What Works! will bring together practitioners, researchers, educators, and decision-makers to address critical issues in promoting entrepreneurship in the U.S.  The workshops provide opportunities for:

• extension educators and other service providers to learn about new strategies and programs that work in different communities to stimulate job creation and business formation,
• researchers to share science-based analyses that could be further developed into programs that will enhance economic development, and
• town managers and local planners to share their experiences given new budget constraints and to learn about new research and outreach projects related to entrepreneurship and business development.

What Works! will be held September 18-20, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA. The workshop will kick off with a reception on Sunday evening and will conclude at noon on Tuesday. You should attend this conference if you want to learn about state-of-the-art research documenting the impact of local small business entrepreneurship on regional economic growth and development.  The conference will help you make the case why entrepreneurship and small business development programs are critical in the current economic climate, and why they need to be supported. 

Community and Economic Development Meeting: Since entrepreneurship is an important area for many of you we have scheduled a meeting of Community and Economic Development LGU Research and Extension Professionals on Sunday, September 18 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. To register for this meeting please email nercrd@psu.edu.

eXtension CoP Meeting: In addition, there will be a meeting of the eXtension Enhancing Rural Capacity Community of Practice (CoP) Leadership Team, starting at the end of the What Works Conference and continuing through the next morning (Tuesday, 9/20 beginning at 1:00 p.m. and concluding at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 9/21).  This CoP is developing content to expand and strengthen the collective body of national extension work devoted to rural community development.  We welcome your participation and would be pleased to have you join the leadership team in Philadelphia to learn more about and contribute to our work.  In the meantime, to join the Enhancing Rural Capacity Community of Practice team meeting, please email Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman at: hmm1@cornell.edu

AUDIENCE
Extension Educators~Business Counselors~Service Providers~Technical Assistance Providers in Tourism, Agriculture, Micro and Home-Based Business~Rural Community & Economic Development Specialists~Community-Based Organizations ~ Municipal Officials~Lenders~Planning & Land- Use Professionals~Business Owners~Foundation Representatives~Policy Centers~Creative Thinkers~Change Agents

CONFERENCE PROGRAM CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

What Works! will address the following issues:

• Creating “entrepreneur-friendly” communities/Creating the ideal habitat for local ownership
• Supporting the post-startup business owner. Techniques, programs, strategies that help support business owners after the business plan is written.
• Assessing community and economic impacts
• Regional cooperation – models, strategies, public policy
• Beyond business – Building the entrepreneurial community
• Research related to entrepreneurship and community development
• Integrating entrepreneurship, rural community and economic development
• Entrepreneurship and land use, agriculture and tourism
• Technology and entrepreneurship (e-commerce, emerging technology, online education, etc)
• Youth and rural entrepreneurship
• Additional topics relevant to rural entrepreneurship, community development and/or regional cooperation are encouraged

A block of rooms has been reserved for the nights of September 18-20, 2011, at the rate of $159/night (single and double rate) plus tax. To reserve a room please call (215) 238-6000 and mention What Works. The cut-off date for making reservations is August 30, 2011. Hotel information is available at: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=166

Online reservations can be made at: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/WhatWorksConference2011