News

Microlending pioneer wins the Nobel Prize, provided early model for center’s Microenterprise Lending Program
Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank, the microlending institution he founded in 1983, have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yunus established the Grameen Bank on the idea that poor and low-income people could, with just a very small infusion of cash, build a small business strong enough to support themselves and their family. Today, the Rural Center is one of hundreds of organizations around the world that credit Yunus and the Grameen Bank with being an early model for their own microenterprise lending programs, estimated to have helped some 17 million people improve their economic situation worldwide. With most microlending programs in the U.S., borrowers who do not qualify for conventional loans typically receive between $10,000 to $25,000 in financing along with business planning and technical assistance. In developing nations, loan amounts are much smaller – about 200 U.S.dollars typically. Thirty-three years after he made his first microcredit loan of $27 to a group of indebted Bangladeshi basket weavers, Yunus said the principles of microlending continue to encourage social responsibility wherever they are implemented. Yunus said he would use part of his share of the $1.4 million award money to create a company to make low-cost, high-nutrition food for the poor, with the remainder put toward establishing an eye hospital for the poor in Bangladesh.

Calling eastern N.C. community leaders: don’t miss important entrepreneurship training to be held Dec. 6-8 at Sunset Beach
Turnout is expected to be high at an intensive three-day entrepreneurship training coming to Sunset Beach Dec. 6-8. The “Energizing Entrepreneurship in Rural North Carolina” training is designed for community leaders and business service providers in rural North Carolina who will attend as part of a community team of three-to-five people. The training is a unique opportunity to learn how to grow, nurture and sustain entrepreneurs and their job-creating ventures from leading state and national entrepreneurship experts. Teams will go back home with a community-based plan for using entrepreneurship as a local economic development strategy. The course curriculum includes the study of entrepreneurship development systems and strategies in use around the nation. The training is sponsored by a Rural Center-led team working to boost entrepreneurship in rural and minority communities across the state. In developing the training, the N.C. Rural Center's Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship and the national Rural Policy Research Institute’s (RUPRI) Center for Rural Entrepreneurship are working together to adapt their national curriculum to southern and minority communities. The tuition cost is $275 per person, including meals and materials. Lodging is not included. Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis. For more information, or to register, contact Michelle Hall at the Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship at (919) 250-4314.

Ernesto damage leads to emergency declaration in nine eastern counties, aid to low-income families
Low-income families in Jones and Duplin counties who suffered damage to their homes or businesses in Tropical Storm Ernesto and found they did not qualify for federal assistance will now be eligible for up to $25,000 in state aid to cover essential needs. Gov. Mike Easley asked the U.S. Small Business Administration to declare a disaster in Jones, Duplin and other eastern counties that suffered significant losses due to Ernesto, and his office received word last week that the declaration had also been issued for Carteret, Craven, Lenoir, Onslow, Pender, Sampson and Wayne. Home owners are eligible for real and personal property damages and renters are eligible for personal property damages only. In order to qualify for grants from the state, residents must first apply for an SBA loan and be denied. The SBA then turns that information over to the state, which inspects the property for eligible repairs. Once the state approves the repair, a grant is issued to the family. Residents have until November 10, 2006, to be processed by the SBA and once denied an SBA loan, to have their claim forwarded to the state. Applications for SBA loans can be made by calling the SBA toll-free at 1-800-659-2955. Low-interest federal disaster loans of up to $200,000 are also available to homeowners in those nine counties to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. In addition, small businesses may be eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs.

Meetings and Events

Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference to be held Oct. 27-29 in South Carolina
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association will hold its annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Oct. 27-29. Over its 21-year history, the conference has grown into an important educational and networking opportunity for growers, researchers, consumers and organic food advocates. The conference also helps define where we are in creating a sustainable agriculture system for the Carolinas. This year’s theme, “Gathering the Ingredients for a Sustainable Food System,” will focus on the individual components that go into creating a system of sustainable agriculture that benefits families, farmers, the environment and consumers at a time when organics have moved from a niche market to a mainstream industry. The conference will also address how heightened food awareness among consumers, global warming and increasing oil prices are forcing Americans to address a food system based on energy derived from petroleum. More than 50 workshops will be offered, touching on everything from basic tractor repair to implementing farm biosecurity measures to understanding and utilizing the latest advanced organic materials. The cost of the three-day event, including meals, is $250 if you register before Oct. 26, and $300 at the door. To register online, click here.

