economic opportunity

Recognizing excellence: Connecting resources for positive community change

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How do we achieve excellence? We stop what we are doing, stand back, and assess efforts. At this point we are better able to recognize special accomplishments.

Raymond Schindler

Raymond A. Schindler

The Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award is named in honor of Raymond A. Schindler, one of the first Extension CD professionals in Ohio. Hired in 1962 as an Area Extension Agent, Ray began his career in southern Ohio, based in Highland County. He took a collaborative approach to his work, focusing on tourism development, comprehensive planning, planning commissions, and business retention and expansion programs until his retirement in 1988.

Today, we recognize Extension CD professionals with The Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award. The annual award seeks to recognize:

  • long term strengths in teaching and research
  • a long-standing record of teamwork and collaboration in program planning, implementation and evaluation
  • a successful track record in grant awards, cost recovery, or other external funding
Susan Colbert

Susan Colbert

Just last week (January 24), we recognized Susan Colbert with the Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award for her ability to develop and deliver multidisciplinary, evidence-based programs in collaboration with colleagues, stakeholders, private industry and state and federal funding partners that empower others to affect positive change. Since joining Ohio State University Extension in 1998, she has truly demonstrated a record of excellence in creative and scholarly work, teaching and service to community and profession.

Click here to learn more about Susan and her work.

Greg Davis

Greg Davis, professor and assistant director, OSU Extension CD.

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Vibrant Downtowns Key to Community Development

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Prior to World War II, many communities in the U.S. were centered around downtowns for living, shopping, entertainment and work. The quintessential downtown was typically home to a bank, a post office, government offices, a library, clothing stores, a music store, a cinema, a grocery and a diner. Most of the buildings offered apartments on the second, third and fourth floors. Downtowns were the hearts of communities.

Since the post-war suburban boom, downtowns have changed and continue to evolve. With the emergence of shopping centers, malls, one-stop shops and improved transportation, many of the small businesses lining the downtown streets have been forced to close. Downtowns all over America lost that spark that made them special, some turning into local government offices, some with a few shops and a lot of boarded buildings. In some places, they have been completely abandoned as neglect and apathy took over. In the age of 70 mile per hour highways, constant sales and advertising, Internet shopping, and an always-on-the-go mindset, the glory days of downtowns are lost on many.

Many communities, however, have not given up on the importance of downtowns in community development. Many of these communities have joined Main Street America, an organization dedicated to revitalizing downtowns in a way that does not damage the historic integrity while ensuring economic vitality. Many communities in Ohio including Cleveland, Delaware, Greenville, Medina, Portsmouth, Van Wert, Wooster and others have become accredited Main Street America programs. The Main Street Approach is used by member programs to provide structure and stability to the revitalization efforts of downtowns. The approach includes inputs, transformative strategies and outputs.

Downtowns - Jones 2016-08-04

Jeff Speck, an urban planner and designer, has determined that the singular factor of community success is walkability, which is best accomplished in the downtown area of communities. In his 2012 book, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, Speck writes, “The General Theory of Walkabilty explains how, to be favored, a walk has to satisfy four main conditions: it must be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting.” Speck explains how decisions have long-lasting and far-reaching effects and what decisions need to be made to have such effects on downtowns.

Walkable City - 2016-08-04Communities across the nation have seen the positive impacts a thriving downtown has on community development. If you believe your downtown could use a little TLC, suggest to your community development leaders consider strategies for revitalizing your downtown.

Revitalizing downtowns is not a ‘flavor of the month’ experiment, but rather a proven means to developing communities and stimulating local business. Additionally, revitalizing downtowns into walkable community areas will improve community health.

Check out Speck’s books and his TED Talk, contact Main Street America, and be sure to look over the variety of ready-to-use tools created by OSU Extension, UWEX, and University of Minnesota Extension that can be used to create vibrant downtowns.

Caitlin Jones is the Program Coordinator for OSU Extension Community Development in Van Wert County & the Maumee Valley EERA.

SMALL TOWNS, BIG DREAMS: Do you have what it takes?

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Small Town 2016-06-02Many small towns want to improve their current condition for a number of reasons. What we often hear from residents and leaders is: “We are tired of our “best and brightest” leaving the area for college and never returning because we have no jobs/careers for them,” or “Our retired residents have to seek appropriate housing in other communities because there isn’t any here,” or “The youth that remain are not “work ready” and opioid use among them has become a real problem.” Some of these towns have existing community or economic development plans that, while they might offer viable solutions, were never fully implemented (the old “the plan sits on the shelf” complaint).

