Site Logo

Connect With Us!

Twitter ImageFacebook ImageLinkedin Image
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Board Resources
    • Strategic Plan
    • Staff
  • Move to Swift
    • Our Communities
      • Appleton Profile
      • Benson Profile
      • Clontarf Profile
      • Danvers Profile
      • De Graff Profile
      • Holloway Profile
      • Kerkhoven Profile
      • Murdock Profile
        • Contact Us
        • Happenings
        • Building Permit
        • Businesses
        • News
        • Meetings
      • Swift County Profile
    • Our Residents
    • Neighborhoods and Housing
      • Home Ownership and Financing
        • Buying and Selling a Home
      • Repairing a Home
      • Senior Housing
      • Rental Housing
    • Education
    • Transportation
    • Climate
    • Recreation and Outdoors
    • Local Foods
      • FAQs
      • Partner Criteria
      • Promotional Value
      • Local Foods Resources
      • Farmer's Markets
      • Community Supported Ag
    • Working
      • Submit a Job Listing
      • Workforce Resources
      • Employment
  • Invest in Swift
    • Grants
    • Featured Properties
    • Key Industries
      • BioEnergy
        • Current Applications
        • Renewable Energy Marketplace
        • BioEnergy Success Stories
        • BioEnergy Brochure
  • Business Resources
    • Business Directory
      • Submit Your Business
    • Business Support
    • Local Financing
    • Regional Financing
    • State and Federal Financing
    • Partners
    • Documents and Reports
  • News
  • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • #SwiftSuccess
Swift County RDA News

Search This Site

Translate

HomeNewsContact Us

  1. Home
  2. News
View Custom Report

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund tackles affordable housing amid economic obstacles

Friday, May 20, 2022

As Minnesota Legislators debate how to spend a projected $9.25 billion surplus, one of the most prominent topics is the need for more affordable housing for families and individuals. Read full article.
Housing Studies: An Economic Development Best Practice That Leads To Growth

Friday, May 20, 2022

Commissioning a housing study is an economic development best practice that can ultimately lead to growth. Individual communities and regions are commissioning them to determine the total demand, the type of housing that’s needed, and the ideal price point for the market. Once complete, a housing study is the best tool for demonstrating to a developer that there is a true need and exactly what that need is. Download the whitepaper, "PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING HOUSING SHORTAGES IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA." Read full article.
DEED awards $3.08M for blighted properties

Thursday, May 19, 2022

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded more than $3.08 million in grants and loans to aid in the redevelopment of blighted or dilapidated properties. Read full article.
Navigating Best Practices For Lead Generation Forms

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Forms are an essential tool for leveraging the power of a LANDING PAGE. Without them, there is no way to convert a visitor into a lead. Forms come in handy when it’s time for people to sign up, subscribe, or download an offer. The following tips will cover how to build great landing page forms. Read full article.
A Plan to Dispel Fear of Failure in State Government?

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

In the eyes of some, state government is a hulking, slow-moving machine perpetually bogged down by bureaucracy. Fearful of failure, state agencies generally avoid taking bigger risks, even if they could lead to bigger payoffs. But what if government agencies became more comfortable with risk? That’s what Steve Grove is testing out at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). As the department’s commissioner, Grove is spearheading a goal-setting mechanism he picked up during his time in Silicon Valley. Known simply as “Objectives and Key Results,” or OKRs, the process doesn’t necessarily encourage failure per se, but it doe...
Best Practices For Developing Housing In Rural Communities

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Housing continues to be a challenge in many rural communities. Attracting workforce housing development requires intention and a bit of creativity. We have looked across the country to find communities that are using unique strategies to develop workforce housing and are sharing these best practices. Some, all, or a combination of the below could be used to develop housing in our community. Learn more by downloading the whitepaper: PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING HOUSING SHORTAGES IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. Read full article.
6 Steps to Building a Great Team

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

There are few things more frustrating than gathering a team of skilled individuals who just don’t seem to be able to work together well. There is also nothing more fulfilling than creating a team that is supportive, cooperative and results-focused. Effective coaches know how to support teams in a way that will help them to strengthen relationships, improve their performance and reach their goals. Understanding the coaching process and the desired objectives can help leaders create a culture that is empowering and growth-oriented. Learning to utilize the coaching tools that can best facilitate team growth and collaboration is an essential ste...
Minnesota lawmakers finish deal on unemployment, bonuses

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

The Minnesota Legislature pushed through a bill to give bonuses to workers who were on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic and to replenish the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund following months of negotiations. Gov. Tim Walz said in a Twitter that he stepped out of his son’s volleyball game “to sign this important bill the minute we got it passed.” Read full article.
The Complete Guide to Crypto, Bitcoin, ApeCoin and Blockchain Technology

Monday, May 16, 2022

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that is not controlled by any government or institution. Cryptocurrencies are not printed and are instead created using computing power. Cryptocurrency is created through a process called mining. Mining involves solving complicated math problems with the use of computer processing power. The miner who solves the problem gets rewarded in crypto coins, which they can then spend on goods or services online. Read full article.
Women’s Representation on Minnesota Corporate Boards Hits All-Time High

