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Is BR&E right for your community? - Business Retention& Expansion Strategies - Unive... Page 3 of 4 <br /> with local businesses and leaders and with regional and state <br /> economic development professionals, as well as University Of <br /> • Minnesota staff.These contacts can help your community in <br /> the future. <br /> BR&E programs are a learning opportunity.You will learn <br /> about your local economy's strengths and weaknesses from the <br /> perspective of local businesses..You will learn about new <br /> options for working with existing firms and ways you can shape <br /> your local destiny. <br /> BR&E programs bring communities together. In many <br /> communities,citizens and local leaders think about their future, <br /> but are not working together to influence that future. BR&E <br /> programs can bring the community together. Business persons, <br /> local government officials, education officials, professional <br /> developers, and interested citizens all work together for the <br /> benefit of existing local businesses and their community. <br /> BR&E programs are doable and generate results. People <br /> just like you and your neighbors have done this program in all <br /> sizes and types of communities. BR&E programs have been <br /> completed in rural,suburban and urban areas and are getting <br /> results. Naturally, success makes the experience rewarding. <br /> BR&E programs demonstrate that"We care about local <br /> businesses." It is surprising how many business leaders feel <br /> unappreciated.They do not hear that the community values <br /> them. Just visiting firms demonstrates that your community <br /> cares and appreciates the economic contribution businesses <br /> make. <br /> BR&E programs are low-risk. When done correctly,the <br /> BR&E program is safe. As one Task Force member and owner <br /> • of a small firm said, "I just can't see any risk in getting <br /> involved in this. How can you possibly lose?" <br /> Program Costs and Financing <br /> The fees for BR&E Strategies Program options help to defray <br /> the cost to University of Minnesota Extension for providing <br /> technical assistance and research services. Extension absorbs <br /> part of the cost to make the BR&E Strategies Program <br /> affordable for Minnesota communities. <br /> The one-year contract is priced at$12,000- $18,000 <br /> depending on location and complexity of the program. A <br /> scholarship is available to communities that work with us on a <br /> research project about the impact of BR&E on social capital. <br /> Communities have received help in generating the program fee <br /> from a variety of sources, including private companies and <br /> foundations. Some examples include the Initiative Foundation, <br /> McKnight Foundation,the Blandin Foundation, Southwest <br /> Minnesota Foundation, West Central Initiative Fund, Initiative <br /> fund of southeast and south central Minnesota, Sprint, local <br /> utilities(such as Connexus Energy,Alliant Energy, Center Point <br /> Energy,Xcel Energy),city and county governments, chambers <br /> of commerce and others. For some specific types of programs, <br /> scholarships are available from industry organizations. <br /> Extension can help your community explore some options to <br /> help finance the program. <br /> Contact your Community Economics Regional Educator <br /> for more information. <br /> • <br /> http://www.extension.umn.eduBusinessRetention/isitright.html 8/12/2008 <br />