Della G. Rucker, AICP, CEcD
The Wise Economy Workshop
Jim Kinnett, CEcD, FM, EDFP
The Kinnett Consulting Group
Mark Barbash, FM
Economic Development
Consultng
 Changing Thoughts
 How
is your community doing?
 What
you can do to help your
community improve?
 Della
 Jim
Rucker
Kinnett
 Mark
Barbash

Public-private organizations

Chambers

Local, regional & state organizations

Local and state government

Foundations

Neighborhood, downtown, community
development organizations

Increasingly, you.
 Who
is at the table? (hint:
more than ever)
 Non-partner
partners
 Loss
of local businesses =
loss of decision makers
 Medium
sized business
reluctant to participate in
economic development
 Community
lifeline
college
 Reshoring?
 Research
and
Development
 Educating
entrepreneurs
 Public
schools
 Entrepreneurs!!
 Grow
your own:
Economic Gardening
 Incubators
and
accelerators
 1099
economy
 Quality
Places get most
investment
 Build
 It’s
on assets
all connected
 Cost
way
v. benefits in a new
 Where
people get
information
 Site
selection changing
 Reputation
 No
management
filters, no delays
 People
will have their say.
Change or Die
Be Strategic & Deliberate
Redefine incentives
Understand how a business
makes decisions
• Find new partners – but
understand their (and your)
limitations
•
•
•
•
• Do the math & know your
numbers
Economic development is acting to
ensure that the economy of your
community or region (your income or
savings) grows faster than your
population (your expenses) so you have
the extra resources in the future to
finance improvement.
 Is
your economy growing
faster than your
population?
• Economy: Income, savings,
wages,
• Population: Count,
demographic, and the costs
of serving the population
 Income
greater than your
expenses?
How do you know if your
economy is growing faster than
your population?
A-list





Do you have adequate fiscal
resources to meet short-term needs
and long-term?
Is the community maintaining the
number & quality of jobs?
Is the community dependent on a
limited number of businesses?
Do you have a balance of land uses?
To what extent is your local
economy based on regional assets?
B-list




Is your environment improving?
Is your crime activity
increasing?
Do you have housing that your
residents can afford, and a
range of housing choices
available?
Is the educational attainment of
your school systems improving?
C-list





Is leadership strong in your
community?
Is tolerance and diversity strong
in your community?
Do your have strong
infrastructure systems?
Are people involved in
community activities?
Do you have a strong healthcare
delivery system?
Litmus Item
A
B
Short term fiscal strength?
Low
Medium
Not dependent on one /small #
businesses?
Low
Medium
Quality of jobs?
Low
High
Educational attainment?
Low
High
Lack of crime?
Medium
Medium
Housing cost?
Low
High
Leadership?
Medium
Medium
Diverse range of people?
Medium
Low
?
?
Strategy
Strategy Ideas
A
B
Short term fiscal strength?
Consolidation
Monitor
Not dependent on one /small #
businesses?
Diversification
Medium
Community
College Linkage
Incubator
Educational attainment?
Low
High
Lack of crime?
Support Police Budget
Housing cost?
Low
Housing
Diversity
Leadership?
Medium
Medium
Diverse range of people?
Medium
Low
Quality of jobs?
Strategic Perspective
Tactical Opportunistic
Organized Delusion
Clueless Apathy
Hostile Waters

Do you know how your
community is doing?

Who are your partners
(if any)?

Do you know where you
want to go?

Are you brave enough
to start on that path?
Della Rucker, AICP, CEcD
The Wise Economy Workshop
James Kinnett, CEcD, FM, EDFP
The Kinnett Consulting Group
www.wiseeconomy.com
Della.rucker@wiseeconomy.com
513.288.6613
@dellarucker
Della Rucker AICP CEcD
www.kinnett.biz
Jim@kinnett.biz
812.290.5663
Also on LinkedIn and Google+
www.linkedin.com/in/jameskinnett
Mark Barbash, FM
Economic Development Consulting
www.markbarbashconsulting.com
Mark.barbash@gmail.com
614.774.7599
www.linkedin.com/in/markbarbash