Monday, May 16, 2022

Minnesota’s largest publicly traded companies are heeding calls for improved gender parity on their boards, though the number of women in executive roles is still falling behind the national average. That’s according to the results of the 2021 Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership released Tuesday. The yearly report produced by St. Catherine University examined women’s representation at Minnesota’s 79 largest publicly traded companies. As of June 30, 2021, women held 177 seats on the boards of those companies. That means women held 26.6 percent of board seats, marking an all-time high in Minnesota, according to the report. Read full article.
For recruitment and retention, some Minnesota businesses are turning to same-day pay

Friday, May 13, 2022

In 2020, “stimulus check ” and “second stimulus check” were among the top 15 Google searches in the United States. That same year, an Ernst and Young report estimated that across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, approximately $1 trillion of workers’ wages were sitting in employer coffers on any given day. Read full article.
Location, Location, Location. Entrepreneurs, Where You Locate Your Startup Might Be As Important As The Timing

Friday, May 13, 2022

We all know the failure rate of startups, about 90% over five years. And we know Silicon Valley might still be the dominant location in the United States for starting technology companies. Perhaps that is due to the venture capitalist’s insistence that companies they fund be in or move to Silicon Valley. But as you consider the type of company you wish to start, you really should examine the importance of several factors outside of funding that could hedge your startup’s success. Where you locate your startup, even in the age of remote work, might actually be more critical tha...
DEED Hears from Hutchinson Area Leaders on Importance of Broadband Access for All Minnesotans

Thursday, May 12, 2022

On Wednesday, Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove and DEED’s Executive Director for the Office of Broadband Development, Angie Dickison, hosted a roundtable discussion at local internet service provider Nuvera in Hutchinson. Their discussion focused on why broadband access is essential and why now is the time to finish the job and provide border-to-border broadband access to all Minnesotans.   “I love hearing from leaders and business owners about what makes Minnesota the best place to live and do business, and today’s conversation reinforced how critical high-speed, high-quality broadband is for schools, businesses, families, and communities,” sai...
Taking Action Now for An Increasingly Automated Future

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Recently, Elon Musk announced plans for the Tesla Bot, a humanoid robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall. Musk said the robot “probably won’t work.” I hope he is wrong. Many people have an adverse reaction to discussions of automation and artificial intelligence. While I understand those fears, I believe we need to embrace automation. In fact, let’s put our foot on the gas — or set the autonomous electric vehicle at max speed. But as we accelerate toward automation, we must reposition our workforce for a successful journey. Read full article.
How to Effectively Hire During the New Normal

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

The way businesses in the industrial sector approach hiring new employees has changed. Companies can no longer rely on posting a job ad and sitting back to wait for resumes to flood in. With unemployment rates at an all-time low after the advent of the Great Resignation, the best candidates are already employed. So how do you locate the best talent, and what are the best-recruiting tools? Internal recruitment, agency software, HR recruitment software, and recruitment service providers are just a few of the options available to you. Hiring Team-Focused Players in the New Normal How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed th...
Celebrating Earth Day and highlighting DEED’s clean tech and green energy priorities

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

On this Earth Day, I’d like to highlight DEED’s clean tech and green energy priorities included in the Walz-Flanagan Budget to Move Minnesota Forward. These priorities are aimed at helping grow our workforce by building a clean tech labor force pipeline; addressing climate change by stimulating the electrification of businesses’ vehicle fleets; and creating economic opportunity by assisting communities facing power plant closures with diversifying their economies and finding new opportunities for quality jobs and economic growth. First up, consider the proposed Clean Tech Workforce Training Program to train, retrain, and upskill workers in the transportation, weatherization, and energy efficiency industries...
The Energy Transition: Moving Toward Renewable and Carbon-Neutral Solutions

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Governments, owners, investors, and consumers are demonstrating a steady commitment to net-zero, carbon-neutral, and other goals, with a focus on replacing fossil-based energy systems with renewable energy sources. Who is going to do the work of bringing us this new future? If you’re in the global energy sector…you are. Leaders of manufacturing and power companies are faced with critical decisions on how to evaluate the best alternatives to fossil fuels and identify the pathways to make those alternatives a reality. So are electric vehicle manufacturers, battery manufacturers, and traditional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition to power and electrification companies, commercial...
Driving Into An Electric Vehicle Future

Monday, May 09, 2022

It seems like the ultimate good-news story. The shift toward electric vehicles will greatly improve the long-term climate health of the planet. It’ll improve human health, too, by reducing pollution. It’ll create thousands of jobs in new industries, with new manufacturing operations lifting local economies. What’s not to like? Don’t forget that disruptive technologies are, well, disruptive. One person’s opportunity, one community’s economic development win, quite often means disruption for someone else’s livelihood and some other community’s economy. The story is only starting to unfold, but the transition to electric vehicles, or EVs, is shaping up to be the automotive industry’...
The Evolution of the Megasite

Friday, May 06, 2022

Competing on a national and global scale for large economic development projects — and winning — is a sure sign of a community’s vitality. A community’s ability to position large-scale, shovel-ready land tracts for investment consideration exponentially increases its ability to secure desired jobs and capital investment at the local level. For years, there has been a traditional understanding of megasite requirements. Originally created to meet the demands of the automotive OEM and allied industries, these sites were assumed to have consistent demands. Important factors have included fully contiguous land space; multimodal transportation, including access to rail; large-scale and redundant utilit...
Where Vertical Farming Is ‘Smart’

