Monday, July 25, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Entrepreneurship Training Available
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DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY Growing Entrepreneurs at Home in the Delta Eight State Entrepreneurship Training Kicks Off in Missouri Registration Open for All DRA States CLARKSDALE – Delta entrepreneurs will receive first-rate training to start their own businesses announced the Delta Regional Authority in partnership with the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at Southeast Missouri State University, Small Business Administration and the Delta Leadership Network. “With nearly all net job creation in this country taking place in firms less than five years old, we know that entrepreneurs are still the primary engine of job creation in the United States,” said Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill. “The Delta Regional Authority is proud to partner with this entrepreneurship train-the-trainer series to support home-grown Delta entrepreneurs. I urge interested participants who wish to start microenterprise development programs in their communities to take advantage of this opportunity to grow tomorrow’s business leaders.” “Entrepreneurship is a priority of the Delta Regional Authority and it has long been a pillar of the Delta’s hard-working communities,” Alternate Federal Co-Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority Mike Marshall said. “I look forward to meeting participants in each state who will return home to help train other entrepreneurs realize their business plans, boosting local economies.” About the Training Series: Each of the eight Delta states will host a symposium to build entrepreneurial capacity, especially in rural communities, and train participants to lead entrepreneurship trainings in their own communities. Each session will also include information about local resources to help communities support entrepreneurs and the start-up of new businesses. More than 100 trainers are expected to participate in the series. They are projected to train at least 500 entrepreneurs to start businesses of their own. The series will kick-off on July 6-7 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Participate: Interested participants should visit Events at www.operationjumpstart.biz for more information and to register for a session in their home state. The session is free to the first 35 registered participants in each state who are from DRA counties. The cost is $175 for all other participants. Upcoming Entrepreneurship Trainings -July 6-7, Poplar Bluff, Missouri -July 20-22, Grenada, Mississippi -August 9-11, Harrisburg, Illinois -August 16-18, Jackson, Tennessee -August 23-25, Little Rock, Arkansas -August 30-September 1, Gilbertsville, Kentucky -September 7-9, Eufala, Alabama -September 14-16, Rayville, Louisiana The Delta Regional Authority is a federal-state partnership that serves 252 counties and parishes in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Chris Masingill, appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the DRA’s Federal Co-Chairman, along with the governors of the eight states comprise the Authority’s board. For more information, please visit:www.dra.gov. ### | ||||
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Obama Administrations Announces Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 20, 2011
Obama Administration Announces Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge
to Promote Regional Growth and Competitiveness
Unprecedented initiative to bolster economic growth leverages resources of 16 federal agencies to create jobs and foster economic prosperity
Washington, D.C. – To accelerate innovation-fueled job creation and global competitiveness, today the Obama Administration announced a $33 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, an unprecedented initiative to spur economic growth through public-private partnerships in at least 20 regions around the country.
The Challenge leverages existing resources from 16 federal agencies and will award funds to regions that demonstrate the existence of high-growth industries that support a wide range of economic and workforce development activities.
The Obama Administration is committed to smarter use of existing federal resources to foster regional innovation in support of sustainable economic prosperity. Strong industry clusters –like the Research Triangle in North Carolina or Silicon Valley in California – promote robust economic ecosystems and the development of a skilled workforce, both of which are critical to long-term regional success.
“Regional innovation clusters bring together the knowledge and financial resources that America needs to compete in the global economy,” said National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling. “The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge will help regional innovation clusters produce the next generation of innovative products and drive sustainable economic growth and job creation."
“Strong regional economies are vital to creating jobs and advancing American competitiveness,” said Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes. “The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is one way we are leveraging government resources to support the public-private partnerships that drive economic prosperity in urban and rural communities.”
The competition offers a total of $33 million in funding from three federal agencies and technical assistance from 13 additional agencies to support the advancement of at least 20 competitively-selected industry clusters. The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will invest up to $20 million for technical skills training; the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration will invest up to $10 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance funds; and the Small Business Administration will invest up to $3 million in technical assistance.
As noted in the federal funding opportunity published today, the Challenge targets high-growth clusters from rural, urban and multi-jurisdictional regions across the nation with strengths in various industries. Investments in each winning cluster will aim to drive additional private capital from an array of sources, including foundations, financial institutions, corporations and other private-sector partners.
Applicants will be considered based on their ability to demonstrate a focus on measurable outcomes, such as:
· Achieving sustainable economic growth in the region;
· Augmenting business formation, especially of small businesses, and leveraging existing businesses assets;
· Advancing commercialization of federal and private research;
· Increasing exports;
· Developing a skilled workforce through outreach, training, and the creation of career pathways, and;
· Integrating historically underserved businesses and communities into the economic activities of the cluster.
