UACES Facebook Rural economic development program now interviewing business owners
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Rural economic development program now interviewing business owners

By Ryan McGeeney 
U of A System Division of Agriculture
@Ryan_McG44
June 4, 2019 

Fast Facts:

  • Create Bridges aims to help rural communities develop their economic strengths
  • Interview process to focus on benefits, challenges, and opportunities of operating a business in rural Arkansas
  • No cost to participate 

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LITTLE ROCK – A pilot program focused on economic development in six rural Arkansas counties has moved on to its second phase: interviewing business owners involved in retail, entertainment, accommodations and tourism.

Create Bridges is a multi-state pilot to help communities strengthen the retail, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, which provide jobs and business opportunities that frequently boost rural economies. In Arkansas, the efforts are organized by the extension’s Community and Economic Development section, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Create Bridges was established in October 2018 in the 3Cs Region of  Howard, Little River and Sevier counties, and the Ozark Foothills Region of Fulton, Izard and Sharp counties.

Earlier this year, Create Bridges held a series of forums in several counties throughout the state to gather information about community assets in the retail, tourism, entertainment and accommodations industries.  

Now organizers hope to build on that foundation through local interviews. The interviews will focus on the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of operating a business in rural Arkansas. Although some of the businesses have already been identified, Create Bridges project leaders welcome other business owners in Howard, Little River, Sevier, Fulton, Izard, and Sharp counties to join the effort. 

Julianne Dunn, economic development instructor for the Division of Agriculture, encouraged area business owners to participate in the program.

“If you are a business owner in these four sectors, feel free to reach out to schedule an interview that will be held in your business,” Dunn said.

Results of these confidential interviews will be used to develop regional economic development strategies that will be implemented next year.

“Connecting with our existing businesses demonstrates the importance of these businesses to our communities and allows us to create long-term, achievable plans that will help grow our rural economies,” Dunn said.

Retaining and expanding businesses involves connecting with a community’s existing businesses through individual interviews or small group roundtables to understand and respond to their needs. The interviews focus on workforce, community engagement, customer base, and potential expansion plans.

Create Bridges — which is actually an acronym for “Celebrating Retail, Accommodations, Tourism, and Entertainment by Building Rural Innovations and Developing Growth Economies” — has already held community forums and a retail academy for regional leaders. Next steps include an employee engagement survey and an emphasis on identifying opportunities for workforce training for the incumbent workforce.

To learn more about Create Bridges, visit www.uaex.uada.edu/createbridges or contact Dunn at jbdunn@uada.edu.

 

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.  

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.   

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Media Contact: Ryan McGeeney
Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
rmcgeeney@uada.edu 

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