So, what’s a town to do? Here are some suggestions based on my experience working with many communities throughout Ohio:

Overcome fractured goals by building inclusion into your community’s dialogue about the future:

If you are a local leader, have you discovered your residents’ vision of the future? I use the word “discover” because, chances are your residents already have a picture of what they would like your town to be. And, although there may be some divergent views, there is also a core set of beliefs and desires that can lead to consensus to set major goals. The task of local leadership then becomes setting the stage for open and inclusionary dialogue about the future. Inclusion is important. By reaching out to all sectors of the community to include their desires and hopes, a shared vision of the future can be discovered.

Engage a broad range of residents in both planning and implementation:

When residents are engaged in determining their community’s future, they become invested in results and clearly discover their place in making the plan a reality. By taking actions every day through their workplace, community organizations, leadership roles, businesses and their own personal life, they work individually and collectively to achieve success. Time spent engaging residents results in less time spent “selling” the plan to the community, leading to faster implementation. When the community is engaged throughout the process, there develops a much larger base of volunteers to draw upon to move goals forward.

Identify outcomes you want to achieve, and develop indicators of success to use in measuring progress toward reaching these outcomes:

A community plan is a living document. It is important to monitor progress toward reaching goals and modify strategies as needed. Indicators of success developed during planning and goal setting are used to stay on track with plan implementation and make changes as needed. An indicator should be easy to understand, relevant and measurable. It should be widely shared with the community, with progress reported at least annually. Indicators provide a way for residents and organizations to see the results of their contribution toward community goals.

An example of how this inclusionary focus may play out in a community is as follows:

  • Together the community sets a vision and goal of retaining youth that receive post-secondary degrees.
  • During the inclusionary planning process an objective is established to expand job opportunities in the medical field.
  • Using an inclusionary method to establish indicators helps various sectors of the community discover their roles in reaching the shared vision and implementing objectives.

So as an example, perhaps the high school career counselor presents medical careers as possible paths to pursue. Economic developers accept the development of a business park for medical industries. Builders identify construction of senior housing alternatives like condos and assisted living. Medical providers participate in local job fairs.

By building inclusion into community planning at every stage of the process, from development to implementation, big dreams can be achieved by small towns.

(Submitted by Myra Moss, Associate Professor and Extension Educator, Heart of Ohio EERA)

How far will YOU go?

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It was three years ago now that I attended a training on group facilitation. I learned a lot at the training, but one of the things that stuck with me the strongest was something one of the other participants said in their mock session. This particular man worked in the tourism industry in Michigan on the very successful Pure Michigan campaign. For those of you not familiar with the campaign, it is a series of advertisements voiced by native Michigander Tim Allen of television’s Home Improvement fame. His distinctive voice touts the many attractions of the Great Lakes State from coast to coast. It features small towns, big cities, and everything in between, each ad highlighting what specific locations had to offer. The ads were then played on radio and television both in and outside of Michigan. In 2013 the campaign attracted more than 4 million non-residents to that state up north who spent $1.2 billion while they were there. Put another way, for every $1 spent on the marketing campaign, $6.66 was spent by tourists visiting the state.

Fuller for 2016-05-12 #4The success of that campaign made me wonder what the secrets were. That became even truer when I started working in rural areas. After all, Pure Michigan highlighted small towns and big cities alike. So what were some of the things that enabled the campaign to attract people to out-of-the-way destinations?

One possibility was that the marketing was centralized, including a centralized webpage that had links to different attractions across the state. People searching the website then had a chance to stumble onto other things they wanted to attend or try, important for smaller towns that probably do not have a large, well-publicized visitor’s bureau. In this day and age, the importance of a strong, mobile phone friendly online presence is paramount. Staying on-trend with social media platforms is essential. If people don’t know about it, they cannot come to it! Ideally, you are attracting people to your event or place of business from outside the area so that their money can flow into the local economy as well.

It is also important to be realistic about what the attractions are. In the same presentation where I learned about the success of Pure Michigan, I also learned that on average, people want to have four hours’ worth of things to do at their destination for every hour they spend traveling to get there. This is important to consider when investing those advertising dollars. If you are going to promote an event that requires traveling to attend, make sure it is going to be worth the time it takes to get there!

Finally, be strategic about your campaign. If you have a multiple-day event, promote those days when there are a lot of things to do and try to group your activities to appeal to people with similar interests. Draw a circle around your town and figure out how long of a trip it is to get to your location. For example, say you have a two-hour show and want to draw a bigger crowd. Pair it with dinner and advertise within an hour’s drive so it is worth people’s time to commute. Another way to make it worth the effort is to band together within a community and set up a tour of attractions. Pick a theme for your campaign and then spend some time considering who would be interested in that. Most of all, think regionally and work together for maximum effect.

