Current Situation Frequently Asked Questions Publications Other Information MSUcares Home Page	Community/Government: Community Resource Development Current Situation Throughout the United States successful communities are finding ways to meet the economic, social, and cultural needs of their residents. The concept of community is commonly defined in terms of a locality. However, communities have several dimensions. In addition to its geographic location, a community is defined by the social interaction of people as they come together to meet their daily needs in business/industry, schools, hospitals, units of government, and other local organizations. A community is also characterized by common values, beliefs, and goals. But, perhaps the essential nature of a community is determined by its will for locally-oriented collective actions. Community development is a process which moves a group of people from issue identification to group decision-making and action in a dynamic environment. Communities organize economic activities, provide for socialization and access to participation in local affairs, and offer mutual support. Key institutions, such as family, economic, education, political, religious, and voluntary organizations have significant influence over the performance of these community functions. If a community is not satisfied with its performance in any of these areas, the driving force of change should be a collective desire for improvement. Community development practitioners draw from the fields of economics, sociology, political science, and other social sciences to understand and facilitate purposive change within communities. Community Resource Development (CRD) is a unit of Mississippi State University Extension Service. The mission of CRD is to provide educational programs and technical assistance utilizing the latest research-based knowledge, strategies, and technology to strengthen the capacity of citizens, organizations, and governments within the state of Mississippi to understand community change and identify opportunities to improve their social and economic well-being. CRD utilizes the network of county Extension offices, as well as strong partnerships with state agencies and associations as a linkage to communities. Programs, projects, and special studies in the areas of economic analysis; business development, retention, and expansion; retail development; facilities and services; strategic planning; tourism; and organization development are the core of CRD activities. The strength of CRD programming is a practical approach of working closely with local leaders to assess public problems and needs, and ultimately, help them find an effective manner of addressing local issues. In partnership with the Mississippi State Department of Health, CRD provides educational leadership to the Public Water System Management Training Program. Mississippi State University Extension Service provides support to the Mississippi Rural Development Council through the CRD unit. Program Activities Economic Analysis The forces that impact a local economy, in many ways, depend upon the type of local economy and the level of activity. A local economy has three major components: basic industry, households, and services. There are many linkages within a local economy, some internal and some external. Even though external forces, such as state, national, and international trends and events are typically not under the control of a local community, it is important for local leaders to be aware of the global environment. On the other hand, internal forces impacting a local economy offer local decision-makers an opportunity to take action. An understanding of the local economy improves the quality of decision-making. CRD Specialists provide educational programs on the sources, uses, and interpretation of economic data and perform economic analyses to assist local leaders and officials in identifying trends in the economy which are important to their economic and community development goals. Economic data can be used at the community level in several ways. It can be used to provide a descriptive analysis, such as the identification of sources of employment and income. A trend analysis uses economic data to compare local conditions with state and national norms. And last, economic data is used in the calculation of economic measures such as location quotients, multipliers, and market share. Business Analysis As community leaders evaluate their local economy and learn which specific sectors are competitive in their unique locality, they can make decisions concerning alternative strategies for diversifying their local economy. The CARE model is a standard framework for local job growth. Creation, Attraction, Retention, and Expansion are the principal methods by which a community experiences job growth. CRD Specialists work with entrepreneurs in areas such as basic business startup concepts; financial analysis (for example, cash flow, cost/feasibility analysis, and profit forecasting); developing a business plan; and identifying financing opportunities to promote job creation. Specialists also work with local leaders on job retention and expansion strategies to help their community maintain a healthy economic base. Although not as popular today as in the past, communities with a comparative advantage in some area of production can successfully recruit manufacturing industries to increase their economic base. Retail Development Many small businesses are struggling to compete at the local level. Changes in the retail industry, in particular, are especially hard on local economies because the leakage of retail sales not only hurts the local business owner, but it also means a decline in sales tax revenue for the local government. CRD Specialists work with local economic developers, chambers of commerce, and retailers to develop retail trade studies and seminars about the impact of outshopping. These studies and seminars identify growth areas and strategies for improving declining sectors. Workshop topics help retailers to improve advertising, selection, customer service, and price competitiveness. The focus of the program is on educating community leaders, developers, retailers, and consumers about the importance of shopping at home. Facilities and Services Quality infrastructure and community services are highly correlated to economic growth. Infrastructure attracts private investment, with schools and health services among the most important community service considerations for industrial and business location decisions. CRD Specialists provide educational and technical assistance to municipal and local government officials throughout the state on local facilities and services. The provision of local services is critical not only to economic development, but also to the quality of life in a community. The focus of this program is to improve the decision-making ability of local leaders and increase the public's knowledge regarding the importance of community facilities and services to the long term sustainability of their community. Specialists provide assistance on various services and facilities such as education and health care infrastructure, solid waste management systems, childcare programs, and multi-purpose buildings. Strategic Planning Strategic planning provides communities with a systematic and disciplined way of setting goals and determining how they can be accomplished given the opportunities and threats posed by a changing economy and