Thursday, May 05, 2022

Bowery Farming, a leading vertical farming company based in New York City, plans to open smart indoor vertical farms in Locust Grove, Georgia, and Arlington, Texas, it announced in January. Each facility will create more than 100 jobs, and they are to be powered by 100% renewable sources. The company supplies greens and herbs to more than 800 U.S. grocery stores and such e-commerce platforms as Amazon, Walmart and Whole Foods Market. “We’re thrilled to announce our expansion beyond the Northeast and into the Atlanta, Georgia, area,” said Irving Fain, CEO and Founder of Bowery Farming, at the Locust Grove announcement...
Article Photo
National Small Business Week: Swift County Supports Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, May 04, 2022

Swift County Rural Development Authority (RDA) recognizes National Small Business Week (NSBW) as an excellent time to spotlight our commitment to supporting our small businesses. From local “mom and pop” shops to innovative start-ups, small businesses are the pillars of our community and the engine of our economy. Step-By-Step Business Startup Help  Entrepreneurs are crucial because the investments they create for Swift County are immeasurable. Our economic system is based upon free enterprise and the right of each person to take a risk, follow a dream, and open their own business. With that in mind, Swift County RDA created “A Helpful Guide t...
A Look at What's in the Latest Edition of Minnesota Economic Trends

Monday, February 28, 2022

Every quarter, the Labor Market Information (LMI) Office of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) publishes a slate of research articles that offer insights into important labor market trends. Pandemic-era Job Postings Reveal Top Occupations Offering Remote Work From June 2020 to October 2021, the share of Minnesota job postings offering the option of working remotely nearly doubled, going from 5.3% to 10.4%. Find out which occupations have the most remote offerings, potential future trends and more in this article. Read full article.
State unemployment rate clicks down to 3.1%, lowest level since 2019

Friday, February 25, 2022

The state unemployment rate moved down two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.1%, due to people moving from unemployment to employment, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota’s labor force participation rate remains steady at 67.7%. The U.S. unemployment rate fell three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.9% and the national labor force participation rate held steady at 61.9% (revised). In December, Minnesota lost 2,000 jobs, down 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis. The private sector lost 2,200 jobs, down 0.1%. However, this decline is coupled with a large upward revision o...
Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $350,000 in Innovation Grants to Startups

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants target the most promising innovative and scalable technology businesses in Minnesota. The grants help reduce the risk for Minnesota technology startups and entrepreneurs who are solving problems and growing our state’s innovation ecosystem. Since its creation during the 2019 legislative session, Launch Minnesota has awarded 178 innovation grants totaling $4.2M to 130 unique grantees – accelerating the growth of startups and amplifying Minnesota as a national leader in innovation. “Providing resources and support for technology startups is important to continue to grow our state’s economy,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner of Economic Development Kevin McKinnon. “These grants ar...
Important Metrics To Measure The Success Of Video

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

VR Tours are popular because they’re effective. In fact, they’ve become such a common factor in decision-making that a lot of economic development organizations consider them a “must-have” component in their marketing arsenal. After all, everyone starts by doing research online before they pick up the phone. A compelling VR tour should do more than lead to that critical initial meeting. It should cause decision-makers to feel they have a bond with your community and your EDO before they engage in that first conversation. Of course, sustainable success requires more than producing and promoting your VR tour. You need t...
Understanding Labor Force Participation Rates & Why People Drop Out Of The Workforce

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Labor force participation rates drop when fewer people of working age are either employed or actively looking for work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of working-age people between 25 and 54 years old peaked in 1995 at 72 percent, and it has been on a steady decline since. The St. Louis Federal Reserve, in a 2016 report, stated, “Simultaneously, nationwide the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds not working is at 13 percent, the highest since WWII and the percentage of those 55 plus not working is at 23 percent, the highest since WWII (Restrepo-Echavarria, 2016)...
Gov. Walz reveals $5B spending plan for children, families

Monday, February 21, 2022

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz unveiled a wide-ranging spending plan that would fund several programs intended to help schools, children and their families. The spending plan — the third of his four-part supplemental budget plan rollout — would cost $5.1 billion over three years and includes an expansion of access to child care, funding for pre-K for 6,000 kids and $183 million for free meals for students. Read full article.
Webinar: 10 Key trends for economic development websites in 2022

Monday, February 21, 2022

What will 2022 bring for site selection and economic development? Will your location be ready to meet the opportunities and challenges of the months ahead? crystal ball city skylineWith the last two rollercoaster years behind us, it's more important than ever for EDOs to be able to identify and respond strategically to emerging trends in economic development and corporate site selection. Are you doing everything possible to get noticed, engage with potential investors, nurture leads, provide the information they need for decision-making, track activity and follow up? Are there new ideas out there that can help your location cut through th...
EDO lessons from kindergarten: The critical importance of sharing