Strong regional clusters grow from dynamic public-private partnerships that bring together business leaders, government officials, universities, non-profits and other strategic partners to help regions capitalize on shared strengths to enhance the local economy, create jobs, and compete globally.
The deadline to apply to the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is July 7, 2011. Details on the application process are available here or
The following federal agencies are collaborating to support this competition: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, International Trade Administration, Minority Business Development Agency, and National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership; U.S. Department of Defense; U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; U.S. Department of Labor; U.S. Department of Transportation; U.S. Department of Treasury; Environmental Protection Agency; National Science Foundation; and Small Business Administration. The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is part of the Obama Administration’s Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative, an interagency, place-based effort coordinated by the White House.
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Planning Assistance Available
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINSTRATION (FHWA) developed a new set of tools for communities to use to better do scenario planning. They are also offering communities scenario planning technical assistance, including workshops, webinars, or peer exchanges. Interested organizations can submit an application to work with the FHWA Scenario Planning Program staff to learn more. Click here to apply for a Scenario Planning Workshop or Webinar.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
SBA and DOE Launch Mentorship Program for Clean Tech Startups
SBA and DOE Launch Mentorship Program for Clean Tech Startups
The SBA, in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), is funding four business accelerators. These four programs have proven records of success and are using the funding to support an additional 100 clean energy entrepreneurs across the country. These accelerators will provide intensive mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs to a selection of the most promising new companies. This pilot program is the first step in the development of a large, distributed network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and accelerators. The Entrepreneurial Mentor Corps (EMC) is currently accepting new mentee small businesses into the EMC Clean Energy pilot program. If you work with clean tech entrepreneurs, have them read the fact sheet, the self-selection questions, and mentee expectations to determine if they would be a good fit for the program. Entrepreneurs interested in signing up should fill out the EMC Statement of Interest form and email it to startupamerica@sba.gov. Eligible companies will be given a space in the program on a first-come, first-served basis.
Suzette M. Agans
Rural Development | Community and Economic Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Stop 3254 | Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax: 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov
"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Articles, Learning and Funding Opportunities
Billing Code: 3510-24
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
Docket No.: 110420251-1255-01
The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge
A Coordinated Initiative to Advance Regional Competitiveness
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY:
The Obama Administration announces the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (Accelerator Challenge), an initiative of 16 Federal agencies and bureaus to accelerate innovation-fueled job creation and economic prosperity through public-private partnerships. The Accelerator Challenge will offer, subject to the availability of funds, a combination of $33 million in funding from three agencies and technical assistance resources from 13 additional agencies and bureaus to support customized solutions for approximately 20 competitively selected industry clusters in urban and rural regions across the nation and across all sectors. A competitive solicitation is expected to be announced in May 2011.
President Obama has prioritized the development of strong regions[1] as the building blocks of a strong and globally competitive American economy and as key elements in our strategy for winning the future. Understanding that jobs are not created on Capitol Hill but in America’s regions, the Obama Administration is committed to smarter use of existing Federal resources to support regional innovation and sustainable economic prosperity. Knowing that regional innovation clusters provide a globally proven approach for developing economic prosperity, this new, multi-agency initiative creates an unprecedented platform for integrating and coordinating the wide range of Federal economic development resources.
Each Accelerator Challenge investment will serve as a catalyst for leveraging private capital in the regions from an array of sources such as foundations, financial institutions, corporations and other private sector partners. Through its unprecedented linking, aligning and leveraging of Federal resources and by building strategic public-private partnerships, the Accelerator Challenge will foster broad regional innovation, job creation, and global competitiveness.
Funds awarded to the winning applicants can be used to support and accelerate a range of measurable outcomes, including innovation, commercialization, business formation and expansion, development of a skilled workforce, job creation, exports, sustainable economic development and global competitiveness in approximately 20 industry clusters that exhibit high-growth development potential. These successful clusters will promote growth that is inclusive of the region’s population.
This initiative represents the implementation of a number of Obama Administration policy priorities including:
• Acceleration of bottom-up innovation strategies encompassing urban and rural geographies, as opposed to imposing “one size fits all” solutions from Washington; and
• Reduction of Federal programs silos and promotion of more coordinated Federal funding opportunities that offer a more efficient system for customers to access Federal resources.
The partner agencies and bureaus include: Department of Commerce (EDA, National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), International Trade Administration (ITA), and Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)); Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration (ETA)); Small Business Administration (SBA); Department of Education (ED); Department of Agriculture (USDA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); National Science Foundation (NSF); Department of Transportation (DOT); Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Department of the Treasury (TREAS); Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and Department of Energy (DOE).
