Grants offer the allure of free money, but we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch. In this episode, Jason outlines several reasons why grants are great, but he also outlines several pitfalls of the grant process. If there is a grant opportunity, please do the following:  Make a conscious go-no go decision (make sure the benefits outway the costs) Fully understand the reporting period, deadlines, and any criteria that might increase costs to your project Appoint someone as lead for grant writing and someone as lead for grant reporting 

DT #404: About That Grant

Explore topics related to transformational community leadership including economic development, non-profit engagement, organizational management, and policy development.  It's a candid conversation with veterans of the economic development profession along with inspiring interviews of today's thought leaders.

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In this episode, Dennis is joined by Suzanne Dale Estey, Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Association. Dennis and Suzanne preview the 2024 IEDC Future Forum and talk all things Washington State. The 2024 Economic Future Forum will be held in Spokane, Washington, on June 16-18 The 2024 Future Forum will explore 'Transformational Economic Development' and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Expo '74, Spokane's community-changing World Fair mega-event. Discover how Spokane's innovative businesses, events, projects, technologies, and workforce talent have revolutionized communities for the better. A sample of the Future Forum programs  Unlocking Inclusive Energy Opportunities Community Buy-In, Circular Economy, and Zero Waste Strategies Putting CHIPS Act Dollars to Work Cultural Vibrancy & Creative Entrepreneurship The Community Placemaking Roundtable The Interdisciplinary Think-tank Breaking Down Creative Economy Data AI's Influence on the Modern Workforce Local Libraries as Entrepreneurship Incubators Conservation, Ecotourism, and Rural Prosperity Reactivating Art in Your Community  Explore the 'Capital of the Intermountain Northwest,' with a diverse economy serving nearly 2 million people. The area boasts a thriving labor market and is a hub for healthcare, transportation, clean energy, education, and recreation. Learn how Spokane balances population growth, conservation, and innovative industries while still maintaining a flourishing downtown where more than half of the buildings are on the Historic Register. Discover how Spokane became the smallest city ever to host the World's Fair and the first to present an environmentally-themed exhibition in 1972.  

DT #498 IEDC 2024 Future Forum Preview with Suzanne Dale Estey

In this episode, Dennis is joined by Mark Perna, who discusses leadership and how to develop your leadership style.  Leadership - the action of leading a group of people or an organization            Leadership is only evident when it’s poor Leadership is not one-size-fits-all There are many styles of leadership…Example servant leaders A servant leader shares power, puts the needs of the employees and organization first, and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible. Instead of the people working to serve the leader, the leader exists to serve the people Golden rule - one should treat others as one would like to be treated Would you want to work for you?  Be intellectually curious – Read-  Embrace new ideas and challenges Change your leadership style as needed Know what you don’t know – It’s okay that you don’t know everything Find a mentor - Develop a peer group Develop the strength of your convictions  Delegate – Hire good people and get out of their way Personal integrity – What do you do when no one is watching?   Embrace those with other opinions  Team of Rivals Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin  Be a thetic – Empathetic and Sympathetic  You can be in the same place and have a totally different experience  Laugh at yourself  "The knowledge of how little you can do alone teaches you humility." -Eleanor Roosevelt  

DT #497 Developing Your Leadership Style With Mark Perna

 In this episode, Dennis is joined by Kevin Dick, President and Chief Executive Officer Carolina Small Business Development Fund in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area. They discuss the importance of small businesses as part of the ecosystem of a community, region, and state.    The Carolina Small Business Development Fund is a not-for-profit organization of over 30 dedicated professionals with three focus areas - small business financial capital, small business technical assistance and growth, and policy research/development.  Since 2020, the organization has seen a dramatic increase in loan production and has provided loans, loan modifications, deferred payments, and grants to over 1,200 businesses throughout the State of NC. We have eclipsed the $102M mark in capital deployment dating back to when we began providing loans in 2010 and growing the number from $71M to $102M in three years. We have an outstanding team that is all in on equitable economic development and helping small businesses grow.   WE ARE TORCH BEARERS - Providing small business loans, training, and research to support entrepreneurs.   Our Story   Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit guided by the belief that when small businesses succeed, everyone benefits. When we first opened our doors in 1990 as the North Carolina Minority Support Center, we were providing technical assistance to financial institutions and entrepreneurs, and in our first 20 years of service to our state, we administered millions of dollars in grants to help address the needs of unserved and underserved people and communities.   When the financial crisis of 2008 threatened Main Street firms across our state and nation, our leadership knew that we were in the position to not only double down on our work serving underserved communities, but to expand our services as well. We ushered in a new era for our work in 2011, when we made our first loan to a North Carolina small business, and eventually became a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 2013. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic's economic aftershocks, we doubled down once again and expanded our services to ensure that our state's small businesses could succeed, and the communities they serve would benefit.    Since opening in 1990, we have met entrepreneurs at the crossroads of hardship and opportunity—and we will continue to light the way forward for whatever comes next   

DT #496 Carolina Small Business Development Fund with Kevin Dick

  Denisse Carter - Economic Development Administrator Doña Ana County Dennis is joined by Denisse Carter - Economic Development Administrator Doña Ana County, a newly minted Certified Economic Developer. Dennis and Denisse discuss the certification process and the benefits of becoming a Certified Economic Developer.   T The coursework for the CEcD certification program is divided into 2 categories: Core Competency and Elective Competency You must attend all 4 Core Competency training courses listed below • Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) • Business Retention & Expansion • Economic Development Credit Analysis • Real Estate Development & Reuse You must attend any 2 Elective Competency training courses listed below • Economic Development Finance Programs • Economic Development Marketing & Attraction • Economic Development Strategic Planning • Entrepreneurial & Small Business Development Strategies • Foreign Direct Investment & Exporting • Managing Economic Development Organizations • Neighborhood Development Strategies • Technology-Led Economic Development • Workforce Development Strategies • Introduction to Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development or Accelerating Growth Through Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development    Attend CEcD Exam Essentials Workshop  4 Submit the CEcD Exam Application & Fee $610  T The CEcD Exam is made up of 3 sections: Multiple Choice/Short Answer - The questions come directly from the training manuals for the 4 Core Competency courses and 2 Elective Competency courses, which are chosen by the candidate. Essay - This section requires the candidate to write responses to prompts related to Business Retention & Expansion, Economic Development Credit Analysis, and Real Estate Development & Reuse. The candidate will also need to select 2 additional prompts and respond to those as they see fit. Oral Interview - The candidate must pass both the Multiple Choice/Short Answer and Essay sections in order to move on to the Oral Interview. In this section, the candidate will be interviewed by a panel of current CEcDs. If the candidate passes this section, then they will be a newly minted CEcD with IEDC!  

DT #495 Becoming a Certified Economic Developer With Denisse Carter

In this episode, Dennis is joined by Trish Heidenreich, Founder/CEO of EDI Group -Economic Development Initiatives Group. Trish recently underwent a career change. Previously, she was the Director of Economic Development for the Town of Bel Air, MD. and now is a self-employed consultant and founder of the EDI Group. Trish and Dennis discuss career paths in economic development and finding your road to success. They also dive into Trish's time working in the world of Rock and Roll.   

DT #404: About That Grant

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