Offerings

Implement BR&E in your community

Over 60 Minnesota communities have done it. The process takes about 2-3 years and involves commitment to business retention and expansion from your community members and professionals. But in the end, your community will be truly engaged in a business retention and expansion plan.

Extension provides guidance and support. We will:

• guide recruitment of your BR&E Leadership Team and Task Force.
• adopt a survey of businesses unique to your local issues.
• train volunteers who visit local businesses to conduct the survey.
• help you respond quickly to business concerns that arise (aka "red flags").
• tabulate and analyze the results of the survey.
• generate suggestions for local action from economic development experts.
• deliver a comprehensive report built upon results.
• facilitate a community meeting to help prioritize projects.
• stay in touch as you implement the plan.

Your community can make it happen

• Is BR&E right for your community? BR&E has been used by more than 60 Minnesota communities. Can it help yours?
• View the BR&E process and timeline.
• See a video about BR&E
• Contact an educator or order your own copy.
• What does a BR&E survey look like? See sample surveys from actual communities:
• Alexandria (mixed business)
• City of Faribault (mixed business)
• Becker County (tourism)
• Rice-Steele Agriculture (mixed agriculture)
• Read reports from past BR&E projects.
• Contact an educator to learn more or to schedule an introductory workshop.
• Read about the Application Process.

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Extension Support for Local BR&E Research

If you plan to conduct local research that helps you retain and expand your local businesses, here are some ways Extension can help:

Workshops: Extension can help your community think about ways to plan for local business retention and expansion.

• Assessment: A workshop can help your community decide whether the Busienss Retention and Expansion Strategies Program is right for you.
• How to conduct BR&E visits.
• Setting priorities and taking action -- a planning retreat.

Contact a regional educator to request a local workshop.

Research Services. Extension can:

• Adopt a survey instrument to your situation.
• Tabulate and analyze the data that we customized.
• Provide a complete research package (including survey instrument, data tabulation/analysis, campus research review meeting involving University faculty to develop suggested projects, a four-chapter research report, summary report and a planning retreat. (See Workshops.)

Contact our BR&E Leader to talk about these services,

  or

Contact a regional Community Economics Educator.