Innovation Vouchers

Problem

Small businesses often do not have the resources to harness expertise in research and development. Meanwhile, scientific, technological and other research facilities are often looking for new projects. Funding the linkage between these two groups would lead to new opportunities for economic growth.

Solution

Assemblymember Buchwald is proposing to issue “Innovation Vouchers” to small businesses to acquire expertise from universities, national laboratories, or public research institutes. The goal of the program would be to connect research facilities to small businesses, helping create jobs and spur innovation.

National Service & Volunteer Accelerator

Problem

High youth unemployment rates signify the risk that a great majority of our young students are not prepared to contribute to the economy. Meanwhile, national and community service programs offer great opportunities to address pressing social issues while giving young adults experience that can help them learn how to participate.

Solution

Mayor Walling has created a new position of Chief Service Officer in his office to direct national service AmeriCorps, VISTA and community volunteers towards City priorities including safety, blight and education. The Flint National Service Accelerator is a multi-sector partnership that leverages Federal, State and local funds to provide more money for nonprofits to host service positions. The goal is to scale up service in Flint to create opportunities for youth and students that will give them a pathway to employment and higher education while at the same time bettering the community.”

Workforce Innovation Training Grant

Problem

In order to attract new jobs in the changing economy, workers need to have skills that match what businesses are looking for.

Solution

Franklin County’s WIT-G program incentivizes businesses to train additional new employees, allowing them to invest elsewhere while providing workers with quality jobs and the skills they need to work in expanding and evolving industries. Rather than training workers in general skills, the program works directly with companies to teach skills that are tailored to currently available jobs and carefully coordinates with city and state levels of government to avoid duplication with other initiatives”

Investing for Re-entry Not Recidivism

Problem

The growing rise of recidivism poses a threat to our society’s ability to prepare individuals to become contributing adults. Among the leading cause of recidivism is the lack of employment opportunities and limited educational opportunities for ex-offenders.

Solution

In order to reduce recidivism and improve ex-offender reintegration, prison systems should partner with private industry to develop Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for prisoners. By placing a greater emphasis on providing marketable skills we improve the odds that they will successfully reintegrate in society.”

Resource and Development Tax Credit

Problem

Historically, research and development incentives in Delaware have supported larger established companies. While these larger companies are vital to the state, smaller businesses and startups usually need more resources as they are starting out to remain competitive and expand their business efforts.

Solution

Rep. Short introduced legislation to reform the R&D Tax credit program in Delaware so that it will drive more of the resources to smaller start-up companies. By refocusing the credit toward smaller businesses and startups, this bill incentivizes innovation and growth in emerging industries that are critical to enhancing Delaware’s competitiveness and increasing the opportunity for job growth. If passed, the bill will improve the business climate for existing small businesses and attract new businesses to Delaware.

Enterprise Zones 2.0

Problem

Several parts of Nebraska, including Omaha, suffer from greater unemployment rates than the rest of the state but the state has limited resources allocated to economic development programs.

Solution

Senator Mello authored legislation to reauthorize Nebraska’s enterprise zone statutes to encourage investment and economic growth by giving preference for projects in economically distressed communities. Rather than creating a new economic development program, this innovative idea focuses existing resources where the need is greatest for the largest economic return. By giving these areas a leg up on programs like job training and affordable housing funds, these communities are able to better prepare citizens with the skills and support they need to become self-sufficient and contribute to the state economy.

Digital Operating Agreement (OA)

Problem

Entrepreneurs often face several challenges in getting their businesses off the ground because of high legal fees associated with making sure they meet legal formation requirements. Because of this financial burden, they may go without the legal and governance structure required to ensure the long-term success of their businesses.

Solution

Secretary Miller created the Digital OA, free software that allows limited-liability companies to exist entirely in digital form with basic legal protections and governance. Entrepreneurs who have never met but want to collaborate on something as simple as an iPhone app can meet via chat room, agree to terms on how to set up their business, form that entity online, and run the company without having met – all through the Digital OA. The program was designed to promote entrepreneurial growth, and allow entrepreneurs to focus their time and other resources on their core business. Digital OA is not simply a start-up resource providing formation structure, as it also serves as a common operational hub through which the company’s ongoing legally mandated meetings, decision making, and recording of events can be conducted.

Small Business Tour

Problem

Too often a lack of communication between small business communities and government has hindered public trust in government’s ability to grow economic progress and solve local businesses’ greatest problems.

Solution

Upon taking office, Mayor Kriseman created the position of Small Business Liaison to better connect St. Petersburg’s small business community to their government and give them a space to voice their concerns. This Small Business liaison helps facilitate small business tours, which have become a regular part of the Mayor’s schedule and has allowed him to see and learn firsthand the challenges facing St. Petersburg’s independent businesses. By creating this partnership between the city of St. Petersburg and the Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Kriseman has successfully eliminated barriers to opportunity and is working to restore public trust in city government.

Denver Shared Spaces

Problem

The sustainability and economic success of nonprofits is often impacted by an organization’s ability to find affordable space, reduce overhead, and find innovative ways to effectively advance their mission.

Solution

Through the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships, Mayor Hancock helped create the Denver Shared Spaces project in 2009 to maximize nonprofit resources through a shared space model. Resources for the project have been raised by public investment (dollars from various city agencies), and some private investments. This model is an effective tool for increasing efficiency and effectiveness in nonprofit partners by reducing duplicative efforts, sharing overhead costs and creating a space for sharing best practices and collaboration.

Denver Peak Performance

Problem

Government often relies on outside experts and hiring consultants to improve city systems and advise city employees on how to do their jobs better. By focusing only on this outsider, top-down approach, government is spending more money on solving its problems and not inspiring a culture of innovation and trust in government amongst city employees.

Solution

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock launched Peak Performance to invest in Denver’s employees by giving them the tools to solve city problems. Peak offers classes to city employees to help them identify areas for improvement and embrace a new culture of innovation to provide the best service possible. By empowering city employees to find their own straightforward reforms, Mayor Hancock has restored public trust in government, while making city projects run more efficiently and save money.

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