Economic Vitality

This is not your grandparents' economy or your parents' either. America's cities and towns are operating on a different economic playing field than they did in the twentieth century, with different rules and requirements, different players, different expectations.

New industries emerge in the place of others; new jobs demand new skills; new strategies undergird the success of businesses and local and regional economies. City officials seek to make their local economies resilient and strong enough to absorb and adjust to the shocks that are bound to occur.

The Changing Economy

 There has been a great deal of rhetoric and reporting connected to recent economic changes. Among the trends receiving the most attention: globalization, rapid-fire technological innovation, changes in job requirements, and the rise of a so-called "knowledge economy".

Each of these changes can be understood by different people in different ways. In fact, the lack of a shared understanding - a persuasive and useful story - of what is truly happening in the economy is, in the NLCl's view, a major obstacle to solutions. Therefore, a first priority for municipal leaders is to make sense of what is going on and to articulate what it means for your city or town.

"How to succeed" And, indeed, what is success?" Answers to these questions are something that each community will have to figure out for itself. But, in our work on this topic, NLC has found there are some dominant patterns and approaches that can guide what cities do:

• Understand the changing economy and how it affects your city's success.
• Adjust your local economic development efforts toward the capacities and needs of local residents and what is needed to create vitality and resilience in the new economic environment.
•   Develop the skills and talents of local workers so that all residents can play a part in your city's success.
• Find the place and the roles for your community in the global economy.
•  Develop and tell a useful story about the local and regional economy that is persuasive to area residents and to state and federal officials.
• Cross boundaries to build partnerships that help assure your community's economic success.

The Advisory Council has been working for two years to help NLC members understand how they can play pivotal roles in helping their cities and regions thrive and be resilient in the changing global economy.

Resources for City Officials

Several items are available to help city officials:

• The 2006 Futures Report, Economic Vitality: Your City's Success in a Changing Economy, offers information and ideas, a framework for thinking about economic change, and examples of how cities across the country are responding.
• Strengthening Your Local Workforce: Municipal Action Guide provides local elected leaders with possible avenues and action steps to enhance their city's workforce development efforts.
  October 2007. 
• Fundamentals of Regional Economic Development, PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Edward W. Hill to the National League of Cities December 7, 2006.  Presented at the Congress of Cities workshop "First, Best, or Only: Finding Your City's Economic Niche".
• Building Partnerships for Economic Vitality: Municipal Action Guide provides practical advice and guidance to help local officials develop partnerships to respond successfully to the challenges of the rapidly changing global economy. December 2006.
• Building on Your City's Economic Strengths : Municipal Action Guide provides "how to" information for local officials to think in new ways about their economic development, focusing on a communities strengths and distinctiveness. December 2006. 
• Letter to President George W. Bush from NLC President Mayor Anthony Williams, Washington D.C., August 2,2005
• Toward a New Economic Vitality, Draft Framework Paper, November 2005

NLC will continue to develop and advance an economic vitality framework and agenda for America's cities and towns.  To do this, NLC will, for example:

• Provide resources that assist city and town officials in addressing the challenges and opportunities of economic vitality.
• Increase visibility and public understanding about the economic forces confronting America's cities and towns and about the importance of local economies to the nation.
• Advocate Federal action to promote economic vitality in local economies and in cities and towns.
• Provide information resources to state municipal leagues on these topics.
• Develop and disseminate knowledge and information concerning the economic vitality of cities and towns.

Nations Weekly Articles on Economic Vitality

Advisory Council Focuses on Future, Economic Vitality

by Melissa Germanese and Katie Seeger

Posted: December 18, 2006

 

ARS Forum Focuses on Building Economic Competitiveness in Regions

by Christiana Brennan

Posted: June 5, 2006

 

Advisory Council Addresses Economic Vitality Issues

by Melissa Germanese and William H. Woodwell Jr.

Posted:May 22, 2006 

 

Advisory Council Explores Economic Vitality Issues

by William H. Woodwell Jr.

Posted: March 20, 2006

 

NLC Urges Bush to Convene Summit on Economic Vitality
by Bill Barnes
Posted: August 8, 2005

 

Forum Calls for Action, Cooperation on Local Economic Vitality
by William Woodwell
Posted: June 27, 2005

 

CityFutures Panels Converge in Denver

by Chris Hoene
Posted: June 27, 2005

 

Local Officials See Major Challenges to Improving Economic Vitality of Cities
by Sherry Conway Appel
Posted: June 20,2005

 

NLC CityFutures Program Unveiled at Conference

Posted: March 28,2005