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How Central Oregon Bet Its Future on Community College

James Fallows

June 22, 2015 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Bend, Oregon

Despite the economic hardships brought on by the downfall of the lumber industry in the '80s and the housing market crash of 2008, Bend, Oregon has managed to successfully enter the ranks of a technology hub, without the presence of a university. The small but thriving city bet on its local community college, which offers a unique campus feel and rigorous course load that sets it apart from other community colleges of the same size. When the lumber industry left, the region bet its future on technology—even though it lacked a research university.

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Rebuilding the Rust Belt

Keith Epstein

February 19, 2015 |

Politico |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

For years, one of Cleveland's poorest neighborhoods seemed unalterable no matter how many government programs and well-meaning philanthropies got involved; a place where abject poverty, joblessness and crime reinforce the racism in a city long divided, and where infants still die at a higher rate than almost anywhere else in the country. But a former CIA executive and a new breed of lettuce are transforming the poorest parts of the Rust Belt city.

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How to Create a Tech Startup Scene If You're Not in Silicon Valley

John Tierney

December 23, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Creating a synergy between the various stakeholders in a city’s economic performance leads to success. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the tech industry is thriving thanks to cross-sector collaborations between the region’s universities, businesses, and local government. By working together, entities like Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and Keystone Innovation Zone program have created a space that is attractive to financial capital and the growing tech sector.

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When 'Collaboration' Is More Than a Buzzword

John Tierney

October 17, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Columbus, Ohio

In the case of the Columbus Partnership, the word "collaboration" - which often doesn't have much meat behind it in the private sector - is at the core of the civic organization's success. The organization brings together seven Columbus tech companies (all of which are in different economic sectors and therefore don't compete with each other) together to fuel innovation and idea generation. The companies promote business growth and development in the Columbus area, taking advantage of the close-knit community that is fostered by Columbus' relatively modest population size.

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An Oil Discovery Revives a Dwindling Brazilian Port

Gregory Scruggs

July 15, 2014 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Brazil, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul

Porto Alegre, in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, has embraced a recent discovery of offshore oil as a way to renew the town as a bustling port for business and transport. The port city uses bodies of water to transport goods (like the newly found oil) rather than roads, which can prove to be more environmentally unfriendly.

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Raj Shaunak and the Economic Boom in Eastern Mississippi

James Fallows

July 08, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Scooba, Mississippi

East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) helps Eastern Mississippi fill high-skill jobs by educating and training local workers. The students at EMCC are each evaluated for skillsets and gaps in education, and they work on real versions or scale models of the machinery they will be using in the local factories.

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Serving the base of the pyramid: five tips from emerging-market experts

Bruce Watson

May 30, 2014 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

The Social Innovation Summit, hosted in New York City, examines five key elements that allow the strategy of marketing to the base of the pyramid to actually succeed, and the companies big and small that are leveraging this approach to sustainably break the cycle of poverty in varied industries for communities around the world.

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Eastport, Maine: The Little Town That Might

James Fallows

January 31, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Eastport, Maine

The small town of Eastport, Maine turned its economy around by tuning in to and making use of its unique geographical features, like being the eastern-most point in the country. The town has reinvigorated its port to take advantage of its close (relative to other US ports) proximity to Europe and its ability to create electricity from the power of the tides.

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Smaller-Town Startups: 'Stopping the Brain Drain' in South Carolina

James Fallows

January 25, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Greenville, South Carolina

The "Next" Project in Greenville, South Carolina brings local government and companies together to create a business incubator to encourage new startups to launch -- and stay -- in the area. One such business, called the Iron Yard, acts as a sort of code academy, offering a 3-month bootcamp and guaranteeing that graduates of their program will find a job in the industry. So far, they've followed through on that guarantee.

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The Multiplier Effect: Driving Haiti's recovery by spending aid dollars locally

Jacob Kushner

May 11, 2012 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Haiti

Building Markets, an NGO, has connected Haitian businesses with foreign NGOs who can funnel humanitarian aid through the local suppliers and manufacturers in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of 2010. Typically, the majority of contracts are granted to international contractors which are easier for foreign NGOs to vet but when contracts are granted to local vendors, the "multiplier effect" allows more money to flow through the local economy and employ Haitians. A directory built by Building Markets allows foreign investors to easily find trustworthy local businesses.

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