Friday, February 18, 2022

Play fair. Clean up your mess. Don't hit people. When you go out in traffic, hold hands and stick together. Robert Fulgham's oft-quoted book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, ruminates on the important things we need to know in all spheres of life. When people discuss these critical life lessons, there is little question that sharing is right there at the top of the list. From cookies to good news, so many things are so much better when we don't just keep them to ourselves.  sharing ice creamThis is as obviously true in economic development an...
Overview of Minnesota

Friday, February 18, 2022

The U.S. gained the land now known as Minnesota starting in the late 1700s through the Treaty of Paris, the Louisiana Purchase and negotiations with the Dakota Indians and other tribes who had long inhabited the land. The start of Minnesota’s statehood, gained in 1858, was marked by hostile relations between the settlers and the Dakota over land treaties and mistreatment by traders. Only a few years later, Minnesota was the first to offer its troops to the Union in the Civil War, though it was the youngest state. Read full article.
3 Keys to Leading a Business Through a Crisis

Thursday, February 17, 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic happened to be the kind of crisis that can shake up the entire world economy. The kind that forces business leaders to rethink and reevaluate our overall approach to facing a crisis. Sadly, for many, this exercise was more of an autopsy — looking back in regret at what you wished you would have done differently. Others were luckier — able to scrape by but now well aware that deep changes are needed. As a business leader, the past two years weren't without their uncertainties, but I found that these three things made all the difference. Read full article.
Medical Alley: VC Funding Down, IPO Cash Up in 2021

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Minnesota medical startups didn’t raise quite as much venture capital in 2021 as they did in the prior year, but they more than made up for it in capital acquired through public markets. That’s according to the latest investment report from the Golden Valley-based Medical Alley Association, Minnesota’s health-tech trade group. The association’s startup members raised $437 million in private capital last year. That compares to $1.4 billion in VC money in 2020. At first blush, a full $1 billion drop in funding may sound like cause for concern, but the association is taking a broader view of startup funding. Whe...
Big Takeaways from the National Retail Federation’s 2022 Big Show

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Retail leaders and tech companies gathered in New York last week for the 2022 National Retail Federation Big Show at which Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell was honored with the Visionary 2022 award. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry also spoke about how the Richfield-based electronics retailer weathered the pandemic and what she described as “digital comfort. “People are easy with technology now in ways I’ve never seen before, but the flip side of that is very high experiential expectations.” Two other Twin Cities-based industry insiders attended the retail conference: Aaron Keller is CEO of Minneapolis branding agency Capsule, which work...
In Focus: Redefining the “Smart” in Smart Cities

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The term “smart cities” has a certain aura — it promises to solve the problems urban areas face using technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, digital cameras, and sensor networks. The potential of smart city solutions is seemingly limitless — the market opportunity ( estimated at $741.6 billion in 2020) is boundless, and there are many problems to be solved. In its simplest definition, a smart city is one that uses data gathered through its operations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of those same operations. But for a city to truly be smart, it needs to go beyon...
Five Ways Automation Will Strengthen Your Labor Force

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Automation has been painted as a threat to employees, and the idea that robots will replace workers and lead to unemployment continues to circulate in some circles. The truth, however, is quite the opposite. According to McKinsey & Company, automation and AI technologies will boost business productivity and GDP growth and drive new levels of prosperity. There are also many benefits for the workforce. Automation across multiple industries has already benefited the labor force in many ways. This includes increasing employment rates and improving workplace safety. Read full article.
Ice cream, HVAC and pickleball: what Minnesota towns are doing with their old Shopko spaces

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

A few years ago, Tiffany Jennen was looking for a large commercial space to lease in order to open a new gymnastics facility in Fergus Falls. She found one in a building that had previously been a Shopko home goods store. Shopko filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Its parent company cited piling up debt and a decline in brick-and-mortar retail sales. It subsequently closed all its remaining stores, including 22 in Minnesota, leaving Fergus Falls and many other small and mid-sized Minnesota cities with big, empty stores. Read full article.
Locations That Promote Employee Health and Well-Being Coming to the Forefront

Monday, February 14, 2022

The pandemic has been a game-changer for employee and employer attitudes concerning wellness, well-being, safety, health, and hygiene. Many — if not most — organizations are doubling down on wellness in the workplace. Some are going so far as to incorporate health and well-being into their corporate site selection and location criteria. A focus on wellness in the workplace has become not just a “nice to have,” but a necessity to keep employees safe and healthy, and to enhance human performance. Health and well-being are among the new employee priorities that are now equal to — if not more important tha...
The Chamber's Top Legislative Priorities Of 2022

Monday, February 14, 2022

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to help the 6,300 businesses and half a million employees that we represent, so they can expand the economy and opportunities throughout the state. Minnesota’s employers, employees and communities are counting on lawmakers to accelerate economic growth in 2022. An enormous budget surplus and overflowing government coffers is not the time to ask the public for more money. With historic and recurring budget surpluses and the state budget set at 12% growth, it’s time for policymakers to take a serious look at Minnesota’s tax and spending patterns. Read full article.
The State of Health Care Jobs in Northeastern Minnesota

