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Asset Based Collaborative Strategies for Rural Community Economic Development

Cooperative Extension Conference “Connections and Engagement”

October 19-21, 2010Madison, Wisconsin

Laura Brown, Dan Kuzlik, and Bill Pinkovitz

– Welcome– What is asset based economic development? – Tools for knowing our assets – Examples on the ground:

• Multicounty rural transportation system• Inventors and Entrepreneurs Clubs• Community Funds

– Questions and sharing

What to expect

What is economic development?

“The process of retaining, expanding, and attracting jobs, income and wealth in a

manner that improves individual economic opportunities and the quality of human life.”

– Entrepreneurship – Business retention– Workforce development– Transportation– Housing– Leadership development– Financial planning– Youth development

Economic development touches many aspects of the community

The Schaffer Star and Progress Triangle

DECISION-MAKING“WHAT WE DO”

SOCIETY“WHO”

RESOURCESMARKETS

SPACE

INSTITUTIONS/RULES“HOW”

Visible

Invisible

Schaffer, Ron, Steven Deller, and Dave Marcouiller. (2004) Community Economics Linking Theory and Practice. Blackwell, Ames, Iowa.

The Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) considers local assets as the primary building blocks of sustainable community development.

ABCD builds upon existing community strengths to build stronger, more sustainable communities for the future.

http://www.abcdinstitute.org/about/staff/

http://www.abcdinstitute.org/about/staff/

ABCD – John McKnight

Asset Based Community Development

INDIVDUALSYouth Elderly Artists

People with Disabilities

ASSSOCIATIONSChurches

Block ClubsCultural Orgs

INSTITUTIONSBusinesses

SchoolsParks

CollegesHospitals

http://www.htccommunity.org/

HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC) is a comprehensive approach to long-term rural community sustainability that focuses on:

1. Building Local Leadership2. Expanding Community Philanthropy3. Energizing Entrepreneurship4. Engaging Youth and Young People

http://www.htccommunity.org/

There are existing and potential competitive advantages of inner cities that can support viable

businesses and jobs. The inner city can only prosper if it is integrated into the regional and national economy. Inner city distress is as much an economic as a social

problem.

http://www.isc.hbs.edu/econ-innercities.htm


http://www.isc.hbs.edu/econ-innercities.htmhttp://www.soc.iastate.edu/staff/cflora/ncrcrd/capitals.html


http://www.soc.iastate.edu/staff/cflora/ncrcrd/capitals.html

http://www.thechicagocouncil.org

Most people think of the rural Midwest as one big farm.

Yet industry and manufacturing have always been a key part of the rural Midwest economy.

In fact, today more smokestacks than silos dot the rural landscape.

http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/

Tools for assessing assets

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOWCommunity, Customers, Potential Customers, Visitors, Potential Visitors, Residents, New Residents, Workers, Labor Force, Commuters, Congregation, Students, Constituents….

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOWThe people who live and work in your community, and the people who visit your community.

It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble.

It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Mark Twain

“I’ve lived here all my life and I know what this town needs”

“I’ve lived here all my life and I know what this town needs”

“Nuthin ever changes around here”

“We just moved here from the Twin Citiesand we know just what this town needs”

Using secondary data to identify assets, opportunities and changes within your community AND Focus discussion on real issues.

He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts

for support rather than illumination

Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

Lafayette County, Wi (pop. 16,419)

Between 1960 and 2000 the population of Lafayette County declined by -11 percent

During the same period, the State’s Population grew by 36 percent.

http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt

http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt

Lafayette County, WiThe Wisconsin DOA estimates that between 2000 and 2035, Lafayette County’s population will increase by 3.4 percent (≈15 per year)

Wisconsin’s population is projected to increase by 24 percent during the same period

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/


Lafayette County, Wi

Between 2000 and 2035 Lafayette County is projected to lose a net of -775 residents through out-migration (≈22 per year)




a) 12

b) 123

c) 413

d) 758

The County is projected to lose an average of -22 people per year through out-migration between 2000 and 2035.

How many people moved into Lafayette County between 2007 and 2008?


a) 12

b) 123

c) 413

d) 758 (5 percent)

The County is projected to lose an average of -22 people per year through out-migration between 2000 and 2035.

