Targeted Economic Development A Regional Approach

Marilyn Schlake UNL Extension

Carroll WelteUNL Extension

Roger Meeks

USDA Rural

DevelopmentPresented by:

The SET Phase IV States: 2 New -- 5 Expanding

SET Phase IV

Purpose of SETHelp rural communities/counties

work together as a regional team in developing and implementing

A High Quality Regional Economic Development Plan

that builds on the current and emerging

economic strengths of their region

SET Core Process Modules

The Basics

Launching SET & Building a

Strong Regional Team

Exploring Your Region’s

Demographics

Gearing Up

Identifying the Region’s

Comparative Advantage

Exploring Potential Regional

Strategies

Resources & Goals

Defining Your Regional

Vision and Goals

Discovering Assets & Barriers

Moving Into

Action

Planning for Success

Measuring for Success

DEFINING A REGION:

DIFFERENT APPROACHES

Regions Can be Defined Using Different Lenses

Policy or Data

Relevant Geographic

Political

Economic

Ecological Administrative

BUILDING YOUR TEAM

Invite People to the Team that:

• Can influence success• Have necessary skills • Have resources• Are respected leaders• Will encourage buy-in• Represent emerging industry sectors• Represent diverse populations

Source: Know Your Region

Who Should be at the Table?

Regional Team Membe

rs

Business &Industry

Local, Regional

Government

Education

Nonprofit, Voluntary &

Faith-Based Groups

Local Residents

Producing a High Quality Plan: The Essential Components

Evidence-Based

Focused on Regional Economic

Development

Aligned with Vision &

Goals

Broadly Supported

Practical

Team’sRegional

Plan

Elements of Economic Development

Economy•System for meeting the needs and wants of people in a particular geographic area

Development•Improvement in the well-being of residents in a particular geographic area

Economic Development

GOAL: An improved quality of life for people in the region

Source: Barta, et al., 2010

The C.A.R.E. ModelAttraction• R

ecruit industries or businesses to the region

C.A.R.E.

Group Activity• Categorize activities using the

C.A.R.E. model• Identify common activities, major

differences• Examine the balance between

activities in each component of the C.A.R.E. model

BUILDING REGIONAL NETWORKS & COLLABORATIVES

Collaboration Math

1 1 3

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Building Toward CollaborationCollaborating

Cooperating

Coordinating

Networking

Trus

tE

ffect

iven

ess

Collaboration EqualsHigh

Qua

lity

Econ

omic

Develo

pmen

t

Plan

Regional

SUCCESS!

Final Thoughts

• Clarification

• Questions

• SET contact persons:

UNL Extension: Marilyn Schlake & Carroll Welte

USDA RD: Roger Meeks