Data drive business decisions as never before. Economic developers can become trusted providers of this data when it is relevant, accurate, detailed and current. Supported by the Site Selectors Guild, the Economic Development Research Partners' latest paper provides detailed instructions for achieving this goal. The paper explains how economic developers can use new and free sources of information and analytic tools to present the quality data that corporate decision-makers expect, while addressing gaps in the data that can hinder business attraction efforts.

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Readers will gain a thorough knowledge of business stages and how to provide support and financial resources addressed specifically to their needs The manual will help participants develop a deep appreciation for the unique needs and challenges of minority and women owned businesses, and the benefits of building ecosystems in communities of color. Readers will also learn to appreciate the role of legislators and policy makers, how storytelling can influence stakeholders, and a deeper understanding of rural cultures.

Manual highlights:

• Overview of the types and stages of businesses, and how to serve their different needs
• Evaluate when companies need funding, the types of funding, and where to find it
• Assist entrepreneurs in creating sustainable growth, and preparing them for potential crises
• Establishing entrepreneurial ecosystems in communities of color and understanding the reality of challenges faced by minority, women, and LGBT owned companies.
• Understanding the unique issues in developing entrepreneurs in rural areas
• Learn how to communicate with decision-makers about the benefits of ELED
• The art of storytelling and how to tell your story

Growth-oriented companies go by various names and definitions. But whether they are startups or established firms, with steady or fast growth, each has expansion in its sights. This paper follows up on IEDC’s 2011 publication, “Unlocking Entrepreneurship,” to explore approaches that economic developers can use to boost the growth potential of job-generating companies. It defines the characteristics of growth-oriented companies and how to identify them, then profiles nine tools and strategies commonly in practice today for accelerating firm expansion. Broken out by different stages of company growth, the strategies aim to aid expansion primarily through access to expertise, funding, competitive intelligence or connections.

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Business retention and expansion (BRE) is a core practice of economic development, but its execution has evolved considerably in recent years. Reliance on surveying and periodic outreach continues, but where changes are most being seen is in a variety of new value-added models to address business needs. To understand what BRE looks like today, IEDC's in-house think tank, the Economic Development Research Partners, conducted a survey to determine how economic developers are delivering growth-enabling services to local businesses and demonstrating value to stakeholders. The paper presents the results of the survey, modern best practices, how EDOs are measuring the value of the programs, case studies of impactful programs, and recommendations for how to make the most of expansion and retention achievements.

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines brownfields as ""real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant"". These problem properties are not uncommon: according to the General Accounting Office (GAO), there are close to 450,000 brownfields in the United States alone. Another study puts the number of brownfields much higher, between 500,000 - 600,000 sites in the country.

The focus in this manual is on the less contaminated sites that are the vast majority of brownfields. The most severely contaminated sites from around the country have been categorized by EPA and placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). There are roughly 1,200 sites on this Superfund list.

After reading this manual you will be familiar with:

- The most common toxins found at brownfield sites;
- State-of-the-art methods to eliminate these toxins;
- Different financing tools for brownfields redevelopment;
- The process for involving the community in cleaning up brownfields and placing them back in productive use; and,
- Strategies for sustainable development of brownfields.

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The manual offers comprehensive guidance on creating, managing, and evaluating Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) programs. It delves into key aspects such as SWOT analysis, customer outreach, workforce development, and mergers and acquisitions as BRE strategies.

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Communities agree that supporting local businesses is crucial to local and regional economic vitality. The means to that end can be hotly contested though - how policies are enacted and implemented, who benefits from the policies, what types of resources are used, and others. As the practice of economic development has evolved and become more nuanced – more scientific, data driven, results-oriented, specialized and broader – it has also come under increased scrutiny from stakeholders including elected officials, media, academia, and even some special interest groups.

The Championing Economic Development paper examines the reasons for skepticism and provides recommendations for economic development professionals on how to address these issues both internally and externally. The accompanying handy, easy-to-use toolkit is a one-stop resource for economic developers to champion their efforts and educate all stakeholders on the work they do, why they do it, and how they do it.

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America's infrastructure has historically been an important contributor to this country's economic vitality. Businesses of every size and industry rely on highways, water, electricity, and the internet; the pipes, roads, and bridges that provide these services are crucial to creating jobs and generating tax revenues that build healthy, vibrant communities. Yet, today, the U.S. infrastructure system faces a raft of challenges, from unsustainable financing and deferred maintenance, to technological change, security risks, and new environmental rules.

This report discusses how economic developers can advocate for infrastructure, participate meaningfully in planning processes, and advance innovative new forms of finance to overcome these challenges. With these tools, economic developers can help develop and maintain effective, efficient infrastructure that delivers economic prosperity for workers, businesses, and communities.

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The manual serves as a valuable resource for individuals involved in economic development, business financing, and credit analysis. It aims to equip practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary to assess businesses, evaluate financial viability, and facilitate access to capital. By exploring fundamental concepts like liquidity ratios, working capital, and debt coverage, the manual empowers readers to make informed decisions in supporting economic growth and entrepreneurship.

**Please note that orders that are submitted on weekends or holidays will take an additional 1-2 days for processing and shipping. Reach out to Wilson Soares at [email protected] with questions regarding your order status.

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As the impacts of climate change continue to grow, economic development organizations need to plan and act accordingly. This paper is an introduction to the topic, presenting baseline information that economic developers should have about climate trends and exploring the impacts of those trends on businesses, communities and economic development practice. EDOs can play key roles both in helping their communities mitigate disruptions and in preparing businesses to take advantage of the market as it adapts in response to climate change. The paper includes questions to help identify those risks and opportunities, as well as resources and case studies.