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This week we are expanding our normal commentary on the intersection of life and economic development funding to look a bit more broadly at how our behavior impacts the world in which we live. Our interests span much more than raising money and with many of us trying to figure out the new normal, we are all searching for the positives that may come from this mess in which we currently find ourselves. The COVID-19 Wake-Up Call – Is it all Bad? By Doug Radcliff, RDG Director of

By RDG Principal Beth Pulliam A few weeks ago, an organization known as Stop Predatory Gambling requested lottery betting to be immediately shut down in the US until at least 30 days after stimulus payments are received. Reported in the Wall Street Journal, the ARTICLE reminds us that humans like to take risks. Think about it: speeding, dating, stock trading, sitting underneath a tree hosting birds (current situation as I write this). If you are not convinced of our proclivit

If your corporate structure happens to be as a 501(c)6, that headline probably got your attention. In a recent POLL RDG conducted, 70% of the organizations surveyed were structured solely as a 501(c)6. More surprisingly, only 10% had both a 501(c)6 AND 501(c)3. Admittedly, this was not a scientific survey, however, the results are still instructive given one of the current issues facing Chamber’s and EDO’s today; namely, the exclusion of 501(c)6 organizations from the Paychec

Do you read The Hustle?  It’s an online subscription news service that offers an edgier dive into the topics of the day.  Mike and I have been subscribers for a number of years and recently were interviewed as part of an article on small businesses that made it through the great recession (LINK HERE).  Admittedly, that’s a time we try to forget most days, but the exercise offered an opportunity to think about some very important lessons learned that still apply today. We thou

First off, I hope everyone is healthy and safe right now.  This is an uncertain time for us all and the most important thing we can do is take care of ourselves.  I for one am “sheltering in place” in our home near Hendersonville, NC; up in the beautiful Western NC mountains, somewhat isolated from the major urban areas.  Not immune by any means but in a place where let’s just say it’s easier to shelter in place. Too busy to read it all? I get it. Here’s the nutshell: In this

Earlier this year, JP Morgan Chase announced the winners (see here) in their most recent round of Advancing Cities funding, which included five recipient communities receiving a total of $15 million. It’s an impressive display of a corporation putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to encouraging innovative and collaborative approaches to problem solving in major urban centers around the country. What does this latest round of funding (stay positive, there wil

As EDOs look to their budgets over the next few months, determining the proper course of action will be challenging to say the least.  We believe real answers are going to come from experience and creativity, not necessarily process and fundamentals.  We also believe that once we maneuver our way through triage, this will become an incredible time for industry innovation so the companies and organizations thinking that way now, will be better positioned to prosper in the futu