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Big Messaging for Small Towns
Thursday, January 21 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
We know marketing is not a one size fit all communities phenomenon. Small towns and rural communities all around the nation offer a unique story to live and work in their communities. To showcase those businesses, entertainment options, and endless economic potential, learn how to complement your existing efforts through newly proven best practices for marketing and attraction for your hidden gem of a community.
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The New Downtown
Thursday, February 18 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Downtowns today look very different from a year ago. Some changes are temporary, while others may prove more lasting. How has your community adapted and what are some changes that you might want to keep? Join our discussion on how downtowns have weathered the past year and how some communities are planning for the future.

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Entrepreneurship via ESO's
Thursday, March 18 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
From budding entrepreneurs to seasoned business owners, entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) provide the foundations and resources that new and growing businesses need. This webinar will feature incubators and accelertor programs that have generated entrepreneurial growth through ESO collaboratives.

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Riding the Green Wave
Thursday, April 15 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
According to a recent study, the U.S. green economy is worth roughly $1.3 trillion and employs 4% of the working population. In the past five years, climate change driven weather disasters have cost the U.S. $500 billion -- excluding this year. These numbers clearly and definitively point to the need for every community to have a 'green jobs' plan. How will your community both address and harness the powers surrounding the green economy? Join the discussion on how some communities are paving the way for leading energy innovated job creation.

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Online Attraction for Shrinking Budgets
Thursday, May 20 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Online visibility and presence is more important now than ever; businesses, investors, visitors, and potential residents rely on accurate and user-friendly information found online to make important decisions. With tight marketing budgets and shrinking organizational funds, how do you maximize online presence to promote your community? Join this webinar for afforadable online marketing tactics and to ensure your online presence is in tip-top shape.

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Recreation Nation
Thursday, June 17 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
From sports parks to new trail connections, communities across the U.S. are making it easier and more attractive to get outdoors. Accounting for 2.1 percent of the GDP in 2019 (more impressive in dollars -- about $459 billion), the outdoor recreation economy is a major driver of growth and jobs. This webinar will discuss how to attract investment, boost downtown amenities, and increase recreation-related economic opportunities.

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On Talent Attraction
Thursday, July 15 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
The definition of going to work has turned into working from home and working remotely. Communities around the country--and world--have created incentive programs to promote talent attration and retention to top tier rural communities. Is your community looking to bring in remote workers? Find out how some communities have been able to revitalize their workforce through talent attraction.

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It's Time to Update Your Strategic Plan
Thursday, August 19 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
2020 brought massive disruption caused by public health, economic, and social justice events of historic proportions. These events have created a sense of urgency to foster change; how can we capture the call to action in our strategic plans? Join our discussion as we focus on the intracasies of strategic planning through the lens of incorporating new and potentially conflicting interests. From new ideas to new voices in the discussion, strategic planning in economic development may never be the same again.

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Redoing Retail Spaces & Places
Thursday, September 16 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Even before 2020, retail spaces new and old have struggled to maintain occupancy. Communities large and small have tackled the issue of what to do with unused spaces and places, with some interesting results. Join us in our discussion on 'redoing' retail spaces and places and jumpstart your plan to revive and re-energize your unused real estate.

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Extreme Makeover, #EconDev Edition
Thursday, October 21 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
New year, new makeover! Is your community looking for inventive ways to freshen up your brand? A community persona is shaped through social media, storytelling, and mixed multimedia platforms that speaks to your community's identity. Discover ways to incorporate all the things your community is known for into a succinct yet on-the-nose rebranding for your town or city.

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Getting to the Bottom (line) of Funding
Thursday, November 18 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Everyone is feeling the budget pinch these days. Funding in the current and next few years are likely to remain scarce. By tapping into multiple funding streams, such as private, federal and foundation resources, economic development organizations may fair better in leaner times. Tune in to hear best practices in multi-layered funding approaches to economic development.

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Stronger Together: Partnership & Collaboration
Thursday, December 9 | 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ET
You can't do it alone -- that much is certain, and reinforced by everything we've been through in the last several months. Public-Private-Partnerships have proven successful many times, but they can go wrong, too. In this webinar, we'll talk about what you can do to promote partnerships and collaborations with your private - or public - partners, including do's and don't's to help make sure yours is a success.

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