Friday, February 11, 2022

In honor of Minnesota’s Health Care Month, the BBER looks at the area’s heath care industry and how it has changed since 2019. In December, Governor Walz proclaimed January 2022 as Health Care Month to celebrate the dedicated health care workers who have been on the front lines in the fight against the pandemic and to help raise awareness of the many employment opportunities in health care. According to Minnesota’s workforce development resource, CareerForce, there is currently a “critical need for more health care workers at every level, in every setting, in every part of the state.” And of course, COVID-1...
Workforce Development Programs Are in Overdrive

Friday, February 11, 2022

States have always competed for new development projects and expansions to broaden their tax base and create good-paying jobs for their workers. Incentive packages typically include free workforce recruitment, training, and other support, as long as the companies hit their investment and employment goals. However, the COVID-19 has disrupted the U.S. economy, resulting in the loss of nearly 20 million jobs and the closure and bankruptcy of thousands of companies, while other businesses turned to Industry 4.0, such as automation and robotics, and invested in the communication technologies required for remote work to stay in operation. Read full article.
The “Great Resignation” Is Impacting Corporate Relocations

Thursday, February 10, 2022

I'm mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” declared the longtime news anchor Howard Beale in the 1975 film classic Network. A similar debate is raging across the world about the future of work, and there is a lot more at issue than how often to commute. The way of working that is emerging could alter the basic elements of our work life. A whopping 65 percent of employees said they are looking for a new job, according to a PwC survey; And 88 percent of executives said their company is experiencing higher turnover than normal. Read full article.
Three steps for long-term care employers to take to help recruit employees

Thursday, February 10, 2022

If you are recruiting employees for long-term care (or really any health care position!) right now, you don’t have time to wade through a treatise on outreach practices. You are one busy individual and you need some tips you can scan at a glance – then implement what’s right for you.  Here are three tips – with some ideas for implementation below them  – that have proven helpful for Monarch Healthcare Management. Monarch operates short-term rehabilitation as well as long-term care facilities, so we are focused on hiring employees in high-demand in those settings. We can hire people as young a...
Maria gets on track for health care career thanks to Leading CareerForce partner

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Maria grew up in Willmar and wanted to work in health care but didn’t know now to navigate postsecondary education because she is the first person in her family to go to college. Minnesota Youth Program grantee Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services (CMJTS) offered Maria the help she needed to follow her dreams.  “I would have not been able to go this far with my education if it wasn’t for CMJTS,” said Maria who plans to work as an occupational therapist in mental health or geriatrics.  Read full article.
Talent-Based Location Strategies

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

As the U.S. economy continues its recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are encountering an increasingly difficult talent landscape fraught with challenges related to the attraction and retention of the talent upon which their business relies. This is particularly true for the most advanced technical job roles. Amid this environment, companies are relying on their site selection consultants to develop talent-based location strategies that help ameliorate these challenges. Utilizing market data in more creative ways can help companies gain competitive advantage by identifying new pools of accessible technical talent. Read full article.
Considering work as a CNA? Get trained now at no cost to you.

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Now is a great time to prepare for and get hired as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Because of very high demand for CNAs, the state of Minnesota set a goal to recruit and train 1,000 nursing assistants. Start your training today and the State will cover the cost of tuition, fees and school materials for those finish training and become a CNA.   Free CNA training is open to all Minnesotans who are 16 or older and able to work in the United States.   Each program/college may have their own enrollment requirements.   Read full article.
No Easy Fix for Supply Chain Struggles

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

The growing number of ships queuing outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are responsible for approximately 40 percent of the nation’s imports, stems from a surge in cargo that was anticipated over a year ago. In March 2020, just one month into the pandemic, terminal operators implemented container storage programs, anticipating a short but intense spike in May 2020, when the pandemic was originally expected to end. At the height of the global health crisis, nonessential merchandise was put into storage to make way for critical cargo such as personal protective equipment, medical supplies, ventilators, and othe...
Finding people you connect with in your direct support career

Monday, February 07, 2022

Being a personal care assistant, direct support professional, Life Sharing host or employment specialist are all ways to jump-start a career in human services. The work attracts people who are value driven and passionate towards supporting people with disabilities to live a life that makes sense to them. A career path in human services can bring you joy from those you get to know and support. One way to set up a successful career is to find a good match with someone needing supports who shares your values and interests. Below are several methods for finding people you connect with...
Innovation Corridors Have Economic Assets Driving Business Growth

Monday, February 07, 2022

It’s no secret that the recipe for economic success usually includes generous portions of innovation and technology. That has been part of the economic development story for many years in such places as Boston, Seattle, the Research Triangle, and Silicon Valley. But just as you can find more and more cutting-edge restaurants and exceptional craft breweries in sometimes surprising places beyond the most obvious locales, the innovation-based recipe for success is being served up in smaller communities, too, far beyond the places that may first come to mind. When it comes to building an innovation corridor or innovation district, the traditiona...
Duncan prepares for a career in health care with help from Leading CareerForce partner

Friday, February 04, 2022

Duncan worked with Leading CareerForce partner Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services (CMJTS) to get on track for an in-demand career as a nurse. Duncan is grateful for all the support he received from his CMJTS counselor, Mel. Read full article.
The Labor Challenges of Site Selection

