Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Can arts drive rural economic development? This is a question that I continue to ask myself as I expand Developing the Creative Economy (DCE) that will be presented next in Greenville, IL on February 2, 2017. As some of you are aware, the DCE program is based in part on the work...

Recently Norman Walzer and Jessica Sandoval from the Center for Government Studies at Northern Illinois University in consultation with David Ivan from Michigan State University and Greg Wise from the University of Wisconsin-Extension published a paper on the Emergence and Growth of Community...

Farmington recently participated in a North Central Regional Center for Rural Development study exploring factors related to a community's success in creating a resilient and vibrant downtown. This project will provide local economic development and business leaders with information to support...

How important is it for college grads to return to rural communities? The other day I was looking for some information on the impact that increasing educational attainment levels have on a community. Rural communities are having difficulties retaining and attracting youth and I wanted to be able to...

Assessing Downtown Canton report represents a collaborative effort between Canton Main Street, Uni­versity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Extension. The assessment was conducted in the sum­mer of 2014 to provide...

When first-year Master of Urban Planning student Marcia Klopf began her search for a master's capstone project, she was looking for a project which would combine her interests in historic preservation and urban design. Through Kathie Brown, a University of Illinois Extension Educator for Community...

I have been teaching the subject of 'how to finance a small business' since 1987 and things have changed a bit over the years especially with the internet. This "free" eBook STARTUP WISDOM – 27 Strategies for...

Alton Illinois is moving along with its plans to build a creative economy. Check out their video published on YouTube August 16th and learn more about the process. Sara McGibany, Executive Director of Alton's MainStreet gives you an overview of their progress. Alton Main Street-Creative...

Photo is courtesy of Bella Luna Bakery in Rockford, IL The following information for women business owners was taken from the North Dakota State University Extension Service – Community & Leadership Development newsletter at https://www.ag.ndsu....

In May, I traveled up to Rockford, Illinois to visit family. While I was there I was invited by past clients and students from my Creating the Creative Business class to stop downtown and check out some of their new and/or expanding creative businesses. I honestly was not prepared for the...