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

Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative Program Evaluation
U.S. Small Business Administration
Start Date: Oct 2019 — End Date: Sep 2020

CREC and Optimal Solutions Group are providing program evaluation services to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Performance Management on its Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative. SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) Initiative was launched in September 2010, with funding now provided to 14 industry clusters across the country focused on geospatial technology products, water technologies, […]

Assessing and Evaluating the Defense Industry Resiliency Program (IRP)
Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA)
Start Date: Nov 2015 — End Date: Jun 2020

CREC and EntreWorks Consulting are providing technical assistance for the OEA by assessing and evaluating the design and effects of OEA’s Defense Industry Resiliency Program (IRP) and the assistance that its grantees provide to defense-dependent communities, workers, and businesses.  CREC and EntreWorks works closely with OEA management and personnel to conduct a comprehensive effort that […]

ARC Entrepreneurial Benchmark Update 2018-2020
Appalachian Regional Commission
Start Date: Oct 2018 — End Date: Jun 2020

CREC, working with EntreWorks Consulting, is continuing our work in promoting entrepreneurial efforts in the Appalachian Region by maintaining a database of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, updating research on the region’s economic dynamism, and maintaining a web presence at http://arceco.creconline.org for the entrepreneurial directory and the entrepreneurial index (updated through 2017).

ARC Entrepreneurial Benchmark Update 2018-2020
EntreWorks Consulting
Start Date: Dec 2018 — End Date: Jan 2020

CREC, working with EntreWorks Consulting, is continuing our work in promoting entrepreneurial efforts in the Appalachian Region by maintaining a database of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, updating research on the region’s economic dynamism, and maintaining a web presence at http://arceco.creconline.org for the entrepreneurial directory and the entrepreneurial index (updated through 2017).

Assist BrightHive with WIN Apprenticeship Data Platform
BrightHive, Inc.
Start Date: Aug 2019 — End Date: Jan 2020

Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan (WIN)/Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA) has entered into a contract with BrightHive to build an apprenticeship data platform to support connecting employers with performance-based objectives (PBOs), competency frameworks and models, and other skills outlines and to help employers create competence-based apprenticeships through integration with and subsequent use by one […]
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