Friday, February 04, 2022

You’re evaluating a new site. It checks all the boxes when it comes to the property, local infrastructure, and business climate. You have one more box to check — labor supply. You’re presented with a hodge-podge of numbers. How can you make sense of it all? And what’s the bottom line? Understanding Labor Data, Availability Before considering the outside numbers, you first need to understand your own data. You should know how many workers you’ll need by job title as well as the estimated wages you can budget for each. Labor data are typically available by occupation, so you’ll want to translat...
DEED names Angelina Nguy?n as Research Director of Labor Market Information Office

Thursday, February 03, 2022

e are pleased to welcome Angelina Nguy?n as the Director of Research for DEED’s Labor Market Information Office. She brings a strong background in labor market data as well as experience at various state agencies and a passion for creating strong and equitable communities. Angelina joins DEED and its Senior Leadership Team after managing the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Research and Statistics Unit since 2016 – performing analyses and working to effectively communicate data to the public. In addition, Angelina was the liaison with the Federal Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prior to that, she provide...
Esports Drive New Project Activity in the Expanding Metaverse

Thursday, February 03, 2022

In October, I found myself seated in an autonomous shuttle vehicle that’s part of the PAUL (Piloting Autonomous Use Locally) service launched by Site Selection’s home city of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, in partnership with T-Mobile 5G and Beep, an Orlando-based company that creates “multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions.” Detrick Traylor, a U.S. Army veteran who came out of retirement to apply for a position with Beep, was operating the shuttle with what amounted to an X-Box controller as he took passengers on short rides, temporarily overriding the autonomous operation. “I applied because the technology seemed interesting,” he said.  As he spoke...
A ‘Sansdemic’ Is On the Horizon

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

A prerequisite for a high-quality workforce is people. To upskill employees, attract remote workers, or fill a skill gap through a community college program, you first need people. That may be rather obvious, but talent attraction and retention efforts have been built on the assumption that when it comes to people, the harvest will always be plentiful. But what happens if the supply of people to attract to, or retain in, a community isn’t increasing? Or what if it’s decreasing? In The Demographic Drought, Emsi Burning Glass raised the alarm bells about the pending sansdemic (sans-without, demic-people). Due to an increas...
DEED Highlights in the Walz-Flanagan Budget to Move Minnesota Forward

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

Over the past two weeks, Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan have rolled out their Budget to Move Minnesota Forward. Several components of the plan will live under DEED’s leadership, so we wanted to share the full picture of the proposal that DEED will focus on this legislative session. The $7.7B budget surplus has come to Minnesota at an inflection point in our economy. After two very difficult years for small businesses and workers across our state, we have an opportunity to seize this moment for the Minnesota economy and create a future that puts Minnesota on the cutting edge o...
Room to Move

Tuesday, February 01, 2022

The superlatives are accumulating as fast as the shipping containers: Industrial real estate, largely focused on logistics, keeps setting new records, to the point where the pop-up distribution center might soon be as common as the pop-up retail spot once was. It’s gotten to the point where even a defunct driving range has potential to trade in the Big Bertha for an entirely different kind of driver. Read full article.
Veteran finds hope and his dream job, thanks to CareerForce Veterans Employment Services

Friday, January 07, 2022

Frank, an Air Force Veteran, found himself laid off from his most recent civilian job due to COVID-19, only months after being laid off from the IT job he had for more than 10 years.  After taking a couple of months off to re-focus, Frank found job hunting to be a difficult process.  “I was losing all hope,” Frank recalled. “I didn’t think I was ever going to find a job.”  Read full article.
Thank You, Veterans

Thursday, January 06, 2022

Today is Veterans Day, a day to thank the veterans in your life for their service and to remember veterans past and present throughout this country who have made great sacrifices when their nation needed them.  I urge you to take a moment to thank veterans you know. There are 304,000 current and former military members who call Minnesota home. At the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development we work hard every day to offer veterans the priority employment services they have earned. Read full article.
Jobs and Wage Growth Continue in Minnesota

Wednesday, January 05, 2022

Minnesota's unemployment rate in October 2021 is back to where it was immediately before the global pandemic was declared in March 2020 at 3.5% (revised), down two-tenths of a percentage point from September, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The decline in Minnesota's unemployment rate in October was primarily due to people moving from unemployment to employment, although the size of the labor force shrank slightly by nearly 1,000 people. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.6%. Read full article.
DEED Announces Small Business Partnership Grant Awardees

Tuesday, January 04, 2022

Tthe Department of Employment and Economic Development is announcing recipients of the Small Business Partnership Grant Program: non-profits and public entities who will provide and facilitate business development and technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses. This program was increased by $7M to $9.8M by the legislature and signed by Governor Walz to provide resources to businesses across Minnesota who have faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years. The purpose of this grant is to support the start-up, growth, and success of Minnesota's entrepreneurs and small business owners through the delivery of high quality free or low-cost professional business developmen...
How To Do Business In A Virtual World

Monday, January 03, 2022

Follow these actionable steps to do business in a virtual world whether your audience includes site consultants from overseas or stakeholders in your own backyard. How To Do Business In A Virtual World If you aren’t already doing so, now is the time you need to learn how to do business in a virtual world. With or without a pandemic, you’re going to need to be able to meet in a virtual setting. Technology is rapidly growing and organizations are adapting to meet this change. Read full article.
What Type Of Strategic Plan(s) Does My Community Need For Growth?

