Community and Economic Development Extension Educators prepare communities to thrive and grow in a highly competitive environment. Our educators help communities identify strategies to create and retain local business.

• Developing Resilient Downtowns: Provides a variety of learning experiences which inform successful downtown business development initiatives, and creates learning partnerships with public and private organizations.
• Small Business Education: Helps business owners and managers identify and use new tools, technologies and strategies to improve business performance.
• On the Front Line for Customer Service: Provides information and skill development for improved customer service.
• Downtown Business and Market Analysis: Designed to help local business leaders, entrepreneurs, developers and economic development professionals understand the changing marketplace and identify realistic business opportunities.
• Building Entrepreneurial Communities Blog: Strategies for Strengthening Local Economies
• International Trade for Business Development: Gathers experts from state and federal agencies to teach business owners and managers about the international trade process. Business owners prepare to compete worldwide to benefit the local economy.
• More Resources for Building Entrepreneurial Communities: This resource is a tool for rural community leaders in western Illinois and across the state. It is a place for us to share what we have learned about creating entrepreneurial communities and to celebrate what the pilot communities in western Illinois have accomplished in the past.