Historic preservation projects deliver economic benefits to communities in North Carolina. Towns hurt by textile factory and mill closures are collaborating with local government and community groups to implement adaptive reuse projects and incubator programs. Their innovation is paying off. Learn about Rocky Mount Mills and a brewery incubator program working to boost the local economy in Rocky Mount, NC.
Community leaders emphasized the importance of public health messaging and precautions on both the individual and organizational levels. They identified mask wearing and rapid testing as major needs for their communities to be able to reopen and improve the local economy, especially in the leisure and hospitality industries, which are struggling under limited capacity. Community leaders also relayed concerns about the delayed financial impact on local governments as the federal CARES money dwindles. The community leaders described solutions they pursue, including local grants and loan programs to help sustain small businesses. They also emphasized the importance of regional and cross-sectoral collaboration in economic recovery, especially in larger communities.
Employers need workers for high-skill jobs. Workers need training beyond a high school diploma to access those jobs. And state governments need a certifiably skilled workforce to meet their education goals, attract industry and contribute to their economies. Increased attainment of credentials with labor market value is a priority in NC’s education attainment action plan.
ncIMPACT Initiative Director Anita Brown-Graham explores related challenges and collaborative solutions with these expert panelists:
– Scott Ralls, President at Wake Tech
– Jeni Corn, Director of Strategic Initiatives at myFutureNC
– Wendy Walker-Fox, Workforce Development Director at Piedmont Triad Regional Council
Entrepreneurs in rural communities face different challenges than those in urban areas. A less dense population means there may be fewer resources available for startups, including affordable office space, access to mentorship and training, or even connecting with relevant stakeholder or market networks. In eastern North Carolina, the City of Wilson partnered with RIoT and Greenlight to create Gig East, a coworking space in downtown that is also home to a startup accelerator program and other entrepreneurship programming.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carolina textile industry has been at the forefront of the PPE manufacturing effort, organizing a rapid response to the rising needs of front line workers. The Carolina Textile District, a network of textile manufacturers in North and South Carolina, responded to the pandemic by arranging a collaborative solution to their members’ financial challenges that also provides vital personal protective equipment that remains in short supply.
What strategies will help local economies recover more quickly from the COVID-19 pandemic? Webinar Series Discover solutions from our series of webinars where we share what we have learned, including your input, as the project has progressed. The webinars provide … Read more
Local government leaders are on the front line, helping their communities navigate a health and
economic crisis whose duration is uncertain. The ncIMPACT Initiative’s COVID-19 survey sought to track
how these elected and appointed leaders viewed their early COVID-19 world—and the actions they
were taking to respond.
Work in Burke, rather than working with a single company or industry, uses its collaborative partnerships to highlight the variety of jobs available in Burke County and how students can gain the skills they need to be successful. This program has been replicated in other places as a scalable solution in workforce development to connect education and employers.
Why is EITC Important? The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the federal government’s largest benefit for workers. For people who have earned income from working for someone or running a business or farm, it’s money that positively impacts change … Read more
A $25.3 million Community Connect Grant from the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service in 2010 made it possible for a collaborative partnership between the counties and Country Cablevision to install fiber optic cables in Mitchell and Yancey Counties. Mitchell and Yancey Counties now have over 97% of homes and businesses connected to high-speed fiber optic broadband, with speeds up to 100 megabits per second for homes and 1 gigabyte per second for businesses. These are some of the fastest speeds in the state, competing with metro areas like Charlotte and Raleigh.
