April 1 to April 4, 2003
Energizing Entrepreneurship
in Rural America (E2)!

The Heartland Center is partnering with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE) to present an intensive four-day train-the-trainers workshop to help rural communities recognize and nurture local entrepreneurs. The pilot for E2 Energizing Entrepreneurship in Rural America is being launched April 1 to April 4 at the Lied Conference Center on Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Fifty-three practitioners and trainers representing 14 states are participating.

The goal of the program is to develop a model professional learning experience for community based developers focusing on entrepreneurship as a development approach. CRE Co-director Don Macke will be the workshop’s content coach. He will be sharing knowledge and insights gathered from across rural America. Topics will include Understanding Entrepreneurial Talent, Asset Mapping for an Entrepreneurial Economy, Strategy Building and Building Entrepreneurial Communities.

The Heartland Center’s Milan Wall and Mary Emery are designing the training exercises and serving as learning coaches and facilitators. CRE Co-director Deb Markley will serve as program evaluator and will be seeking participants’ input for future program improvement.

After the pilot’s completion, plans call for the development of on-line materials, which can be downloaded by trainers who offer similar programs in their regions. To receive information on future program developments email info@heartlandcenter.info and ask to be put on the Energizing Entrepreneurship list.

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