Practical insights on AI, economic development, grant writing, and building more productive ED teams.
Economic developers have always been asked to do more with less — fewer staff, tighter budgets, and growing community expectations. In 2026, AI is finally delivering on its promise for ED professionals, moving beyond hype to become a genuine productivity multiplier. Here's what's actually working.
Grant writing is one of the most time-intensive parts of the ED role. From misaligned narratives to missing data points, small mistakes can cost your community hundreds of thousands in funding. Here are the five most common pitfalls — and how AI assistance is helping ED pros avoid them.
Business Retention and Expansion surveys generate mountains of data — but too often that data sits in a spreadsheet instead of driving strategy. AI tools are changing how ED teams collect, analyze, and act on BRE insights.
When a prospect asks about your workforce, the answer can't be "we have a good workforce." You need data — labor supply, wage trends, skill gaps, commute patterns. This guide walks through how to build a compelling workforce narrative using publicly available data and AI analysis.
Short, practical, and built for busy ED professionals. Each issue covers 3–4 actionable AI tips, an EconSquad feature spotlight, and a takeaway you can use this week.
May is when site selection season kicks into high gear. You're fielding RFIs, prepping data rooms, and racing to respond to prospects — here's how AI helps you move faster.
The 10-question BRE survey that actually works, using AI to spot at-risk businesses, writing an action plan in 30 minutes, and turning BRE insights into a retention strategy deck.
Scanning RFPs faster with AI, building a reusable community data library, the 2-hour grant narrative method, and writing a compelling needs statement without sounding generic.
Welcome to the series. The 3 tasks ED pros should automate first, how to prompt AI effectively for ED work, and a spotlight on Riley the Grant Writer specialist.