Archived COVID-19 Webinars from IEDC
On March 23, 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, IEDC began a series of free webinars to help the economic development profession address effects in their communities, and to spread the news about resources to do so. Click on the links below to download the slide decks and recordings for a selection of IEDC's 2020 COVID-19 webinars. For a full list of COVID-19 webinars, see the webinar archive on IEDC's website.
May 6, 2020 - Rethinking BRE in the COVID-19 Era
Business retention and expansion has always been the basis for successful economic development. In the era of COVID-19 a strong BR&E program is more essential than ever before. However, the pervasive health and economic consequences of this global pandemic require economic developers to rethink our traditional mindset and approaches to BRE. Whether you already have a BRE program or want to implement one, check out this conversation between Laith Wardi, President and founder of ExecutivePulse, and Jeff Finkle, President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council for a roadmap to resilience and recovery as economic developers face an uncertain future with COVID-19.
May 11, 2020 - COVID-19: Workforce, Labor, and Skills in a Recovering Economy
The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the experience of workers in our economy - from those who are filing for unemployment for the first time to those who are living through the strain of being deemed "essential". With workers re-evaluating their careers, and companies re-evaluating their practices and labor needs, this crisis becomes an inflection point for those concerned with workforce development. In this webinar, four experts will provide insight into what economic development organizations can be doing at this time. The session was moderated by Scott Martinez, President of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership. The speakers were Rob Garcia, Manager at Business Leaders United, Joshua Wright, Executive Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Emsi, Jane Oates, President of WorkingNation and Janet Salm, Managing Director of Research at the Strada Institute for the Future of Work.
June 1, 2020 - COVID-19: Maximizing Return On Your Community's Higher Ed Presence
As communities strengthen their quality of life scorecards, build talent, diversify their economic base and plan post-COVID19 recovery, Higher Education institutions can be critical partners. These community anchor institutions offer a range of ways to support talent, innovation and place objectives of economic development. Learn from universities and economic developers how to strengthen partnerships and possibilities that result in better business attraction and retention, entrepreneurship, and quality of life.
June 22, 2020 - COVID-19: Saving Retail on Mainstreet and Beyond
Mainstreet retail is at risk due to the Coronavirus. The small businesses that line the streets of once-bustling neighborhoods are highly impacted by the sharp economic downturn; they are less likely to be considered essential, less likely to have an emergency fund, and more likely to close permanently.
August 6, 2020 - Economic Systems after COVID-19: Towards a More Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the limits of healthcare and economic systems across the world. In addition to disrupting lives, economies and societies, the pandemic has triggered the most severe recession in nearly a century – with the retail, travel and restaurant industries, among others, in tatters. Similar to the 2008/09 global financial crisis, which disproportionately hurt lower-income households, COVID-19 hit lower-wage workers first and hardest. The magnitude of the crisis confronts business leaders and policymakers with an unprecedented challenge.
Economic growth and social inclusion are not mutually exclusive; ample evidence supports the notion that interventions that promote inclusion often lead to stronger economic recoveries. While there will be no easy solutions, special attention must be given to interventions capable of accelerating desirable trends that are likely to shape the next normal. The distributional implications of automation and the future of work for the shape of the recovery will be examined.
August 17, 2020 - A New Perspective on Special Economic Zones
In the post-COVID world, economic developers will need to utilize all the tools available to bring their economies back. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) including Foreign Trade Zones, Opportunity Zones, and Enterprise Zones, can help the local economies recover, especially when they are used in tandem to build value. In this webinar, you’ll learn from experts about how to make the most of the zones you have, as well as how legislatures should protect, and possibly expand, the benefit of these frameworks.
COVID-19 Resources from IEDC and RYE
RestoreYourEconomy is your resource for up-to-date information related to COVID-19 and its economic impacts. It is managed by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) with generous support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and IEDC's Economic Development Research Partners program. Click on the icons below to access COVID-19 resources from IEDC and RestoreYourEconomy.