2009.06.15 EDA Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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---B R & E 1 Visit Firms Organizing "Red Flag" Review of Surveys All Leadership Team members visit between one to three After ten to fifteen surveys have been returned to the firms. Visitation Coordinator,the entire Task Force should meet and review each of the surveys. As the Business Resources Coordinator,you will organize these meetings. The purpose Contacts with State or Federal Agencies of this review is to identify specific ways that the BR&E Visitation program can provide assistance to each firm and Effective BR&E Visitation follow-up often requires help to assign the responsibility to one or more of the Task Force from state and/or federal agencies. Contact your state members for working with each firm. Typically,it takes BR&E sponsor,BREI Certified Consultant,or state devel- two,three,or more meetings to complete the survey review opment agency for a"starter"list of programs. It really process,depending on the number of interviews completed.' helps if some development program staff are familiar with the local BR&E Visitation program. You can split up the If you want tangible results from your program,this is names and ask Task Force members to contact the develop- probably the most important step in the process. It is at this ment program staff and briefly explain the local BR&E stage that you address the individual concerns of the funis. Visitation process. Just how you split up the names is Also,you will gain a much better understanding of your unimportant. Completing the calls is extremely important. Task Force members and local government officials. The process used for review is as follows: Localized Factsheets on State and Federal Programs 1. The Business Resources Coordinator photocopies the surveys,but omits the cover sheets with the firms' names and the first page,which includes the Many BR&E Visitation programs have prepared short(one- employment and products produced. If this page)factsheets with the names and telephone numbers of information is not removed,the review process key state and federal program contacts. Some factsheets violates the confidentiality promised to each of the also give a very short description of the program. Don't let firms during the visits. this aspect become overwhelming so that nothing is avail- able. Often state development agencies can help you with 2. At the meeting,divide the Task Force into small groups this. Your state sponsor also should be able to provide a list of three each. Have each group review three surveys, of state and federal programs that can meet some of the and be sure that each person in the group reads all three needs identified by individual firms. In some states,this surveys. Next,have the small groups complete the information is provided in a format that Volunteer Visitors "Follow-up Worksheets,"which outline the nature of can use during firm visits. the problems,suggested follow up,and the resource person who might be able to handle this. An example of a"Red Flag Follow-up Worksheet"is included in Mailing Thank You Notes and Localized Appendix A. Your state sponsor may already have a Factsheets similar worksheet,or you may need to modify the form to match your state's questionnaire. The need to mail thank you notes to firms is obvious,and it provides an opportunity to send the factsheets to them. The 3. The next step is to reconvene the entire Task Force,and Visitation Coordinator should be able to give you a list of have the small groups report their suggestions to it. names and addresses of firms visited. It is best to do this The Task Force then either accepts or modifies the ideas mailing within one or two weeks of the firm visits. This suggested for follow up. means the factsheet must be ready before the volunteer training. The review process helps address the immediate concerns of local firms,and it also helps local leaders understand the long-term major concerns of firms. These long-term concerns are addressed formally after the data are fully tabulated by your state sponsor. By reviewing the indi- vidual surveys,the Task Force gains a stronger grasp of the Local Leadership Team Manual -- 9