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THE REFUGEE EFFECT

In September 2019, President Trump issued an executive order allowing local officials to decide whether their regions should continue accepting resettled refugees. Yet despite fears of rising opposition to refugee resettlements, local county boards in some places, such as Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks, North Dakota, voted to continue the practice with little fanfare. North… Continue reading THE REFUGEE EFFECT

What is rural?

Rural adjective, of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture. Given the diverse perspectives on rural places, it is not surprising that the U.S. government does not have a standard definition of rural. From a policy perspective, rural is defined as the area not otherwise classified. The federal government prescribes how… Continue reading What is rural?

Not Everyone Wants to Be an Angel – Especially in the Heartland

Angel investment is an important element for many early-stage startups to grow. In an earlier blog entry with my collaborators at Heartland Forward, we noted the uneven playing field in terms of startup investment capital between the Heartland and non-Heartland states. We also observed a worrying trend of startup investment capital skewing toward later-stage companies,… Continue reading Not Everyone Wants to Be an Angel – Especially in the Heartland

Briefing: Manufacturing in the Heartland by Business Forward

On April 1, Business Forward hosted a briefing on manufacturing in the Heartland. White House Associate Director of Public Engagement Will McIntee joined for introductory remarks on how the Biden Administration’s American Jobs Plan will impact the Heartland. After these remarks, Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio moderated a discussion between CEO of Heartland Forward… Continue reading Briefing: Manufacturing in the Heartland by Business Forward

Reshoring America: Where to start?

Reshoring of production activities to the U.S. presents an economic opportunity, particularly for the Heartland. Economic development professionals and policymakers can use import substitution and supply chain gap analysis to identify industries for which reshoring is appropriate.