based on issues or tasks.
Link into other organizations or organized groupsResource Conservation and Development, Economic
Development Organizations, etc.
Establish legal entity- Non-profit status, local
government, tribal, institutional
Formalize your organization- establish credibility
Identify local leaders and interested persons that
have surfaced from the community involvement
process.
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Plan of Action
 Organization description- who are you?
 Desired future or outcome
 Problems, needs, opportunities
 Planned actions
 Description
 Time-
Frame
 Who is responsible
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Funding sources- exercise
 Based on your Plan of Action what part do
you want to implement?
 Develop ideas/solutions that work- get
technical expertise.
 Research sources of funding- Foundations,
Corporations, State & Federal Government,
Non-profits, Faith-based
 Be creative in your approachExpansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Writing grant proposals
 Develop ideas that work
 Follow the instructions, deadlines, and criteria
from RFP
 Get community support and backing,
especially those who will supply in-kind
matching and volunteer time- Refer to
community involvement section
 Include a contact person name, phone, fax,
address, email.
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Implementation
 Don’t expend any funds until authorized.
 Set up work schedule of all tasks that need
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done by ending date of grant.
Assign people to oversee different tasks.
Keep accounting records of expenditures in
line with approved grant including matching
and in-kind documentation.
Keep grantor informed of progress.
Do not vary from original intent of grant.
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Reporting
Accomplishments
 Complete reporting requirements of the
grant.
 Involve the community in the successes
of the project- celebrate successes.
 Get media and others involved in
reporting the story.
 Success breeds success- everyone
wants to be part of a winning team
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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Expansion of Economic
Opportunities- Summary
 Plan for success
 Research funding sources
 Develop proposals and requests for
funding
 Implement the plan as planned
 Build on successes and tell the success
stories
Expansion of Economic
Development Opportunities
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