Subject to funding availability, the total proposed funding for the Accelerator Challenge is approximately $33 million in direct Federal support from the three funding agencies and bureaus: EDA, ETA, and SBA. Specific funding sources will be named in the forthcoming FFO.
Clusters selected for funding may receive specialized technical assistance or other resources from partner agencies and bureaus, which will offer this assistance from existing programs and initiatives. These resources include Federally funded assets that can be leveraged by the clusters and entities that are available for collaborative partnerships to strengthen the clusters.
Applicants will be asked to discuss several components of their cluster. They will be evaluated against criteria that include: evidence of a high-growth cluster; the cluster’s needs and opportunities; a proposed project concept and scope of work; and the projected impact and measurable outcomes. Outcomes might include how Federal funds will be used to:
• Achieve sustainable economic growth in the region;
• Augment business formation, especially small businesses, and leverage existing businesses and manufacturing assets;
• Advance commercialization of Federal and private research and increase exports;
• Develop a skilled workforce through outreach, training, and the creation of career pathways; and
• Integrate historically underserved businesses and communities into the economic activities of the cluster.
For more information please visit www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/jobsandinnovationchallenge.
Dated: April 22, 2011
_________________________________
Barry E. A. Johnson
Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Initiatives
Economic Development Administration
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Summary of Module 3
Here are some highlights of a 2010 article that was published by the Council of Competitiveness. The article, which appeared in the Council’s Collaborate publication, highlights the seven habits that promote highly effective regional leadership.
These seven habits are:
1. Be Proactive: Anticipate needs, create strategies and the means to address them.
2. Begin with the End in Mind: While action depends on leadership, accomplishments depend on vision. Regions need a vision of where they are heading and that vision has be supported by a significant consensus. Beginning with the end in mind is as much about process as it is about outcomes.
3. Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood: Gather facts in order to make sound decisions. Understand the region by securing data, determining assets and liabilities, as well as opportunities.
4. Put First Things First: Leaders need to be guardians of the big picture – vision, goals and strategy.
5. Think Win-Win, Be Inclusive: Seek win-win opportunities to make the case for regionalism; promote inclusion.
6. Synergize: There are crossroads where institutions (education, financial), firms, political jurisdictions and public agencies intersect. Find ways to get them to work together which builds synergies.
7. Sharpen the Saw: Develop metrics that are tied to measurable goals. Develop future leadership that will be able to step up and be part of the regional team at some future point.
Council on Competitiveness (2010).
Please be sure to complete the surveys I emailed to you after our last session. Your 4-digit number can be any number you choose. You should try use a number that you can remember since it will be used for all of the evaluations you will complete.
Planning for Module 4
In our last session I asked you dig up the plans that have been developed in your region. Hopefully you have located them and you are willing to share them with the team. Before the our next session I would like you to complete the following homework.
Please be sure that you have:
1. Followed up with people or representatives of key groups that you want to invite to be part of an expanded regional leadership team.
2. Determine the resources that might be useful to have for Module Four – such as existing documents that outline a vision or goals for the region.
3. Develop a position description for key roles within your regional team”
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Mr. Hadnott wishes to share comprehensive economic development strategy developed by the Acadiana Regional Development District. It can be found at the link below.
If you have plans you would like to share with the team contact me and I will post them on this blog so the entire team can view them.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
DOE Grant Writing Workshop
You are invited to the Department of Energy’s Grant Writing Workshop at the
This grant writing workshop will provide an overview of the grant process, where to find upcoming opportunities, and basic grant writing techniques and tools. The workshop will familiarize those who have not written a grant proposal with eligibility requirements and other criteria related to the organization and grant program from which funding is sought.
Who Should Attend:
- Staff of non-profit entities such as community development organizations
- Specialists in technical areas
- Students, Staff, and Administrators of institutions of higher education
- Staff and Administrators of University Healthcare Institutions
- Community organizers, leaders, volunteers
- Tribal nation economic development entities
Participants will learn to build teams beyond their own organizations and to identify and recruit necessary partners from local government, cooperatives, technical areas and the private sector. The workshop will provide participants with a better understanding of the techniques necessary to prepare a competitive grant proposal.
Registration for this Workshop and additional information is available at: http://www.ieeegreentech.org/TechConf/DOEWorkshop.htm . This workshop is being held in conjuction with the IEE conference, which you are welcome to attend. If you would like to attend the workshop but not the full conference, select "Professional Credit Hour Seminars" on page 5 of the registration page.
Welcome to the Acadiana Regional Development Team Blog
Welcome to the Acadiana Regional Development team blog. I have set this blog up to help team members communicate with each other. This blog will only be accessible to members of the Acadiana Regional team and training team.
I encourage you to share your comments, thoughts and updates.
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