E-NC Authority to host third annual wireless conference Nov. 13-14 in Chapel Hill
Registration is open for the e-NC Authority’s third annual Southeast Wireless Symposium and Information Communication Technology (ITC) Conference on Nov. 13-14 at the William and Ida Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Again this year, the conference will bring together national experts and community leaders to discuss the deployment of wireless networks. This year the e-NC Authority is expanding the scope of the conference to cover Iinformation Communication Technology, a broader concept that encompasses information technology infrastructure generally, with specific emphasis on broadband Internet technologies and the powerful applications they deliver. This year's event will focus on the new and evolving technical, political, legal and financial issues surrounding municipal broadband deployment. Industry experts and community leaders will present research results and practical hands-on experience derived from case studies on applying ICT to create digital communities and enhance rural life. For registration details, visit the e-NC Authority website.

Regional Stewardship conference to be held Nov. 15-17 in Ft. Lauderdale
The Alliance for Regional Stewardship will hold its 14th annual conference Nov. 15-17 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This year’s event, “Building Strong Regions from the Top Down and Bottom Up,” will explore how state governments are embracing regional approaches to problem solving as well as how to advance regional agendas by putting cutting edge communications, research, and organizing tools to work. Participants will hear specific examples of how leading states are embracing regional problem-solving and learn about new strategies for improving local government through municipal cooperation and consolidation. Registration is $375 before Oct. 23; $425 after. To find out more or to register online, click here.

Advantage West to host “5 State Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship” in Asheville Nov. 17
Join economic developers and entrepreneurs from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina at Asheville’s famed Grove Park Inn on Nov. 17 as Advantage West hosts its “5 State Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” The event will feature panel discussions on investment capital and how our state universities are supporting entrepreneurs. The event will conclude with presentations from several mountain area entrepreneurs who will share their experiences. The keynote address will be given by Ann Pope, federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. The fee to register is $75 before Oct. 31; $85 after. To find out more, contact Pam Lewis at (828) 687-7234. To register online, click here.

Reports and Research

Predatory mortgage lending becoming more common in rural America, study finds
A recent report by researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute examines the increasing problem of predatory mortgage loans and their impact on rural families, particularly minorities. The report finds that minorities and low-income people are more likely to fall victim to higher-cost loans, primarily because of the lack of financial options available to them overall and because of the lack of lending choices in rural areas, especially. Research found that owners of manufactured housing were far more likely to be victims of predatory mortgage lending than someone owning a single-family home. The brief includes recommendations for policy changes at the state and federal levels, as well as advice on identifying and avoiding predatory loans. To read the full report, click here.

School of Government publishes toolkit to help facilitate new, stronger community collaborations
The School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill has just published the Public Intersection Toolkit, a new guide to community collaboration. The workbook is designed for facilitators of collaborative efforts to address public problems. It includes exercises and other resources to help people from governments, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, philanthropies, and businesses identify their shared concerns and work together on difficult community problems. Developed by the Public Intersection Project, the toolkit will help participants understand the nature and importance of cross-sector relationships and demonstrate how to develop skills to assess, document and build these relationships. The cost of the publication is $51, and can be ordered here.

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At the Rural Center

High schoolers with interest in starting a business urged to Hop on the Bus! by Nov. 1
A competition-based program designed to stimulate entrepreneurial thinking among high school students is now open for registration. The program will give students, either working alone or in teams of two to four people, the chance to develop an idea, turn that idea into a business plan and then use that plan to start their own small business – all with the help of an experienced mentor/advisor. Finalists will be asked to present their ideas at the 2007 Entrepreneurial Policy Summit in February. The top five finalists will be announced at that time, with cash prizes of $1,000 going to the first place student, $750 to second place, $500 to third place, $300 to second place and $250 to fifth place. A cash prize of $250 will be awarded to each of the top five mentors/advisors. The competition is a joint initiative of 4-H, Junior Achievement, NC REAL Enterprises and the Rural Center. Applications should be received by Nov. 1. For further details or to find out more about competition guidelines, click here.

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Funding Sources

Nov. 17 is deadline for farmers market grants of up to $50,000
The Project for Public Spaces, Inc. is now accepting applications for grant funding through its public markets program. Specifically, the organization will award 10-12 U.S.-based farmers markets grants of between $20,000 to $50,000 in early 2007. Grantees who directly leverage their grants for additional cash from another funder or sponsor will receive an additional one-to-one cash match, up to 20 percent of the original requested amount. The 2007 public markets grant program aims to strategically support markets, especially in low- to moderate-income communities, to become more economically sustainable and community-centered. Applicants should be aware that, if chosen, their projects will be part of a broader national initiative to spur innovation and policy change that supports farmers markets and public markets. Priority will be given to farmers markets in ‘shifting sands’ communities – i.e., those affected by shifting populations due to immigration, gentrification, or market forces related to real estate. The deadline to apply is Nov. 17. To find out more, or to download an application, click here.

