In North Carolina, workforce training programs are primarily delivered through the 23 local, workforce development boards or through the state’s 59 community colleges. Most economic developers will be aware of these resources but may not know some of the programs these providers offer or the creativ … Read more

While larger towns, counties and state governments are promoting their online services, and investing in social media such as Facebook and Twitter, how can smaller towns make sure they are not left behind? Community development entails on the ground, high-touch work. But potential employers and resi … Read more

A previous post discussed the benefits of conducting community housing assessments for local governments and non-profit organizations interested in community and economic development. This post will discuss the methods and strategies that interested stakeholders, from local governments to neighborho … Read more

Community and economic development professionals, in working to accomplish their goals, must often lead and manage organizations. In recognition of that fact, this post is offered as part of series on leadership and management, written by faculty and staff who focus on those topics at the UNC School … Read more

In a recently released report, the National Association of Counties (NACo) examines the special role that county governments play in the process of economic development. The report’s findings are based on a national survey of U.S. counties and case studies of local economic development in 34 selecte … Read more

The U.S. Congress passed and President Obama recently signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The bicameral legislation passed with near unanimous support and reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act, which was originally enacted in 1998. WIOA streamlines federal job tr … Read more

Whether your community is a large urban district or a small town, promoting it through traditional media outlets has become more challenging due to unprecedented changes within the communications industry. American newsrooms are in a season of disruption: More than 70 daily newspapers have closed th … Read more

An organizational culture will be established or will occur… be proactive.    Elected leaders in Oceanboro promised voters that they would transform the way economic development services are delivered in the city—incentive policies, support for entrepreneurs, and new industrial sites—but they haven’ … Read more

I read a terrific blog post at Harvard Business Review (HBR) the other day about collaboration. The author explained that “purpose is collaboration’s most unacknowledged determinant.” Community collaboration has never been more important as today’s challenges are too complex and interconnected for a … Read more

There are calls from many quarters to reform higher education and make it more accessible, affordable, and relevant in the dynamic, global economy of the 21st century.  A recent study produced jointly by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup reinforces this theme.  The study reports the results from both … Read more