SSTI Digest

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices invites applications from U.S. states to participate in a Policy Academy on "Making" our Future: Encouraging Growth Opportunities in Manufacturing through Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Investment to Assist States in Developing and Implementing Economic Development Strategies aimed at spurring innovation and entrepreneurship in ways that encourage the growth of advanced manufacturing industries. The Policy Academy is designed to assist states in developing and implementing economic development strategies aimed at spurring innovation and entrepreneurship in ways that encourage the growth of advanced manufacturing industries.As part of the application process, states are expected to identify a core team of five to eight members who represent a cross-section of policymakers from relevant state agencies and stakeholder groups. Multiple awards are anticipated. Applications must be submitted to the NGA Center through the governor's office by September 15, 2011 in order to be considered. For more information regarding eligibility and how to apply, contact Erin Sparks at the NGA Center for Best Practices. Funding for the Academy is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

Even through the enduring global economic downturn, nations across the world have targeted technology-based economic development initiatives to build their respective country's science and technology (S&T) sectors. The governments contend that building their respective country's Next Economy is necessary to compete in a globalizing world and increase quality of living for their citizens. Canada, India and the European Union have announced initiatives that could help grow their respective countries S&T sectors.

The University of Kansas' Center for Technology Commercialization is seeking a director that will be responsible for effectively managing faculty-generated intellectual property across all the University of Kansas campuses and deploying it for the greater social good. The KUCTC director's responsibilities include positively representing the University as a member of national professional societies, articulating KUCTC's contributions to the Kansas economy for diverse constituencies that include the Kansas Legislature, industry associations, and the general public, and working effectively within the University's system of shared governance with faculty, the University's administration, the KU Medical Center Research Institute and the Kansas University Center for Research.

JobsOhio, the private, nonprofit corporation authorized to replace Ohio's economic development system, would administer state funded programs and services that have a direct, high-impact on job creation such as business loans, infrastructure grants and deal-closing funds, according to a report to the Ohio General Assembly. At the same time, a newly named Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) would focus on programs with a more indirect impact on job creation, including federally funded programs and services geared toward communities and individuals. Dividing the state's programs between the two entities is expected to better align economic development functions. Read more...

Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Bill Hagerty announced the state will commit up to $2.25 million for the Jobs4TN Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators program. The grants will award up to $250,000 to a regional entrepreneurial accelerator in each of the state's nine economic development regions. The Jobs4TN Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators were announced in June as a part of Governor Bill Haslam's INCITE plan. Read the press release...

The Obama Administration has announced that it is extending the comment period for public input on the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Strong Cities, Strong Communities Visioning Challenge (see the July 13, 2011 and July 20, 2011 issues). Due to the strong interest that EDA has already received, the deadline has been pushed back to September 7, 2011. Respondents will help EDA shape the eventual federal funding announcement for the SC2 Pilot Challenge, in which six cities will be chosen to receive $1 million grants to fund economic visioning efforts. Find out more...

Governors in the Southern states were presented with findings from a new report on the growing gap in middle-skill jobs and urged to adopt a three-part policy framework for reversing the trend during the Southern Governors' Association annual meeting last week in Asheville, NC. The report found that middle-skill jobs account for 51 percent of the region's jobs today, but only about 43 percent of the region's workers are currently trained at this level. Read more...

The U.S. stands at "moment of truth" regarding its manufacturing sector, according to a new study by Booz & Co. and the University of Michigan's Tauber Institute for Global Operations, Manufacturing's Wake-up Call. If neglected, the sector's output could fall by half in the coming years. If "a series of identifiable smart actions and choices" are made, U.S. manufacturing could produce 95 percent of all product consumed by the nation. The study points out three significant findings regarding the current and future state of U.S. industrial competiveness and provides recommendations to achieve a manufacturing-driven U.S. economy. Read more...

Educational attainment rates in the U.S. rose in both 2007 and 2008, after falling in 2005 and 2006, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Despite the mid-decade dip, the overall trend over the past few decades has been toward higher rates of attainment at the high school, Bachelor's and advanced degree levels. As of 2008, about 85 percent of the U.S. population had completed high school, up from 80.4 percent in 2000 and 75.2 in 1990. About 27.7 percent of U.S. residents had a Bachelor's degree or higher in 2008 and about 10.2 percent had received an advanced degree. Read more...

The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council seeks to hire a program manager to oversee activities of the RI Research Alliance. The ideal applicant understands and appreciates the need for supporting economic growth and job creation through strengthening Rhode Island's collaborative research platform and is familiar with federal and private funding streams and how to build and assemble coalitions in order to be more competitive for large multi-institutional grants.

As state and federal funding for higher education dwindles and the workforce needs of the new economy continue to shift, state and university officials are reevaluating how higher education is funded, its return on investment for the state, and how universities can better drive economic growth. Recent examples in New York, Ohio and Texas demonstrate how states are implementing new policies to adapt to the changing times.

Speaking during a Rural Economic Forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, IA, President Obama announced several new initiatives to promote economic growth in rural areas, including two new capital programs. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will partner with USDA to double its current rate of investment in rural small businesses to $350 million over the next five years. This will be accomplished through SBA's Impact Investment Fund. SBA and USDA also will launch a series of rural private equity and venture capital conferences nationwide to help connect private equity and venture capital investors with rural startups, according to a White House press release. Read the announcement...