Since 2014, The U of M Center for Community Vitality (Extension) has asked us to partner on what they call their Connecting Business and Community (CBC) program. Extension is called upon by communities who wish to work on their business climate. It’s a hands-on intensive process that involves local government leaders, economic development professionals, and volunteer citizens doing a thorough review of the businesses and community.
One part of the project that the BBER helps with is synthesizing the feedback—strengths and weaknesses of the business climate, community atmosphere, local amenities, and a host of other items—gathered on the city being studied. Taking that synthesized information, the BBER researches and recommends 15 to 20 tailored projects for that community that would help it with its issues and improve local business retention and expansion.
Our 10-most recommended resources are below. These resources might be of use to business leaders, economic development professionals, and employers alike.
10. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Workforce Strategy Consultants. DEED has 11 regions in the state, with each region benefitting from a Workforce Strategy Consultant—a liaison between the business community and the regional workforce development system. The Duluth area benefits from Shayla Drake. According to DEED, these consultants “develop innovative workforce solutions by aligning resources, facilitating collaboration, and leveraging expertise in targeted industry sectors to drive economic equity and growth.” DEED’s consultants will work directly with businesses to help address workforce issues—a service that is essential given the current labor market.
9. SCORE. For small business owners looking to connect with mentors, SCORE is a national network dedicated to helping small businesses through education and mentorship. SCORE has the largest network of free volunteer small business mentors in the nation. According to SCORE, “small business owners who receive three or more hours of mentoring report higher revenues and increased growth.” There are multiple locations throughout Minnesota as well as virtual mentoring.
8. DEED’s Broadband Grant Program. Many of Minnesota’s rural communities struggle lack access to broadband entirely, or that lack access to speeds above a certain level. The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program, created in 2014, is a resource for communities with less than ideal broadband access that are looking to invest. Eligible applicants include businesses, government units, tribes, nonprofits, or LLCs. Previous rounds of funding have awarded grants from less than $10,000 to nearly half a million, depending on the size of the project.
7. Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). The national network of Small Business Development Centers provides assistance to roughly one million small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs each year. The BBER frequently recommends this resource to individuals looking to start or grow their business or to communities that are looking to provide a greater slate of offerings for their local business community. SBDCs provide business consultations, trainings, financial planning, marketing, and more. Minnesota is home to nine SBDCs including one in Duluth.
6. Minnesota Trade Office. For many businesses, exporting can seem complicated or overwhelming. For manufacturers and service providers considering exporting but unsure of where to begin, the Minnesota Trade Office provides export assistance in the form of counseling, education, and research. The agency has several export financing programs that provide grants, loans and loan guarantees, working capital, credit, and insurance to help businesses that are new to exporting as well as for those who want to expand to new markets.
5. Career Force. Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in community and economic development is Minnesota’s network of workforce development offices known as CareerForce. CareerForce serves businesses and job seekers alike, which makes it an invaluable resource for people looking to advance their careers, find a new job, or post an open position. CareerForce services for employers include talent attraction, development, retention, and more.
4. Explore Minnesota. Most everyone knows Explore Minnesota as the state’s tourism marketing agency and may have used its website to search for vacation ideas, events, or travel guides. But many may not know that Explore Minnesota has a huge range of resources for businesses in the tourism industry, including grant funding opportunities, marketing development assistance, research, and more. For communities (and businesses) that depend heavily on tourism, Explore Minnesota is an essential resource.
3. Minnesota State. Minnesota State consists of 30 colleges and seven universities with 54 campuses throughout the state and offers 3,885 academic programs. What’s more, most campuses offer technical and customized training programs and workforce development assistance for local business and industry, which is why we recommend this resource so frequently in our CBC reports. If you haven’t done so lately, go to your local Minnesota State campus website and just look at the programs and services it has to offer. You might be surprised!
2. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. During our time working on CBC projects, we’ve found that very few businesses consider apprenticeships as a way to recruit and train workers, assuming apprenticeships are only for construction and manufacturing firms. In fact, Minnesota has apprenticeship programs for graphic arts, information technology, transportation, and service industries, just to name a few. The Department of Labor and Industry oversees Minnesota’s Apprenticeship Initiative and awards businesses up to $5,000 for each apprentice in the program to help cover costs related to supplies, materials, and instruction.
1. University of Minnesota Extension. Considering that the CBC program is offered by the University Of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality, it is not surprising that we often refer businesses and community leaders to the resources offered by the Extension, including its business succession classes, retail trade analysis, “Making it Home” program, and festival and event management trainings, just to name a few. The Center for Community Vitality, the Tourism Center, and the Leadership and Civic Engagement Program all offer excellent resource for businesses and community members looking to expand their community and economic development awareness and expertise.