Category: News

Upcoming: Incentive Strategy for the Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County Development Authority

Starting this August, the Center for Economic Development Research will work with the Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County Development Authority to create policy guidelines for local economic development incentives. The research will look at existing plans and guidance from the city and county. With this and with input from local leaders, the project team will recommend a set of policies and incentives to help the community become more competitive while being responsible with taxpayer resources. Some of the recommendations may include policies for tax and fee reduction, strategies for review process acceleration, and cost/benefit analysis guidelines. The project team expects to conclude in October with a final report detailing their incentive policy recommendations.

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Project contact:

Alfie Meek, Ph.D.

Phone: 404-385-1340 | Fax: 404- 410-6910

Email: ude.hcetag.etavonninull@keem.eifla

US Department of Commerce Secretary Pritzker Visits Northwest Georgia

On May 6, 2016, US Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Deputy Secretary Jay Williams visited Northwest Georgia, touring Engineered Floors and the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy.  They participated in a round table discussion with the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) Consortium, Floor360, and Communities That Work Partnership (CTWP) leaders from industry, workforce development and the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy.  The discussion centered on development of a skilled curriculum for the next generation working in a highly automated manufacturing environment, both the engagement of parents and teachers to redefine manufacturing and to develop skilled pathways to manufacturing employment using apprenticeships, and launching of the new Advanced Manufacturing and Business Academy (AMBA) at the College and Career Academy.

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From left to right: Asst. Sec. Jay Williams (USDOC), Dr. Kathryn Hornsby (TCSG), Barbara Ward (Dalton Utilities), Louis Fordham (J+J Industries), Sec. Penny Pritzker (USDOC), Jason Reynolds, (Plant Manager, Engineered Floors), Deana Perry (NWGRC), and Leigh Hopkins (Georgia Tech).

The IMCP program is one of the US Department of Commerce’s main initiatives to support job creation and accelerate manufacturing growth to make communities more globally competitive by transforming their industrial ecosystems into globally-competitive manufacturing hubs.  The Northwest Georgia region has been designated an IMCP “Manufacturing Community” by the US Department of Commerce (Economic Development Administration) since 2014.  This designation gives organizations that support the industry via the Northwest Georgia’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy elevated status for certain federally-aligned grant programs.  Throughout the IMCP initiative, the region has placed particular focus on workforce development issues.  As an outgrowth of IMCP, Northwest Georgia was selected to participate in the CTWP, a one-year joint project between EDA and the Aspen Institute.  Each partnership/cohort consists of 3-4 individuals from organizations within their regions who are in a position to accelerate change to benefit businesses and workers through industry-led workforce development strategies, one of whom represents the voice of business.  The goal of CTWP is to accelerate and document promising, evidence-based best practices in regional collaboration for talent development that promotes growth and opportunity in the regional economy.

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Photo courtesy of the Department of Commerce.

For questions, contact:
Leigh Hopkins, AICP
Phone: 404-894-0933 | Fax: 404-410-6910
Email: ude.hcetag.etavonninull@snikpoh.hgiel

Clinch County EDRP Study Underway

The Clinch County Development Authority applied for and won a research grant through Georgia Tech’s Economic Development Research Program (EDRP). The EDRP research will be conducted this spring and summer.

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Researchers from Georgia Tech’s Center for Economic Development Research will be in the community, meeting with the county’s industry leaders, community leaders, stakeholders, and state partners. They will assess county trends and previous planning efforts. Their goal will be to identify industries within the county that align with its strengths and assets. This will give county leaders a better understanding of how to strategically position Clinch County for quality economic growth in the coming decades.edrplogoProject Highlights: Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed an 8-step process to help Clinch County facilitate economic growth as effectively as possible. These steps include:

  • Project Kickoff
  • Community assessment and review
  • Baseline analysis
  • Community interviews
  • State partner interviews
  • Target industry analysis
  • Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis
  • Recommendations and final report

The project is expected to be completed by the end of August 2016.

