Economic development

Cities are places of activity and commerce. Healthy commercial areas draw in people who bring their energy and economic resources and who, through their purchases and investments, contribute towards the improvement and vitality of these places.

Small businesses provide needed goods and services for local residents and unique goods and experiences for visitors. They generate investments that remain in the communities where they are located, provide employment opportunities for people living nearby, and help increase the sense of connection in a community.

Among the many roles that small businesses play in a neighborhood is that they provide a place and an opportunity for us to see others engage in the same positive activities we do, and to begin to learn to trust the strangers that share our same neighborhoods and communities.

Supporting small business economic development is an integral part of Community Design Group's placemaking strategies. We work with communities and citizen groups to provide services and expertise to support exisiting small businesses and to expand opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. We help organize and develop community-owned cooperative enterprises, and provide access to tools and strategies for success.

Resources

• Case study: Urban Earth Flower and Garden Cooperative >
• Developing a cooperative business >
• Comparison between cooperatives and other business organization models >
• Economic impact of local retailers vs. chains >
• NY Times: Retailing czar, looking out for mom and pop >
• Metro Independent Business Alliance >