New Building Entrepreneur Friendly Communities for the Outdoor Recreation Sector Program Launched
The Ohio State University Extension Community Development and the University of Minnesota Extension and Tourism Center with small grant funding from USDA through the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD), developed a new curriculum for community leaders serving the outdoor recreation sector.
Why outdoor recreation? “Accounting for 2.3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP.), the Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated the economic output of outdoor recreation to be $1.2 trillion in 2023, surpassing industries such as farming, mining, and utilities. The sector also generates five million quality, high-paying jobs,” (Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, 2025).
The Building Entrepreneur Friendly Communities program helps local leaders understand the contribution of entrepreneurs to the local economy. It also identifies strategies to help grow local entrepreneurs and to position their communities as an environment supportive of and conducive to entrepreneurial success.
This information and understanding also allows community leaders to create a customized strategic plan focused on building an entrepreneur-friendly community.
What You’ll Learn:
- Describe the significance of the outdoor recreation sector and summarize its potential economic and social impact
- Identify the role of entrepreneurship in a community’s economic development
- Assess the entrepreneurial ecosystem in their community with regards to the outdoor recreation sector
- Engage with local entrepreneurs through interviews to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities they face
- Apply strategic planning tools such as affinity mapping and goal setting to prioritize community needs
OSU Extension offers two online course options to help communities strengthen entrepreneurial support and economic vitality:
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BEFC Online Course (General)
Designed for any community interested in fostering an entrepreneur-friendly environment.
➡ Learn more and register for the general BEFC Online Course -
BEFC for the Outdoor Recreation Sector
A customized version of the BEFC course tailored for communities with a focus on outdoor recreation industries. The self-paced course is fully available online at:
➡ Learn more and register for BEFC: Outdoor Recreation
For more information, please contact the following Ohio State University Extension authors: Myra Moss; Nancy Bowen; Gwynn Stewart; Kyle White. Also contributing from University of Minnesota are: Ami Choi and Neil Lindscheid.