Dec. 1 is deadline for grants to demonstrate how collecting news, info can transform communities
The Knight Foundation has announced the availability of $5 million in funding for projects that show new ways of collecting and communicating news, information and ideas that can help transform communities. The overarching goal is to “increase a community’s capacity to both understand what’s wrong and to fix it.” The deadline for applications is December 1. For more details or to apply online, click here.

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From the N.C. Press

Freedom Newspapers: State should position itself for upcoming climate change incentives
North Carolina could place itself in a better position to benefit from potential federal regulation if it began reducing greenhouse gases now, according to an expert with the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. "The earlier that (states) act on climate change, the earlier they can incentive their state industries and entrepreneurs to develop technologies and policies that will address climate change," Joshua Bushinsky, the state solutions fellow at the center, told the Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change last week. Twenty-two states plus the District of Columbia have mandated that a given percentage of electricity must be generated from renewable resources, Bushinsky said. Bushinsky responded to questions from commission members on global warming, ways the state could reduce greenhouse gases and methods other states utilize to stem emissions. One way to reduce emissions, he said, was to simply persuade households to use compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use about one-fourth the energy of a conventional bulb. Using renewable resources, such as wind or geothermal power, could also reduce emissions, he said. In addition, Bushinsky assured the commission that there is strong evidence showing global warming is occurring, and that reports from some dissenting scientists are few and far between. "The overwhelming consensus is... the science is compelling and that action is required," Bushinsky said. By law, the commission is required to make an interim report to the General Assembly by Jan. 15, 2007, and a final report, including recommendations, by April 15, 2008.

Triangle Business Journal: Easley taps incentives fund for Jones County jobs
Gov. Mike Easley's office has announced that a Virginia military engineering and technology firm will receive $100,000 in state incentives for its plans to open a new operations and technology development center in Jones County. Manassas-based Defense Holdings Inc. plans to spend more than $2 million over the next three years to open the Trenton facility, which will create 25 new jobs, according to the governor's office. The incentives are a grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which Gov. Mike Easley uses to promote economic development and job creation across the state. Defense Holdings will use the new facility for a number of purposes, such as managing projects for military customers throughout eastern North Carolina and conducting research and development in the area of high-performance photoluminescent materials, or materials that can be seen in the dark. The average annual salary for the new jobs will be about $45,760, compared to a Jones County average of $25,376.

Greensboro News & Record: North Carolina has plenty of flu vaccine this year, state health director says
The state's stock of 100 million doses of flu vaccine is more than enough to handle its needs, said Leah Devlin, the state health director, in an Internet and telephone press briefing last week. While there is no way to tell the severity of this year's seasonal flu outbreak, Devlin urged residents to get a vaccine for the seasonal flu. "They'll be plenty of vaccine for everyone," she said. Shortages of the vaccine occurred in 2004 when a contaminated batch was found in England. This year the state is pushing for more health care workers to be vaccinated against the flu, Devlin said. Nationwide, 40 percent of health-care workers are vaccinated. While there is no data on how many North Carolina health care workers are vaccinated, Devlin said they will begin to monitor it and are encouraging an 80 percent vaccination rate among health care workers. Devlin also discussed ongoing work the state is doing to prepare for a possible pandemic flu. Plans include limiting contact between people by closing schools and businesses and how to provide enough hospital beds. The state is also looking to develop a medical reserve corps of trained health care workers who are either retired or not working. They would be called up in the event of a serious flu outbreak. Pandemic flu outbreaks occur when a new flu virus surfaces and happen about three times each century, Devlin said. "We have no idea when a pandemic will occur," she said.

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Copyright by N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, Inc. 2002. We encourage you to share this UPDATE with interested individuals, organizations, or agencies. Material may be reproduced in electronic or print form. We ask that you please cite the Rural Center as the source.

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The mission of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center is to develop, promote, and implement sound economic strategies that improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.

N.C. Rural Economic Development Center
Michelle Taylor, UPDATE editor
Courtney Tieman, UPDATE production manager
Elaine Matthews, senior vice president
4021 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610
(919) 250-4314 Fax: (919) 250-4325
www.ncruralcenter.org