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Rural Developer
e-Bulletin - Vol. 1 No. 6
Share
your news and accomplishments with fellow NREDA
members via the Rural Developer
e-Bulletin. Submit articles of interest, rural
development success stories, conference dates and
other information to Molly Lopez, NREDA executive
director, at director@nreda.org or Terry McConnell,
associate director, at staff@nreda.org.
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All That Knowledge In One
Place:
NREDA Annual Conference Agenda Primed
With Presentations from Rural
Leaders
Executive director of the Rural
Policy Research Institute. Administrator of USDA Rural
Utilities Service. Chairman of the board of Minnesota
Technology, Inc. The 2003 NREDA Annual Conference is not
short on educational sessions presented by leaders in the
field of rural development. It is a characteristic that has
come to be expected from the NREDA event, and one
that deserves consideration as members weigh their
decision to attend. "All that knowledge in one place is
very exciting," says Terry McConnell, associate director
for NREDA. "This is a prime, once a
year opportunity to brief yourself on leading rural
issues and trends, network with fellow members and come
away with fresh ideas that are applicable to your own
rural development or key account programs."
If
you need further convincing, just check out the
links below for full conference details including an
updated conference agenda.
>> Download
the 2003 NREDA Conference Agenda
>> The
Sanibel Harbour Accommodations &
Attractions
>> NREDA Conference
Registration
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Deadline Approaches
for NREDA Promotional
Materials Awards
June 20th is
the deadline for entries in the NREDA Promotional Materials
Awards Competition. The goal of the competition is to
recognize quality marketing materials used by NREDA members in
promoting economic development efforts - and to share ideas
and materials with other NREDA members. All entries will
be displayed and awards will be presented at the NREDA 2003
Annual Conference. Winning entries will receive certificates
and ribbons and will be recognized during the
conference. To enter your work in the 2003 competition,
download entry
forms and competition guidelines.
Nominations Due for Leadership
Awards
Leadership and service define
the attributes of two individuals honored each year at the
NREDA Annual Conference with two prestigious
awards:
Economic Developer of the
Year: Recognizes an economic development
professional whose work is critical to the tasks accomplished
by their organization and their individual contribution and
leadership. Successful nominees should demonstrate a
significant and measurable contribution to ED projects in
their area.
Rural Leadership
Award: Recognizes an individual who has
demonstrated unique innovation and outstanding leadership on
the job and in their service area, resulting in the
improvement of the quality of life, creation of new jobs and
opportunity for growth and development in rural America.
Nominations are due by June
20th. Use the attached Service
Awards form and return it to NREDA by June 20, 2003.
Sign Up Form for Pre-Conference
Networking Outings
Network with fellow
NREDA members - and have a little fun - during two
pre-conference outings. Sign
up forms for both outings should be filled out and
submitted to NREDA. For golfers of all skill levels, the
NREDA Golf Outing takes place Saturday,
September 6 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Crown
Colony Golf and Country Club. Club rental is limited so
golfers are urged to bring their own clubs. From 2
p.m. to 5 p.m., climb aboard for Back Bay Fishing
along the back waters of Pine Island Sound. All
fishing equipment is provided.
Get
in Front of Rural Development Leaders
Put your organization in front
of rural development movers and shakers at the NREDA Annual
Conference. For more information, download our sponsorship
commitment form or exhibitor
information
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Telecom Services Important to Rural
Youth
Three out of four young adults said
the availablity of advanced telecommunications services would
influence their decision on where to live and work. This
finding is the result of a survey titled "2002-2003 Rural
Youth Survey Shows Young Customers are a Smart Focus for Rural
Telecom Companies" released recently by the National
Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and the
Foundation for Rural Service. "The youth market has embraced
both wireless and wireline technologies at rates far ahead of
their adult counterparts, making young people the 'early
adopters' of the telecom industry," the survey said. "When
developing new products and marketing campaigns, telecom
providers need to get into the minds of these forward-thinking
telecom consumers and plan based on their buying patterns and
usage trends."
Green Power Grows Among Co-ops
As of
2002, nearly 100 electric cooperatives offered a green power
choice. While the market for green energy is still young, some
key accounts would be willing to pay more for green power.