the community's internal strengths, weaknesses, and resources. CRD Specialists assist cities and counties in developing and implementing strategic plans for charting the future of their communities. Community leaders and elected officials are instructed on organizing effective citizen groups to collect, compile, and analyze community data. This provides a base of information from which major issue areas can be identified and task forces can be formed. A vision statement guides the efforts of the various task forces, which are responsible for developing, reporting, and implementing a plan of action. Strategic planning is a cyclical process which requires monitoring, modifying, and periodic updating. Tourism Quality community attractions are the foundation of a successful tourism program. As a community or region takes inventory of existing or potential attractions, such as festivals and events, natural resources, historical attractions, and recreation opportunities, local leaders should be mindful that tourism is a highly competitive business. Successful local tourism efforts build on existing strengths. The success of any business or community as a tourist destination also depends on the attitudes of those who come in contact with the visitor. Sales clerks, servers, and service station attendants are as important as the receptionist at the local visitor's information center. Local officials and residents contribute to the overall appeal and image of the community as they go about their daily routines. Tourism hospitality is the responsibility of both individual businesses and the entire community. CRD Specialists provide programs to introduce business owners and local officials to hospitality and service excellence techniques and methods. Organization Development Organization Development is a planned approach to improving organizational effectiveness. It involves identifying opportunities and problems and planning ways to address them. It is process-oriented. CRD Specialists can assist organizations by helping to facilitate planning, process mapping, and team building. However, developing an organization is actually done by the leaders inside the organization. CRD Specialists recognize that leadership development is a key aspect of organization development and promote leadership programs throughout the state. Economic and community development organizations, statewide associations, and local service organizations can benefit from learning methods and techniques to help them operate more effectively in a world of uncertainty and continuous change. CRD Specialists also work closely with the 4-H Youth Development program to coordinate 4-H Public Speaking Contests at the State and District levels. Return to top of page   Frequently Asked Questions Public Water System Management Training Program Where can I find a glossary of terms? How many times will I have to attend the board management training session? Will I have to take a test? When will a training session be held in my area? What if there are no training sessions in my area and I want to have a session held in my hometown? What are the differences in the training sessions held throughout the state? How is Mississippi State University Extension Service involved in this training? Economic Analysis: What kinds of questions can be answered with an economic analysis? What are the major sectors of my local economy? Is there a charge for your services? Business Analysis: What can I learn from a market study? What if I am interested in a home-based or micro business? Is there a charge for your services? Retail Development: Where can I find retail sales data about my community? What are some impacts of retail outshopping? Where do most retail consumers shop and why? What can a community learn from a retail trade study? What are some successful strategies for promoting local shopping? Is there a charge for your services? Strategic Planning: What are the benefits of a strategic plan? Who should be included in a strategic planning effort? How does my community get started? Do you provide help to communities in locating and analyzing data? Where can I find statistics about my community? Is there a charge for your services? Organization Development: What types of organizations do you work with? Is there a charge for your services? Return to top of page Publications MSUcares Community/Government publications Leadership: Committees Leadership: President of an Organization Leadership: Secretary of an Organization Leadership: Treasurer of an Organization Leadership: Vice President of an Organization Return to top of page Other Community Resource Development Information Public Water System Management Training Program Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of Water Supply Public Water System Board Management Training Community Resource Group, Southern Rural Community Assistance Program National Rural Water Association American Water Works Association (AWWA) American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service Water and Environmental Programs U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water MSU Research and Service Units: School of Architecture Small Town Center The Stennis Institute of Government Southern Rural Development Center Mississippi Web Sites: State of Mississippi Official home page for state government agencies, educational institutions, and other Mississippi web sites. Also includes some federal government agencies. The following is a short list of state government agencies that provide information, resources, and data for public use: Mississippi Arts Commission Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development Mississippi Department of Human Services Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Mississippi Employment Security Commission Mississippi Forestry Commission Mississippi State Department of Health Mississippi State Tax Commission Web Sites in Mississippi Mississippi Web Sites by County Rural Development Resources: National Association of Development Organizations National Association of Counties National Civic League National Association of Towns and Townships National Center for Small Communities National Rural Development Partnership National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils USDA Rural Development TVA Rural Studies W.K. Kellogg Collection of Rural Community Development Resources The Aspen Institute Agriculture Network information Center Rural Information Center Federal Funding Sources for Rural Areas Appalachian Regional Commission Rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Program EZ/EC Community Toolbox Corporation for Enterprise Development National Rural Education Association Organizations Concerned About Rural Education Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools Community Transportation Association National Rural Electric Cooperative Association National Telephone Cooperative Association National Exchange Carrier Association (Universal Service) National Rural Water Association National Rural Health Association Institute for Research on Poverty Housing Assistance Council Statistical Resources: MSU Libraries Online Reference Desk FedStats Links to more than 70 Federal Government agencies. Statistical Resources on the Web University of Michigan Documents Center Government Information Sharing Project Oregon State University Kids Count Project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation Return to top of page
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