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Planning is the key to sustainable, managed growth, and choosing the best type of strategic plan is equally important. When a community grows too quickly, or haphazardly, resources and infrastructure are strained. When it grows too slowly, the seeds are planted for a steady cycle of decline. Different communities, at different phases in their evolution, need different plans. The best plans begin with introspection. When was the last time your EDO took a careful look at your overarching vision? How recently have you explored what the members of your community need and want by way of surveys or town hall meetings...
The Importance Of VR As A Marketing Tactic & The Science Behind Why It Works

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Have you considered VR as a marketing tactic? If not, perhaps it’s time you did. It’s hard to overstate the power and potential of this exciting technology. Effective marketers have made storytelling a priority for years. VR amplifies the impact of a story by making it an immersive experience. Here Are Six Great Reasons To Use VR As A Marketing Tactic Our Brains Rely More On Vision Than Any Other Sense If a picture is worth a thousand words, VR is worth a million. This is because VR technology incorporates STEREOPSIS. Put simply, that means that since our eyes are several inches apart, the perspective from each eye is slightly different. Our brain merges the input from each eye to tel...
What is the real ROI on a site selection web tool?

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

It’s hardly surprising that one question we get asked a lot is: “What are the website traffic metrics of ZoomProspector client websites? What’s the ROI?” ROI - Three Arrows Hit in Red Target on a Hanging Sack on Natural Bokeh Background.This is an excellent question with a multi-part answer. For starters, GIS Planning clients clearly benefit from the time savings garnered when users can get answers to their questions on ZoomProspector vs. pulling time and resources from the EDO staff. I don’t know if anyone tracks or even tries to measure this metric, but it has a definite “soft value” tha...
The Future of Content Lies in Transparent and Digital Publishing

Monday, December 27, 2021

Industries and businesses have continued embracing the inevitable digital transformation ever since the Industrial Revolution 4.0 gained momentum. But, the publishing industry is one area that has experienced the transformational impact of digitization up close in the last year as the approach to content gets more transparent and focused on human interests. "Print is dead. Long live digital publishing!" But, how much truth does this statement hold in the current scenario? Read full article.
Top 50 Best Undergrad Programs for Entrepreneurs in 2022

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

There are those who describe the current, faster-and-faster-moving marketplace as a fourth industrial revolution, and the best entrepreneurship programs are those that help students appropriately speed up and, when necessary, scale up their ideas, from unicorns to innovative business models. Students who enroll at these schools will find themselves at the forefront of innovation and development, and often with an interdisciplinary focus that acknowledges the interconnectedness of today's economy. Perhaps more importantly, they will also get opportunities to enrich themselves and their communities, adding economic and social value through innovation, team building, and leadership. Read full article.
Everything In The $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill: New Roads, Electric School Buses And More

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

President Joe Biden signed into law one of the largest infrastructure packages in U.S. history after months of bipartisan negotiations and tense political infighting, shoring up $1.2 trillion in funds, including $550 billion in new investments for the nation's bridges, airports, waterways, public transit and more—here's what you need to know about where the massive new spending will go.  President Joe Biden takes part in a signing ceremony for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Roads and bridges: Headlining the 2,702-page bill’s spending, roughly $110 billion of new funds would go toward improving the nation's roads and bridges, and investments in othe...
First Person: Creating a Work Environment For Employee Growth and Development

Monday, December 20, 2021

In August, Rocki Rockingham was named Chief Human Resources Officer for GE Appliances. Area Development’s editor recently asked her about the company’s strategy to build upon its recent global “Great Place to Work” recognition and to create a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent. Area Development: Despite the high unemployment rate created by the pandemic, companies are still struggling to find skilled labor. How does GE Appliances’ workplace culture factor into attracting these workers? Rocki Rockingham: Having a great culture is critical to attracting talent and our success. This year, 81 percent of employees said GE Appliances is a grea...
Front Line: Infrastructure Investment Faces Hurdles

Friday, December 17, 2021

Earlier this year, a mood of optimistic anticipation surrounded President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan to provide billions to repair and build infrastructure. Then things got complicated, with Congress unable to reach agreement on a final package as of late October. But a number of trade groups are still pushing for its passage. There are still major questions regarding the bill’s impact, according to Joe Kane, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who focuses on infrastructure. According to a report by S&P Global, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) would create close to one million new jobs ove...
Article Photo
Every Business Needs a Business Plan: Swift County RDA Can Help

Thursday, December 16, 2021

In Swift County, Minnesota, entrepreneurs and business owners are critical components of our thriving community and economy. By focusing on entrepreneur assistance and small business development, Swift County Rural Development Finance Authority (RDA) invests in the success of economic development in the county. Materials and personal assistance are available to help you from pre-launch to after start-up, including help with writing a business plan. December is National Write Your Business Plan Month so there is no better time than now to explore how to create that key pillar of business success. What Is a Business Plan? A business plan precisely defines you...
Front Line: Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Digitization

