Helping Communities Shine

Whether researching and implementing ways to shape a community's economic development plan or partnering to create ways to put people to work, CREC connects researchers and policymakers with:

• Data training
• Custom portfolios that aid regional competitiveness

Project Profile

Small Business Supply Chain Opportunities in Northwest Pennsylvania

American Planning Association
Start Date: Oct 2013 — End Date: Sep 2014

In partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Entreworks Consulting, CREC conducted a comprehensive manufacturing supply chain analysis for Northwest Pennsylvania along with hosting matchmaking events designed to help local small businesses capture new supply chain opportunities in transportation equipment manufacturing and shale gas production industries. This project was part of the Obama Administration’s newly launched “Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership.” The IMCP program provides planning grants and investments to support the creation of economic development strategies that recognize the community’s comparative advantages as a place to do business, invest in public goods, and encourage collaboration between multiple different entities to expand the area’s commercial appeal to investors.

About the Client

American Planning Association

The American Planning Association (APA) is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. We measure our success by the successes of our members and the communities they serve.