According to a study by E-Source, the three types of companies
most likely to choose green power: 1) Companies with
environmentally-minded customers; 2) companies with
well-defined environmental policies; and 3) businesses with a
potential for energy-efficient projects. For a map and details
about electric cooperatives offering green power choices, view
this PowerPoint
document.
Women Entrepreneurs
On The Rise
According to the Center for
Women's Business Research, women entrepreneurs are an
increasingly important part of our national economy.
Women-owned businesses are growing at twice the rate of all
firms in the U.S. The U.S. Small Business Administration and
the Department of Labor have recently launched a Web site
devoted to the cause of women entrepreneurs and small business
owners. The Women
of the 21st Century site provides information on federal
government resources that can help entrepreneurs.
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Deadline Extended for USDA Renewable Energy
Program
The deadline to apply for
funding under the USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service's
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements
Program is extended to June 27, 2003. Full program details are
available in the April/May issue of the
Update at Cooperative.com. Cooperatives qualify as rural
small businesses under the program guidelines. Applications
are available from your state USDA Rural Development office.
Nonprofit Resources
Online
Two online resources, TechSoup
and Gifts in Kind, offer a wide variety of tools to help
nonprofit organizations stretch tight budgets. TechSoup is a comprehensive source of
technology information for nonprofit organizations. Gifts in Kind provides an
effective conduit for the donation of products, goods and
services from the private sector to the charitable
sector.
Guide to Federal
Funding
Available
If you're looking for a
comprehensive resource to federal funding
opportunities, you need Federal
Assistance At-A-Glance. The guide details programs,
funding, eligibility and application information and is a must
for serious rural developers.
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 | Executive Director - Ellis County Coalition for
Economic Development, Hays, KS: Executive
director will lead business recruitment and retention, new
business development and assist with other development
activities in Ellis County, KS, population 27,507. Salary
range: $55,000-$75,000. Send cover letter, resume and five
references to: Search Committee, Ellis County Coalition, 1301
Pine Street, PO Box 220, Hays, KS 67601. For more information,
visit www.discoverhays.com
or contact Mark Bannister (785) 628-5676. Review of
candidates will begin July 1, 2003.
Executive
Director - Rockwall Economic Development Corporation,
Rockwall, TX: Candidates should possess strong
marketing, salesmanship, organizational and leadership skills;
track record of working with prospects, deal negotiations and
site location assistance; knowledge of financial and tax
incentives; experience with successful business retention and
expansion programs; and the ability to develop positive
relationships with community groups, media and public, state
and federal agencies. Salary: $80,000+. Resumes due no later
than July 11, 2003. Send information to: Johnson &
Associates, Rockwall Search, 8308 Tecumseh Drive, Austin, TX
78753-57445. More information is available at www.rockwalledc.com.
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June 20-24 - Pittsburg, PA
National
Association of Regional Councils Annual
Conference
July 9-10 -Atlanta, GA
WildBlue
Business Opportunity Meeting
July 13-16 -
Reno, NV
NRECA
Marketing & Member Services
Conference
July 19-23 - Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY
2003
Community Development Society
Conference
July 21-25
Upper
Midwest Economic Development Course
July
29-August 1, Morgantown, WV
Protecting
Public Health: Water and Wastewater Solutions for a New
Era
August 3-5 - Mankato, MN
Minnesota
Rural Summit 2003: Designing Game
Plans
September 6-9 - Ft. Myers,
FL
2003
NREDA Conference
September 14-17 - Cincinnati,
OH
IEDC
Annual Conference: Advancing Economic Development in the 21st
Century
October 19-22 - Orange Beach,
AL
Alabama
Association of Regional Councils Training
Conference
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Smart Grants: Are You Fishing or
Feeding?
By Rebecca Ryan, Next
Generation Consulting
Our communities are excellent
at giving away fish: grants to small businesses; tax breaks to
IT companies; special loan programs for women and minorities.
These programs, though well intended, fall short of achieving
the success they should. In lean times, we need Smart
Grants. <READ
MORE>
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