Technical Assistance

Our technical assistance aids policymakers and workforce development staff to better implement innovation and job-creation strategies by:

• Understanding the economic forces affecting regions and states
• Helping local leaders formulate knowledge-based strategies
• Developing transformational models that support knowledge-driven economic prosperity

Building On the Knowledge Economy

The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) uses information and data to create resources and toolkits so that state and national policymakers can evaluate, shape, and implement effective and state- and region-specific programs that promote economic development efforts.

Many of our technical-assistance efforts are aimed at: federal agencies, regional and state offices, private nonprofits, educational institutions, and sub-state regional coalitions.

While our primary area of policy expertise relates to economic development, workforce development, and education, our network extends beyond these policy areas through the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) into a variety of fields ranging from health care, criminal justice and housing, and demographics to transportation.

Related Projects

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Management Review Report
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Start Date: May 2015 — End Date: Jan 2016

CREC provided a management review of WEDC and recommended changes to its strategic focus and internal processes.  CREC conducted a series of interviews, focus groups, and in-depth reviews of the organization’s operating procedures, performance indicators, and prior legislative audits. The team assessed whether WEDC’s existing efforts aligned with its strategic mission, examined its management structure […]

Business Incentives Policy & Practice Initiative
Pew Charitable Trusts
Start Date: Nov 2013 — End Date: Sep 2015

The Business Incentives Policy and Practice Initiative is a joint project of the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness. This 18-month program engages forward-thinking leaders at the state level to reform economic development incentive policies and practices. Teams of economic development policymakers and practitioners from six states will improve those states’ ability to collect and report results from incentive investments and, as a result, develop national standards and best practices that can become road maps for other states.

Development District Association of Appalachia Strategic Planning Retreat
Development District Association of Appalachia
Start Date: Jan 2015 — End Date: Aug 2015

The Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) strengthens the capacity of the region’s LDDs and member governments as local partners to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in its federal-state-local partnership.  DDAA is an important stakeholder in implementing ARC’s strategic plan.  CREC assisted in implementing a strategic planning process, including managing a Board retreat in August […]

Labor Market Information Training and Support for Workforce Staff
Arizona Commerce Authority
Start Date: May 2013 — End Date: Jun 2015

Working with the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) Workforce Division, the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) assisted in the acquisition of a real time job openings database, delivered training and technical assistants to participating Workforce Investment Boards and other partners on labor market information and analysis, provided periodic industry and occupation customer reports, and provided staff training to ACA research staff.

Enhancing User Access to Available Labor Market Information
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Start Date: Apr 2014 — End Date: May 2015

This research sought to catalogue the current state of practice in intra-state data sharing (data sharing among stakeholders within a state). It was also designed to recognize and catalyze efforts that try to balance the data confidentiality needs of individuals and employer taxpayers with the important role employment and wage data could play in strengthening policymakers’ statistical and program evaluation activities.