The Leeds Anchor Network (or system) was established in 2017 with eight founder organizations. In 2024, membership was 14 and represented 1 in 7 of the Leeds city workforce. Leeds Beckett University is a founding member. This paper explains how the system originated and developed, the role Leeds Beckett University has played in that process, and…

State efforts to boost the economy--economic development--first came to Pennsylvania in the 1950s with the establishment of the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) low interest loan program used to recruit manufacturers to Pennsylvania, including devastated coal regions. Since that time, economic development in Pennsylvania and…

Academic and public libraries are facing the challenge of finding new avenues of service and of creating value for their constituencies. This value is in the form of outcomes that result in bettering the people who use libraries and the community at large. The authors feel that librarians must find creative ways to make their communities better…

Local, state, and national economies are facing unprecedented levels of international competition. The current fiscal crisis has hampered the ability of many governments in the developed world to directly facilitate economic growth. At the same time, many governments in the developing world are investing significant new resources into local…

A practical and organized approach to economic development of a local community is proposed. Suggested data bank components are included. (MS)

Describes the California Community Colleges' goal to advance the state's economic growth through quality economic development programs. Discusses the importance of assessment and presents the results of an outcome evaluation, stating that California will collect $1.42 in taxes over the next 10 years for every dollar it spent on economic…

The document includes five papers on the implications and applications of regeneration by the Regeneration Project, based in Emmaus, Pa. The first paper, "Regenerating America: Meeting the Challenge of Building Local Economies," (Medard Gabel) defines regeneration as economic recovery and growth, fostered by diversification within a…

This book outlines the competitive challenge facing rural America and discusses signs of hope for the rural economy. It reports some "secrets of success" in 16 rural farm belt counties that have gained employment while most rural areas are losing jobs. It also describes new state initiatives to help rural communities and lists operating…

This manual represents an educational program designed for public officials, interested citizens, and professionals interested in improving the economic climate of the municipality or region. Its purpose is to teach economic development skills, thus enabling participants to develop community economic growth plans. Focus is on four essential…

MDC, Inc. is a private nonprofit whose mission is to expand opportunities, reduce poverty, and build inclusive communities in the South. The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) is a national project that supports community colleges in distressed rural areas in moving their people and communities toward prosperity. MDC and the Ford Foundation…

This sourcebook offers training and technical assistance materials for use in planning rural economic development strategies. It is intended that this book be used by public officials, community leaders, and rural development practitioners who are concerned with strengthening the economics of small towns and rural areas throughout the United…

Uses ideological hegemony concept to analyze one local elite's efforts to "sell" community growth. Expands growth ideology research explaining wealth transfer from public to social elite in local areas. Examines government, media roles of disseminating "pro-growth" ideology with case studies. Property, progress, and community identified as central…

According to this paper, rural community colleges face new challenges, which require openness to institutional partnerships that in the past may have been unthinkable due to traditional institutional competitiveness. These challenges include enrollment fluctuation, increased legislative scrutiny, calls for accountability, inadequate and…

For many years, developers have placed near total reliance on increased productivity in agriculture, greater exploitation of natural resources, and the addition of new manufacturing industries as strategies for community economic development in nonmetropolitan areas. The concentration on expanding goods producing industries is unnecessarily…

The nine in this publication are based on the assumption that communities must develop a framework for analyzing economic growth if they are to make responsible decisions relative to rate and form of economic growth. Divided into two parts, this document presents: (1) papers relative to general perspectives on economic growth and development, and…