Schedule

Positioning Your Community for Growth and Investment: State Resources and Where to Start

Rural Oklahoma in Focus · Garden C

Jamie Nichols (Oklahoma Department of Commerce)

Economic development is about more than attracting new employers. It also means preparing sites and infrastructure, supporting the businesses already in town, improving quality of life, and knowing which state tools fit each situation. We'll cover what makes a site development-ready, why business retention and expansion (BR&E) is a project in its own right, and how Oklahoma Department of Commerce programs such as the Pooled Finance Programs, the Leverage Act, and the SIDE Act work, including their requirements and when each applies. Attendees will leave knowing where to start and who to call.