The West Central Texas Economic Development District will now best serve the region by expanding past roles, collecting and interpreting data to assist the region and our economic development partners with technical assistance and policy development. This shift will now bring new roles to the District by:
The District will also refocus to work with local Small Business Development Centers, incubators, micro-lenders, and venture capitalists and to provide financial assistance to area business, and aggressively pursue funding opportunities to alleviate concerns and stimulate economic development in emergent clusters
The data collection in this strategy is regional in focus, but also goes beyond current Economic Development Administration requirements to provide data on levels needed by individual counties. The level of data mining is in place to provide clear documentation of area strengths and challenges. To ascertain “real time” data, the District Board aggressively marketed a public participation survey utilizing social media to provide access to the region. It provided exceptional co-learning in that data and direction was provided for the survey and community participants were able to recognize specific challenges and strengths. Collectively the historic and current data was utilized in conjunction with public input to provide direction for the District’s growth and focus. Projects were prioritized based on public and Board input for effective strategic planning. Goals and objectives were planned based on the collection of data, public input, and strategic prioritizations by Board members. The Strengthening the Rural Economy Report from the Executive Office of the President Council of Economic Advisors’ challenges Districts to become regional innovation hubs. Hubs are to be designed to train, mentor and counsel small businesses in regional economic clusters to focus on exports, create renewable energy sources and to provide data services. The goals set forth in the WCTEDD strategy align perfectly with presidential aspirations.
This is an ambitious agenda for the District. Current District administrative funding levels do not support the current strategies in the CEDS. However, the new century is full of promise; hope and change require effective planning and dedicated, strenuous effort. Change within the District’s function is necessary to ensure that the Big Country region survives current and historic economic challenges and thrives so the outstanding quality of life and new economic prosperity in this vast area is vibrantly and enthusiastically passed to future generations
- creating a virtual database of local information,
- working with a Board of strategic planners to create a co-learning knowledge environment that promotes sustained regional growth,
- identifying and leveraging area resources,
- striving to eliminate quality of life and employment barriers for rural families and
- examining new roles for communities to attract and maintain residents.
The District will also refocus to work with local Small Business Development Centers, incubators, micro-lenders, and venture capitalists and to provide financial assistance to area business, and aggressively pursue funding opportunities to alleviate concerns and stimulate economic development in emergent clusters
The data collection in this strategy is regional in focus, but also goes beyond current Economic Development Administration requirements to provide data on levels needed by individual counties. The level of data mining is in place to provide clear documentation of area strengths and challenges. To ascertain “real time” data, the District Board aggressively marketed a public participation survey utilizing social media to provide access to the region. It provided exceptional co-learning in that data and direction was provided for the survey and community participants were able to recognize specific challenges and strengths. Collectively the historic and current data was utilized in conjunction with public input to provide direction for the District’s growth and focus. Projects were prioritized based on public and Board input for effective strategic planning. Goals and objectives were planned based on the collection of data, public input, and strategic prioritizations by Board members. The Strengthening the Rural Economy Report from the Executive Office of the President Council of Economic Advisors’ challenges Districts to become regional innovation hubs. Hubs are to be designed to train, mentor and counsel small businesses in regional economic clusters to focus on exports, create renewable energy sources and to provide data services. The goals set forth in the WCTEDD strategy align perfectly with presidential aspirations.
This is an ambitious agenda for the District. Current District administrative funding levels do not support the current strategies in the CEDS. However, the new century is full of promise; hope and change require effective planning and dedicated, strenuous effort. Change within the District’s function is necessary to ensure that the Big Country region survives current and historic economic challenges and thrives so the outstanding quality of life and new economic prosperity in this vast area is vibrantly and enthusiastically passed to future generations