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Many businesses have benefited enormously from digital sales during the pandemic. Not only did Covid-19 alter consumer buying patterns; digital platforms accelerated online consumption and redefined business models. The trend has especially impacted companies once classified as traditional freight forwarders that now operate as integrated, third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. Consequently, 3PLs that traditionally are hired to partner with brands have even greater responsibility (and opportunities) to handle all aspects of the supply chain. Read full article.
Ramping Up Cybersecurity in the Industrial Sector

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The world of real estate is making significant strides toward adopting the latest and most innovative technologies. But with more tech comes heightened risk. One of the latest ransomware attacks this year impacted up to 1,500 businesses globally by targeting U.S. IT company, Kaseya. Brazilian meatpacking company, JBS, also experienced a cybersecurity attack that forced the company to shut down operations, which could have been detrimental to its supply chain and to the U.S. food supply. In January 2021, a hacker was able to break into a water treatment plant system (by stealing an employee’s username and password) in a...
On the Hunt for a Productive New Biomanufacturing Site?

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Amid explosive demand for biology-based innovation, many biomanufacturing organizations are expanding their footprints, requiring advanced real estate strategies to optimize their growth plans. With shrewd site selection, workplace design, and facility management, launching your new site can be a boon to production — while fueling efficiency and attracting prize talent over the long term. Expansion may well be urgent, considering growing pressure for warp-speed innovation and production. Today’s biologics are supporting a global patient base that’s only going to increase. Thanks to continuing breakthroughs in medicine, more people live longer lives — and seek out more therapies as they age. Meanwhile...
Global Site Selection Is Going Virtual

Monday, December 13, 2021

Decades into its development and still in search of a footing, virtual reality owns a somewhat suspect place in the mind of the general public, pre-millennials in particular. “Have fun in the Stone Age,” chirps an over-accessorized VR geek in an oft-viewed television parody. “I,” proclaims the geek, snapping down his VR viewer, “am stepping into the third dee-mension.” Evolving as the technology may be, the VR stigma remains.  Read full article.
It’s Time to Rethink ‘Quality of Life’

Friday, December 10, 2021

North Carolina unseated Georgia and its eight-year hold on first place in our annual ranking of state business climates this year. It was a race to the finish following last year’s contest, in which the two Southeastern powerhouses tied for the top spot. Both states had remarkable project activity in 2020 and this year, demonstrating that the same location attributes that attracted capital investment in life sciences, electric vehicles and components, logistics, data centers, e-commerce and other booming sectors were at work during the pandemic as were before it.  Noting Georgia’s second-place finish in 2021, Governor Brian Kemp told me i...
Best-Case Scenario

Thursday, December 09, 2021

Erie, in the far northwest corner of Pennsylvania, holds a few unwanted titles. It is home to the poorest zip code (16501) in the entire United States — the median income in 2019 was just $10,874. It has been declared “the worst city for Black Americans” based on racial economic disparities — and 16% of its residents are African American. The city’s population is around 95,000, about 30% below its 1960 peak. Nearly 30% of the remaining residents live below the poverty line. A 2016 comprehensive plan found 4,700 vacant housing units; half of the city’s residential properties were o...
How States Can Avoid Costly Pitfalls While Rebuilding Their Economies

Wednesday, December 08, 2021

In 2010, Michigan’s economy was reeling. The Great Recession had hit the state hard and U.S. automakers were struggling to survive. Seeking to ease the pain, state officials authorized tax credits under the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) program as part of long-term deals with distressed automakers. But the program did not include fiscal protections to control the state’s costs. This would prove to be a damaging misstep years later when Michigan had to close a multi-million-dollar budget gap with spending cuts after automakers began claiming credits in larger amounts than expected. How did this happen? When developing the agreements, th...
Article Photo
Support Swift County Businesses on Small Business Saturday

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to celebrating small businesses and encouraging consumers to shop at local establishments. Sandwiched between the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for Swift County shoppers to support our local businesses, and in turn, boost our local economy. Now in its 12th year, Small Business Saturday falls on November 27. American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010 in the midst of the recession to give small businesses a boost. The movement gained significant traction in 2011, when the Senate unanimously passed a resolution supporting the day. Sinc...

News (77)

Subscribe to RSS Feed

Show archived articles +

Like This Info? Share It!

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Fast Fact Photo
Opportunity

2nd in Opportunity

(U.S. News & World Report, 2017)

Opportunity
Fast Fact Photo
Quality of Life

1st in Quality of Life

(Forbes, 2017)

Quality of Life
Fast Fact Photo
Millenials

2nd Best State for Millennials

(WalletHub, 2017)

Millenials
Fast Fact Photo
Strongest

2nd Strongest State in the Nation

(Politico, 2018)

Strongest
Fast Fact Photo
Happiest

Happiest – and Least Stressed – State in the Country

(WalletHub, 2017)

Happiest

Stay in the Know About Swift County Economic Development Subscribe To Our Newsletter!

Footer Logo
Swift County Rural Development Authority
301 14th Street North PO Box 207
Benson, MN  56215
Phone (320) 842-4769
(320) 843-4850

Back To Top

PrivateSite MapContact UsHome

© 2022 Swift County Rural Development Finance Authority. All rights reserved. Economic Development Websites by Golden Shovel Agency