(Submitted by Laura Fuller, County Extension Educator, Noble County & Buckeye Hills EERA)

When New Energy Development Comes to Town

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Energy Education 2016-04-28What communities in Ohio feel the most significant impact of new energy development? Rural communities with relatively low population density and little economic and social diversification experience the most significant effect according to research. Such communities are exposed to the long-term economic fluctuations experienced by natural resource dependent economies. They cannot easily absorb change and the development that has been associated with challenges related to social and family services, agriculture and land issues, and community infrastructure. How can we help? We can focus on increasing community capacity and enhancing education and training.

How is Extension part of Energy Education?

The decision-making phase of energy development can involve conflict and misinformation. Extension professionals in Ohio have provided research-based information to allow stakeholders and landowners to make informed decisions. Many times controversies centered on energy development are emotionally charged and often influenced as much by values, beliefs and social interaction as by dollars. By combining Extension’s wide expertise into one program, all types of stakeholders can be more effectively engaged.

How do Extension professionals work collaboratively?Energy Education #2 2016-04-28

OSU Extension has the ability to provide multi-disciplinary programming to inform landowners, stakeholders and interested community members about the social dimensions, economic issues and landowner issues associated with sudden energy development. The key to such efforts: working with stakeholders to design audience-specific programs. Multiple engagement methods are used as well as the formation of energy committees specific to certain topics to facilitate co-discovery efforts.

More information about Extension program areas working jointly on a common topic is available by contacting bond.227@osu.edu.

(Submitted by Cynthia Bond, Assistant Professor and Extension Educator – Guernsey County & Crossroads EERA)

RNC Rockin’ Cleveland with Estimated Direct Economic Impact of $200M. What is Your Impact?

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Community and industry leaders often ask, “What is the economic impact of….”

  • tourism?
  • wind energy?
  • a new business?
  • a large event?

Take, for example, the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland in July. Organizers estimate that the event will draw about 50,000 visitors generating a direct economic impact of around $200 million and providing a significant boost to the state and local economy. Understanding the economic impact is essential in gaining local support for the event. It is also necessary for informing decisions regarding community investments in infrastructure, safety, or other support activities for the event.

Economic Impact Analysis 2016-04-07

Van Wert County, Ohio provides another example of economic impact analysis in action. Community leaders were preparing to undergo a fundraising campaign to raise $2M to develop and market a new industrial site. To make the pitch, they hoped to estimate the campaign’s return on investment in terms of jobs, wages, and spending and tax revenues benefitting the community. Partnering with Extension, the economic impact to the local economy was studied and the findings communicated. This step played a critical role in successfully raising the funds needed to develop and market the site.

A contribution analysis for a private sector organization is another way this tool can be used. In 2012, Extension Community Development conducted an analysis involving the Ohio Ethanol Industry to estimate the economic contribution of that sector in Ohio. The analysis considered both the operations and construction of six ethanol plants to estimate total output, employment and income impacts on the state. The information was helpful to the industry in planning for future investment.

The Extension Community Development Economic Impact Analysis (EIA) Program utilizes IMPLAN, an input-output modeling program, to generate customized analyses for both the public and private sectors. Reports range from a snapshot of the current economy to more extensive information on the effects that an industry change will have on a designated study area. Reports are based on clientele needs. Please visit our EIA Program page to learn more.

(Submitted by Nancy Bowen, Associate Professor and Extension Field Specialist, Community Economics)

Financing Entrepreneurship and Business Expansion

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Revolving Loan Fund - cropped

In 2015, the Van Wert City Revolving Loan made five loans totaling over $252,000, which supported the creation of 12 jobs.

Entrepreneurship is a critical component of any community. So, how can we support entrepreneurial growth? One tool available to communities interested in helping entrepreneurs start businesses and facilitating the expansion or relocation of existing businesses is a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). The principal goal of the RLF is to create and retain private sector jobs, of which 51 percent must be held by persons from low-to-moderate income households. Applicants must document job creation for any RLF money borrowed and one (1) full time equivalent job must be created for every $25,000 increment borrowed. Applicants have two years to fulfill the job requirements. Loans can be made to businesses for land and building acquisition, new construction, building renovations and improvements, machinery and equipment purchases, and working capital. Loans involving construction and building renovations and improvements are subject to national prevailing wage requirements should the labor exceed $2,000.

This program allows businesses to secure fixed low interest rate loans. Two types of loans exist: Economic Development loans and Micro loans; however, each community may not offer both loan types. Most businesses apply for an Economic Development loan, which is a combination of owner equity, private funding (bank loan), and RLF money, to secure their project financing. Economic Development loans can be made for up to 50 percent of the project total. The Micro Loan option allows for RLF money to be the sole funding source for businesses with five or fewer employees undergoing projects less than $35,000 and capable of meeting the income requirements.

