BRE Program Support

Workshops

Education and training are essential components of the BRE Program. One of the program's primary objectives is to build capacity among local leadership within the context of community and economic development. This is accomplished through the development and implementation of workshops designed specifically to assist communities in conducting successful BRE programs. The Ohio BRE Program offers three workshops:

The Coordinator's Workshop:

The workshop provides attendees with an overview of the Business Retention & Expansion Program, training on the BRE process and vision. At the workshop, attendees finalize their program objectives, define community, determine how the information will be used, and discuss how to administer the survey.

The Task Force Workshop:

Successful BRE programs exist because of the teamwork associated among all of the organizations and individuals involved in the program. Major players in the BRE program are the members of the BRE Task Force. The Task Force, which is comprised of local leaders and managed by the coordinator, analyzes the survey results to identify and address actionable items. Topics covered in the workshop include an overview of the BRE process and their role in the program.

The Data Analysis and Reporting Strategies Workshop:

The Data Analysis and Reporting Strategies Workshop is designed to help clientele analyze the data to determine what is relevant to their community economic development goals and objectives and then construct a narrative that interprets the information. This narrative of the local economy can then be used for action planning, policy setting, and other economic development ventures. The workshop provides sources for secondary data, evaluation techniques, report templates, and a methodology for understanding and communicating the local community's economic story.

BRE Handbook

Click here to view table of contents, introduction, and overveiw.

Pre-Tested Survey Questions

The BRE Program provides several options for questionnaire development, in addition to standard questionnaires for a number of industry sectors including:

  • retail and services
  • office
  • health care
  • industrial/manufacturing
  • agriculture
  • travel and tourism

Members can also create their own customized questionnaires using pre-tested questions drawn from the Question Bank, by modifying a standard questionnaire or working with an program representative to develop new questions. All of the questions in the standard questionnaires and the Question Bank have been developed over time and pre-tested in prior BRE programs. Click to view sample questionnaires: Ag Producer Survey / Survey of Local Retail Businesses / Survey Results Sample

Program Support

OSU Extension professionals are experienced BRE consultants with extensive backgrounds in business management, marketing, research, and education. Representatives from the BRE Program are available to assist clientele to reach a successful outcome.