At its heart, community economic development is about understanding place. We seek to understand how people live and work, to help create thriving communities statewide.
Our faculty research how economic growth, relocation, and changing labor markets affect the economy of communities across Wisconsin, especially in rural areas. Our work is geared towards informing governments, decision makers, business owners and community members. Trying to understand paths forward for rural economies in today’s world is especially challenging, requiring a focus on innovation, alternative development strategies, the role of women in business, and more.
Community Economics Development News
Show me the money: Financing options for small Wisconsin firms
PhD student Inder Majumdar and undergraduate research assistant Charles Zumbrunnen examined capital availability for small businesses in Wisconsin and its changes since the early 2000s.
Measures of livability: defining and comparing county-level rankings
Yang Cheng analyzed local and regional quality of life in 3,100 U.S. counties that range from remote rural to dense metropolitan places.
From tax incentives to community livability: Evolving strategies for economic development
Steve Deller explains why economic development practitioners should strike a balance between attracting and retaining residents and continuing to recruit businesses to create job opportunities.
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Community Economic Development Courses
AAE 306: The Real Estate Process Introductory survey course. Decision-making processes for the manufacture, marketing, management and financing of real estate space. Survey of institutional context, economics of urbanization, historical pattern and structure of city growth, and public policy issues regarding urban environment and business management.
AAE 520: Community Economic Analysis Economic theory (location and growth) applicable to community economic development; the role of private and public sector in local economic development, and techniques for economic analysis of community.
