Goals

• Increase knowledge about urban economic systems by bridging the gap between academic economic research and applied research
• Educate area citizens on the critical parameters that determine economic growth and development of local economies
• Bring businesses, academics, policy makers, and practitioners together
• Minimize policy missteps so that growth is sustainable and development complements other social goals such as improving education, housing, safety, and health
• Equip the next generation of business and community leaders with the appropriate tools to manage effectively in complex global economic environments
• Foster more collaborative research between area universities
• Enhance the research programs, and therefore the national reputations, of area universities and their ability to engage in applied economic research

Objectives

• Sponsor scientific activities that use the Metroplex as a “laboratory” for generating data, thereby increasing the knowledge base about urban economics and the DFW area
• Attract experts to the task of evaluating alternative public and private policies that impact local economic development and neighborhood revitalization
• Create multidisciplinary teams to engage issues of local economic development and urban revitalization
• Disseminate information and findings to local businesses, governments, and other interested parties through periodic publications, conferences, and workshops
• Elicit resources from local institutions, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, area colleges and universities, city and county governments, and businesses
• Provide technical assistance to community-based organizations and public and private sector entities engaged in investments in local economic development