For project-related questions, contact:
Candice McKie
Phone: 404-385-2053| Fax: 404-410-6910
Email: ude.hcetag.etavonninull@eikcm.ecidnac

The Basic Economic Development Course Begins Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Tuesday March 8, 2016, is the first day of the Basic Economic Development Course!

In 1967, Georgia Tech offered the first Basic Economic Development Course in the country and continues today to provide innovative education in both fundamentals and new concepts in economic development. In 2016, our Basic Economic Development Course will celebrate 49 years of being one of the first steps in the career of more than 3,000 economic developers.
Join us this year as we welcome Vicki Horton, a nationally-recognized site selection consultant who will kick-off the course, centered around Disruptive Technologies and their impact on economic development. Companies like Amazon, Uber, Zifty, Spotify, and Airbnb have revolutionized the way companies and communities do business. Over the duration of the course, we’ll discuss the impact that Disruptive Technologies hold for regional economies, as well as explore core economic development topics and current trends that are transforming the economic development profession and the businesses and communities you support.

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Check out other courses offered in the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) series! 

For more information, contact:
Leigh Hopkins
404-894-0933
ude.hcetag.etavonninull@snikpoh.hgiel

Investing in Manufacturing Communities in Northwest Georgia

The Center for Economic Development Research at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) continues to play a critical role in the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative in northwest Georgia.

Northwest Georgia is home to the largest concentration of floor covering manufacturers in the world, and boasts production of more than 70 percent of the world’s total floor covering output, valued at over $9 billion. In September 2013, EI2 and the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission (NWGRC) were awarded an $85,000 challenge grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) IMCP initiative to develop a comprehensive strategy focused on advanced manufacturing in the floor covering industry in the 15-county northwest Georgia region.

IMCP is a White House administration-wide initiative that is designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing and help cultivate an environment for businesses to create well-paying manufacturing jobs in regions across the country. IMCP supports the President Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, launched in 2011, and is a critical component of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s “Open for Business Agenda,” which prioritizes trade and investment.

EI2 led the creation of an “Advanced Manufacturing Strategy” for the 15-county Northwest Georgia region, as well as the successful application to become an EDA-designated Manufacturing Community during EDA’s first round of designations in 2014. Since 2014, EI2 has continued to provide implementation services under the Manufacturing Community designation in partnership with the NWGRC that have led to such notable results including the creation of an Advanced Manufacturing Academy at the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy (part of the Technical College System of Georgia), selection into the Aspen Institute’s “Communities That Work Partnership” workforce development program, a statewide apprenticeship program with the U.S. Department of Labor, a new regional inland port in Murray County with the Georgia Ports Authority, a post-consumer carpet recycling technology pilot program in Dalton, and a veteran’s hiring program for transitioning military through Georgia Tech’s VET2 program.

Visit the initiative’s website: www.floor360.org.

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For more information, contact:

Leigh Hopkins, AICP
Sr. Project Manager
ude.hcetagnull@snikpoh.hgiel
404-894-0933

New Name and New Website!

We’ve changed our name from Innovation Strategy Impact to the Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR). We hope this change will give our clients a better understanding of what we do. Also with this change, we’re making some updates to our website. In the coming weeks, expect to see more information about our services, our team, and our projects. We’ve also added a feature that allows you to subscribe to our mailing list. Keep up-to-date on all CEDR activities by becoming a subscriber. Thanks for your interest!

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How Are You Responding to Challenging Times?

The Georgia Manufacturing Survey is a periodic statewide study conducted by Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and School of Public Policy to assess the business and technological conditions of Georgia’s manufacturers. Survey results are used to improve manufacturing assistance programs and regional innovation and sustainability initiatives in Georgia. The questionnaire is mailed to all manufacturing facilities with 10 or more employees. In addition, electronic options are available including downloading the questionnaire [PDF] or completing an online version of survey. Click here to complete the online version.

Contact Jan Youtie for more information. Sponsors: Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute; School of Public Policy; Georgia Department of Labor; Kennesaw State University; and Habif, Arogeti, and Wynne, LLC.