International Economic Development Council Annual Conference
September 26-29, 2010 in Columbus, OH
Website: http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference/index.html

Conference Program: http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference/Program.html

Register: http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference/Registration.html

Communities face on-going challenges in obtaining funding for existing economic development projects and beginning new ones. Financing for real estate development, brownfields, tech commercialization and entrepreneurship is obtainable if you have the right tools and know where to look. The federal government currently has multiple programs including bonds, tax credits, incentives and more. The money is out there and economic developers can access it. Learn where the money is and how to get it using the new tools for financing projects.

SESSIONS ON OBTAINING FUNDING INCLUDE:

New Venture Financing: What Works
One of the biggest challenges new firms face is finding access to capital. Understanding what venture capitalists and angel investors are looking for in startups companies is key to assisting new businesses attract investments. This session offers the opportunity to hear from speakers in the venture financing industry about successful methods of funding entrepreneurial endeavors.

Using Green to Turn Brown Around
Brownfield redevelopment projects are very valuable to communities as they put unproductive properties back into tax-generating productive use and control environmental risks. However the extra cost to redeveloping a brown field can often be a deal breaker. Attend this session to learn how to bring your local brownfield back to life. This session will also highlight federal incentives to support brownfield redevelopment.

Using Bonds to Finance Projects
As fewer means are available to finance projects, many communities are turning towards municipal bonds as a financing mechanism. New municipal bonds have been issued including Build America Bonds and Property Accessed Clean Energy Bonds to help communities finance projects and spur job creation. This session will explain municipal bonds including some of the newly created and how communities can tap into them to finance projects.

Federal Tax Credits: Incenting Community Reinvestment and Creating Jobs
Federal Tax Credit programs are one of the largest economic development tools for incenting community reinvestment and creating new jobs in the country. From New Market and historic tax credits for equity investments in community development to energy tax credits for energy saving construction, these programs as well as other federal tax credits can offer a significant jump start to your community's businesses and projects. A clear understanding of these programs can directly and indirectly help your community be competitive. This session will provide an understanding of how these programs work and how they can be leveraged to meet economic development goals.

National Laboratories: Powerful Resources for the Changing Landscape
In this time of "less", economic developers have "more" options than they realize. The United States Government has made more than promises for changing the landscape to improve U.S. competitiveness domestically and abroad; it's put its money where its mouth is! Federal labs across the country are largely untapped resources that have economic development and technology transfer programs charged with creating jobs and technology based solutions. This session will examine what the national labs are doing and what they offer economic developers and businesses.

Tapping Into Local Sources for Big Returns
Many of the ingredients of a successful economic development strategy can be found within the community or region. From workforce development, education and entrepreneurship to financing and development projects and everything in between, resources for successful economic development programs can be found in the community's backyard. This session will examine how communities can tap into local sources for big results.

OUR EXPERT SPEAKERS WILL HELP YOU FIND YOUR FINANCING:

- Brett Bosley, Vice President of Technology Commercialization, Batelle, Columbus, OH
- Karina L. Edmonds, PhD, Technology Transfer Coordinator, US Department of Energy, Washington, DC - Brandon M. Belford, Recovery Act Team, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy, Washington, DC
- Karla M. Auker, CPG, Brownfields Project Manager, Project Officer Superfund Division community and Land Revitalization Branch , Brownfields and NPL Reuse Section USEPA Region V, Westlake, OH
- John O. Huston, Principal, USPrivateCompanies, LLC, Manager, The Ohio Tech Funds, Columbus, OH
- David Wilhelm, Founding Partner, Woodland Venture Management, Gahanna, OH