The November 2014 edition of ICMA’s PM Magazine is full of great content on the topic of economic development. The staff of our Center for Sustainable Communities compiled a short list of recommended reading, viewing, and attending that is featured in the magazine’s Management Minute and summarized below.

This list is diverse, but not comprehensive. We encourage you to use the comments section of this blog post to highlight other resources you turn to when searching for best practices or innovative thinking in economic development!

A New Vision for Rebuilding Detroit

In this TED Talk, Toni Griffin, city planner in Detroit, Michigan, challenges the audience to think entrepreneurially about the future of the city.  She explains how a partnership with the Kresge Foundation on the Detroit Future City is helping to rebuild the city and expand its economy.

Asset-Based Economic Development Briefing Papers

This series of briefing papers from ICMA’s Center for Sustainable Communities explores asset-based economic development. The papers focus on how small towns and rural communities can build on their natural and working landscapes, local institutions, existing infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, industry clusters, and human capital.

City Lab Blog

Through original reporting, sharp analysis, and visual storytelling, CityLab informs and inspires the people creating the cities of the future. The blog focuses on economic development, but also discusses a number of other issues – including crime, technology, and housing – that are related to the economic vitality of a community.

Emerald Cities

In her book, Emerald Cities (Oxford University Press, 2010), Joan Fitzgerald argues that cities are uniquely suited to promote and benefit from green economic development. She highlights leading-edge cities and practices, while identifying those strategies that have already proven to be effective and the kinds of cities in which they work best.

National Brownfields Conference

Since 2003, ICMA’s Center for Sustainable Communitiesand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  have jointly organized the National Brownfields Conference to bring all affected stakeholders together to seek out solutions, strategies, and redevelopment options for moving these abandoned properties back into productive uses. In September 2015, the event will be held in Chicago. 

National Resource Network

This website offers a well-curated resource library; the country’s first-ever compilation of federally funded technical assistance opportunities; events; and blogs tailored toward local leaders tackling the issues of economic development, job creation, and community development.

Local Eco-entrepreneurship

Environmental planner Majora Carter talks about three examples of communities that have promoted economic activity and environmentalism through social entrepreneurship by addressing unemployment challenges, promoting local food systems, and cleaning up waste and contamination.

Knowledge Network

The Knowledge Network, a knowledge-sharing platform where more than 52,000 local government professionals have created a user profile, features 206 topic areas, including one on economic development.