For more information, please visit the Ohio Development Services Agency Community and Economic Development Programs page. Communities interested in starting a revolving loan fund should review the information on the PY 2016 CDBG Community Development Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Training Forum announcement and submit their application by Friday, June 17, 2016.

(Submitted by Caitlin Jones, Program Coordinator, Van Wert County & Maumee Valley EERA)

Transforming communities through the use of IDAs

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OSU Extension strives to improve the quality of life among all central Ohio residents through research, service and training. In Franklin County, we strive to fulfill our mission by forging unique partnerships and innovative programs.

Financial Training - IDAs 2015-12-03 - croppedOSU Extension forged a partnership with Increase CDC (Community Development Corporation) and the Ohio CDC Association and offers Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a savings incentive program designed to help low-moderate income, working individuals accumulate assets (home ownership, microenterprise or post-secondary education).

Those who successfully complete OSU Extension’s financial literacy and asset specific training offered by OSU Extension, corporate, civic and collegiate partners are eligible to receive $1,000, if they save at least $500 while enrolled in the program.

Help us build strong communities by strengthening the lives of individuals! Limited slots are available, so don’t delay and call (614) 247-1983 today!

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Expansion and Engagement, Franklin County)

Supporting Local Businesses this Holiday Season

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Shop LocalNow that Halloween has passed, we are starting to once again be reminded that the gluttony of holiday shopping is just around the corner. Already my Facebook wall is full of memes and commentary from my friends about where they will and won’t shop on Black Friday. However, there is a larger and much more important question at stake when it comes to where to do your shopping for the holidays. In a time when rural communities are threatened by unemployment, out migration, and job loss, where we spend our hard earned dollars counts more than ever.

We know that small firms (less than 500 employees) account for 67% of the net number of new jobs. Let me emphasize what you just read. Net new jobs. Even if we are not looking at new jobs, according to the United States Small Business Administration small businesses account for 55% of all jobs in the US.

As if that were not enough of a reason to support small businesses, study after study has shown that revenues generated by small businesses tend to stay in the local community in the form of jobs and wages that then flow back into the economy in the form of purchasing power. The amount in question is not small. One study from Utah saw on average only 14% of revenues at big box stores such as Walmart or Target remain in the community compared to 52% of revenues from small, local businesses. Even greater disparity exists in the restaurant industry, where local restaurants recirculated 79% of their revenues locally compared to 30% of chain eateries. So when you are out shopping and you stop to eat at that mom and pop diner, almost 80% of what you spend gets re-spent locally.

There are three main ways that money spent locally flows back into the local economy. We call this the Multiplier Effect. The first type is what is called a Direct Impact. A Direct Impact is when a business makes a purchase from another local business in the form of inventory, supplies, services, employee wages, or utilities. The second type of impact is an Indirect Impact. This is when the dollars that local business spent at another local business get spent AGAIN in the local economy. The third type of multiplier is called Induced Impact. This is when those local people who were paid by the local business spend their money in the local economy.

SBA Shop SmallUnderstanding this flow is key to understanding why it is so imperative to shop locally and support small businesses this holiday season. Money has to flow through the economy to keep a community strong, and it flows best when it is spent locally. So this holiday season, I hope you join me in supporting your local Main Street!

(Submitted by Laura Fuller, County Extension Educator, Noble County & Buckeye Hills EERA)

Sustainable Tourism in Rural Communities — After the Energy Boom

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What do we know about tourism in rural communities?

In many rural communities, tourism is a major sector of economic activity. It is in a strategic position to make a positive contribution to the sustainable development of rural communities and serve as a successful community development model. But how do we get at that benefit?

How can tourism progress in a sustainable way as a tool of development?

This question may seem to have an easy answer but can be challenging to resolve. This is especially apparent in Eastern Ohio. A recent influx of energy development in Eastern Appalachian Ohio has increased occupancy of hotels. In addition to the 95% occupancy rate, developers have built new hotels. This creates another question, how to maintain and sustain the tourism industry in rural Ohio?

Bed TaxA case study was conducted of a county in Eastern Appalachian Ohio with a population of 42,000. In this community where 13 hotels are located, five have been built in the past three years. With the increased capacity and occupancy of hotels has come an increase in the bed tax. This year a decline has begun in the bed tax due in large part to the reduction in energy exploration.

 

What is this community doing to sustain tourism now that there is a drop in revenue?

  1. Developed a long term plan for sustainability
  2. Prioritized and narrowed focus of two achievable goals
  3. Developed steps with an action plan to achieve the goals

If you would like more information about this or other related research, please contact Cynthia Bond at bond.227@osu.edu.

(Submitted by Cynthia Bond, Assistant Professor and County Extension Educator, Guernsey County & Crossroads EERA)