How many people move into Lafayette County between 2007 and 2008?

Lafayette County, Wi758 people may not sound like many, but

Lafayette County, Wi758 people may not sound like many, but

in ten years that’s equal to almost half of the county’s estimated 2010 population of 16,149.

Shullsburg, WI

642 Shullsburg residents were employed in 2008.

What percentage of worked outside of Lafayette County?

a) about 1/3

b) Almost 1/2

c) 59%

d) About 70%

http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/


Shullsburg, WI

720 Shullsburg residents were employed in 2008.

What percentage of worked outside of Lafayette County?

a) about 1/3

b) Almost 1/2

c) 59%

d) about 70%

a) 67 percent

b) about half

c) 1/3

d) less than 1/4

Shullsburg, Wi

What percentage of the 268 people working in Shullsburg in 2008 lived outside of the county?

Shullsburg, Wi

437 employed Shullsburg residents worked outside of Lafayette County in 2008.


5,329 employed Lafayette County residents worked outside of Lafayette County in 2008.

According to the BEA, Lafayette County residents working outside the county earned $143 million in 2008.

http://bea.gov/regional/reis/drill.cfm

http://bea.gov/regional/reis/drill.cfm


1,318 people worked in Lafayette County in 2008, but lived outside the county.

They earned $27 million in 2008.

Lafayette County

In what percentage of the Lafayette County families with children under 18 and both mother and father present in the home do both mom and dad work?

a) 59%

b) 66%

c) 81%

http://factfinder.census.gov

http://factfinder.census.gov/

Shullsburg, WI

There are more married couple households with children than single person households in Shullsburg, WI

a) Trueb) False

Shullsburg, WI

There are more married couple households with children than single person households in Shullsburg, WI

a) Trueb) False

Shullsburg Lafayette Co.

Married couples w/ child < 18 yrs

112 1676

Single person HH 178 1586

http://www.census.gov/econ/susb/

Lafayette, County

In 2006 there were 346 businesses with employees in Lafayette County.

During the previous twelve months 59 businesses with employees either were “born” or “died”.



Lafayette, County

In 2006 there were 346 businesses with employees in Lafayette County.

During the previous twelve months 59 businesses with employees either were “born” or “died”

59 businesses in one year may not sound like many, but in 5 years, that is equivalent to 85% of the businesses in the county


Interesting, but, SO WHAT?

• 758 people moved into Lafayette County between 2007 and 2008

• 613 moved out of the county during the same period

• 71% of employed county residents work outside the county

• 38% of the people working in the county, live outside the county

Interesting, but, SO WHAT?

• County residents working in the county earned $143 million in 2008

• Both parents are employed in 81% of the married couple families with children under the age of 18

• There are more single person households than married couples with children

• 59 businesses appeared or disappeared from the employment rolls in 2006

The Schaffer Star and Progress Triangle

DECISION-MAKING“WHAT WE DO”

SOCIETY“WHO”

RESOURCESMARKETS

SPACE

INSTITUTIONS/RULES“HOW”

Visible

Invisible

Appreciative Inquiry

Problem Solving“Felt Need”

Identification of ProblemAnalysis of Causes

Analysis of Possible SolutionsAction Planning

(Treatment)BASIC ASSUMPTION:

AN ORGANIZATION IS A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

Appreciative InquiryAppreciation and Valuing

The Best of “What Is”Envisioning “What Might Be”Dialoguing “What Should Be”

Innovating “What Will Be”BASIC ASSUMPTION:

AN ORGANIZATION IS A MYSTERY TO BE EMBRACED

Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry– Focus on the Positive

Assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry• In every society, organization, or group, something works.• What we focus on becomes our reality.• Reality is created in the moment, and there are multiple realities.• The act of asking questions of an organization or group influences

the group in some way.• People have more confidence and comfort to journey to the future

(the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known).

• If we carry parts of the past forward, they should be what is best about the past.

• It is important to value differences.• The language we use creates our reality.

Appreciative Inquiry in Action

• Crawford County Tourism Assessment

Asset mapping to mobilize local leaders

Asset Mapping

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Documents

single person households

married couple households

lafayette county families

father present

schaffer star

progress triangledecision

lafayette county

withe county