ED-Central


In This Issue


In part two of our look at Economic Development Resources you will be able to learn about the Texas Engineering Extension Service’s Technology and Economic Development Division, Texas Economic Development Council, Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.



Go online and type the name and state of your community into any common search engine, such as Yahoo or Google. Take note of what comes up first.

In part two of our look at Economic Development Resources you will be able to learn about the Texas Engineering Extension Service’s Technology and Economic Development Division, Texas Economic Development Council, Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. If you missed Part One you can follow the link on the right to the December 2008 newsletter to find other great sources for economic development resources.

Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) - Technology and Economic Development Division (TED)

TEEX helps communities with economic development through workforce analysis, technical assistance and economic development training, and assists communities with establishing a plan for recruitment and business growth. TEEX provides information technology resources and e-learning in areas such as economic development, web applications, technology assessments, economic solutions and business community planning. The Technology and Economic Development Division of TEEX focuses their efforts on developing rural tourism, strategic planning, community reports, manufacturing assistance, and community assessment.

TEEX offers a Basic Economic Development Course, as well as The Rural Economic and Tourism Development Seminar. The Rural Economic and Tourism Development Seminar is an opportunity for rural community leaders to gather and discuss economic development issues, share resources, create partnerships and invent strategy to achieve positive change in their communities. To learn more about The Rural Economic and Tourism Development Seminar and how you and your community can benefit from attendance, visit www.ed-central.com/RETDS/.

For additional information about the services that TEEX and TED offer, visit www.teex.org/tedd/.

Texas Economic Development Council – TEDC

The Texas Economic Development Council offers webinars, seminars and workshops on economic development. The council offers a membership program with extensive member benefits. TEDC also offers an awards program in order to highlight your program’s success. TEDC PAC raises and distributes funds to political office holders and those running for office that are committed to supporting economic development in Texas. The Texas Economic Development Council is also responsible for TEAM TEXAS, which is a website packed with valuable information to assist those interested in exploring the State of Texas for business development. Visit them online today at www.texasedc.org/ to learn how TEDC can help your community.

Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship – TCRE

The Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, or TCRE, is dedicated to creating, growing, and retaining jobs and wealth in rural Texas by connecting entrepreneurs and their communities with capital, management and leadership resources. The partners who work with TCRE will provide community managers and leaders with free or fee-based assistance with economic development opportunities. The TCRE website offers information on obtaining capital, grant monies and blogs written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. TCRE also offers the Entrepreneur Guide which is a program that allows individuals to become certified to provide technical and other assistance to entrepreneurs who are just starting out. Visit www.tcre.org/ to learn more about how TCRE can help you gain the upper hand.

The United States Department of Agriculture – Economic Research Service

The Economic Research Service is a primary source of economic information and research in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ERS conducts a research program to inform public and private decision makers on economic and policy issues involving food, farming, natural resources, and rural development. Their research emphasis areas include a competitive agricultural system, a safe food supply, a healthy, well-nourished population, harmony between agriculture and the environment and an enhanced quality of life for rural Americans.

Visit the Economic Research Service online, www.ers.usda.gov/, to view publications on rural economic development strategies as well as information on rural labor, education, telecommunications, population and migration. This site is packed with information that can assist with developing successful economic development strategies for your community.

About the Author: Alyssa Webb is the Communications Coordinator for AdventGX, an economic development and tourism consulting firm located in College Station, Texas. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree at Texas A&M University in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences with an emphasis on community event planning and tourism marketing. Alyssa can be reached via email at alyssawebb@adventgx.com

Do Your Research –

Go online and type the name and state of your community into any common search engine, such as Yahoo or Google. Take note of what comes up first. Is it a link to your community sponsored homepage, community government website, chamber of commerce or convention and visitor’s bureau? If the local newspaper is online, does it come up in the list of results? Try doing an image search and see what photos of your community appear. Remember, these are all things that a potential developer has access to and will use to determine if they want to develop within your community. Contact TEAM TEXAS at www.teamtexasonline.com/ to see what types of information are listed on their site about your community and if you can add to it. Always make sure information about your community is updated on a regular basis.