The Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, a local development district based in Venango County, focuses on nourishing small business development and entrepreneurship in business incubators owned by local governments. One of the region's resources is the nation's first "teaching factory," which provides job…

Schuykill County, Pennsylvania, has launched a coordinated community development effort with six areas of focus (economic development, education, infrastructure, quality of life, government, and private-sector leadership) and four overall goals: job creation, increased earnings, improved education, and lowered poverty rate. Interlinked projects…

Describes various programs in Appalachia that offer small loans and extensive technical assistance and training to entrepreneurs that operate microbusinesses (businesses with five or fewer employees). Discusses the potential of entrepreneurs and microbusinesses to stimulate economic development in small towns and rural areas such as Garrett…

The consistent economic growth of the Georgia community is the result of careful planning over a long period. Successful community development efforts have resulted in a new regional library, an airport, a vocational technical school, an industrial park, and increased industrialization. (SB)

Describes Tennessee Technology Foundation, a government-sponsored linking agent designed to assist new high-technology businesses. Describes foundation projects offering new high-tech businesses entrepreneurial assistance, administrative support, funding assistance, job networking, and institutional coordination services. Tells foundation…

In 1981, Jackson County, North Carolina, appeared on the first list of "distressed counties" in Appalachia. Since then, the rural county has made significant improvements by investing in its physical infrastructure (which also promotes tourism); fostering economic-development partnerships among governments, small businesses, and local…

Tennessee's Three-Star Program for Community Economic Preparedness helps rural communities sell themselves as desirable locations for industry. The program emphasizes community planning and improved quality of life; features include adult leadership programs, community action projects, after-school and extracurricular programs for children and…

Firms in the private sector utilize the resources of educational institutions to keep abreast of new technologies and to update employee training in those technologies, allowing them to remain competitive. Projects in Tennessee, New York and Ohio are examined, and methods of transferring appropriate technology to different communities are…

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency representing a unique partnership of federal, state, and local governments. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, the Commission is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chairperson. Grassroots participation is provided by…

Erie, Pennsylvania's Total Quality Management Institute has successfully applied total quality management concepts and techniques in businesses, a nonprofit hospital, and a school district as part of a long-term economic development plan. School district strategies have included distributing children's books to new parents, involving teachers in…

Community colleges in Appalachia are helping boost local economies and expand educational opportunities through the national Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI). At the heart of RCCI is a nine-step strategic planning process in which a community group moves from vision to action. Kentucky's Southeast Community College has promoted…

Examines the multiple roles of community colleges in Appalachia: providing education and training to local students who are economically or culturally place-bound, promoting economic development and entrepreneurship through training in advanced technology and business skills, and meeting local community needs for specific academic or vocational…