New data released by the Center for Public Integrity affirm the notion state representatives are often uniquely positioned to influence their personal financial fortunes or those of their employers while in office.
Southern states may have a justifiable reason to be proud of their progress in technology and innovation, but their leaders should be concerned with the lack of investment in venture capital and industrial research and development (R&D), suggests a report released last month by Southern Growth Policies Board and the Southern Technology Council (STC).
Senate Bill 1134, the reauthorization bill for the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA), only awaits the President's signature following Thursday's passage by the U.S. House of Representatives. SB 1134 was passed by the U.S. Senate just a day earlier.
Highlights of the Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2003, as passed by Congress, include:
Democrats took the year’s only two races for governor, electing Jim McGreevey in New Jersey and Mark Warner in Virginia.
Voters in Maine passed a bond issue authorizing the state to borrow $5 million for biomedical and marine research and development by Maine-based nonprofit and state research institutions.
States that support a vibrant technology sector are attentive to the quality of their economic development efforts and continue toattract venture capital will outperform those that do not, according to the 2001 Development Report Card for the States.
A group of community leaders bent on revitalizing the Duluth, Minn., economy and ensuring economic opportunities for the city recently moved one step closer toward accomplishing its goals.
The Bridge Syndicate, a non-profit with more than 300 members, recently made public its plan for economic growth, issuing A Positive Vision for Duluth's Economy.
The Wisconsin Legislature presently faces two bills which could greatly boost venture capital funds in the state.
The National Science Foundation Division of Science Resource Statistics has e-published early release tables for the Science & Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2000 report. The data show trends in science and engineering (S&E) doctorate awards by S&E field and recipient characteristics, institutions awarding doctorates, and postgraduation plans of recipients.
Atlanta, Georgia
With disaster comes opportunity for dramatic changes to occur through the healing and rebuilding processes. Floods, hurricanes and tornados have helped to energize devastated areas into becoming more vibrant communities. The deep recession of the late 80s and restructuring of many key industrial sectors ushered in many state tech-based economic development programs, the benefits of which are being felt more than a decade later.
larta has issued its 2002 Federal Technology Funding Guide, a survey of federal funding sources for technology firms. The sixth edition of the guide provides information on more than 90 regularly scheduled programs, hundreds of links to resources on the Web, and a special section funding for technologies to fight terrorism. An index identifies program by technology area or funding emphasis.
Two reports released during this past week examine state fiscal conditions for FY 2002 and a slowing national economy following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
State Fiscal Outlook for FY 2002: October Update
Philanthropic individuals and foundations are increasingly vital contributors for tech-based economic development, particularly for "big-ticket" initiatives. Most gifts, such as that covered in the second item below, are tied to a specific relationship with a university or field of research, working independently of the strategies or programs developed by state or local tech-based economic development organizations.
Nearly every state legislature annually appropriates some level of funding to support research and development activities in the state's nonprofit, university, and industrial research communities. Few, though, have developed long-term, systematic attempts to measure the impact of those investments.
The importance a well educated populace plays in a knowledge-based economy is a given for most tech-based economic development strategies. Ensuring that a larger percentage of the population pursues that education through and beyond high school is another matter -- often the responsibility of other state agencies, organizations and decision makers.
While the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have voiced caution and funded efforts to understand the potential societal and environmental implications of nanotechnology deployment, both agencies announced much larger funding commitments - totaling $213 million - to expedite commercial applications for the explosive field.
Nanotech Solutions for Cancer
During the states' fiscal crisis, a number of TBED programs were eliminated, while others survived. SSTI staff spent a fair amount of time analyzing what the survivors had in common, and we boiled the results down to three items that successful TBED programs have in common. While it may seem simplistic, the three commonalities are:
In order to provide further incentives for crucial research and development (R&D) and to encourage more industries to carry out R&D in Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, the economic development agency for Scotland has launched a new funding scheme.
Thirty-six states received failing grades on a biennial report card that reveals the cost of attending college represents a higher portion of American families’ incomes today than it did a decade ago. A separate report from the Pell Institute supports those conclusions by showing students from the lower-income bracket are finding it more difficult than ever to keep pace with rising tuition costs.
With almost every state seeing declining revenues in light of the recession and Sept. 11 attacks, projections from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities that the economic stimulus package passed by the House on Wednesday could further reduce states’ revenues by as much as $5 billion for each of the next three years may further exacerbate the problem.
The Pittsburgh Technology Council's State of the Industry Report shows the region's technology sector, while continuing its growth, has become a significant driver of southwestern Pennsylvania's overall economy.
The Army Research Office (ARO) recently created an initiative – a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) to be known as the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies – to develop nanometer-scale science and technology solutions for soldiers.
Meeting Challenges in the New Economy, recently released by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), presents a comprehensive look at Oklahoma's position in science and technology.
Venture capital invested during the past three decades created 7.6 million U.S. jobs and more than $1.3 trillion in revenue as of the end of 2000, according to an economic impact study released Monday by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).