Insights
Five Things We Learned at IEDC 2026
By: Brett Wiler, Vice President, Economic Development & Strategic PlanningMy colleagues and I spent a few days in New Orleans at the 2026 IEDC...
5 Questions to Unstick Your Economic Development Strategy
By: Brett Wiler, Vice President, Economic Development & Strategic Planning September 29, 2026 Economic development strategies are only as...
Plans Are Easy. Implementation Is Not.
Economic development organizations are not short on plans. Across the country, communities have strategic plans, comprehensive plans, workforce...
What an AI Survey Taught Us About AI and the Future of Public Engagement
At TPMA, we recently surveyed economic and workforce development organizations on a question that is increasingly difficult to ignore: How prepared...
Why Childcare Is Economic Development
Communities have long invested in roads, utilities, broadband, and workforce development. It's time to recognize childcare as essential economic...
What Makes a Successful Housing Strategy?
Across the country, housing challenges are shaping economic outcomes. Housing availability, affordability, and quality influence a community’s...
How Child Care Impact Analysis Supports Workforce Growth
Across the country, employers are facing ongoing workforce challenges, including labor shortages, employee turnover, and difficulties attracting and...
Workforce Pell Final Rule is Just the Beginning
By Jessica Fortner, Senior ConsultantYesterday, the Department of Education released the final rule for Workforce Pell. The overall Workforce Pell...
TPMA & MDC: A Look into Dedicated Evaluation Partnership
By: Katy Battafarano, Senior Manager of Research, Evaluation, & Community Impact, kbattafarano@tpma-inc.comAs evaluation month comes to a close,...
The Natural Evolution: Why Youth Apprenticeships are the New Dual Credit
By: Bill McKinney, Senior Partnership Advisor, bmckinney@tpma-inc.comFor nearly two decades, the American education system has focused on "seamless...
Data Collection for Evaluating Industry Partnerships
Senior Consultant Moriah Taft discusses key data collection tips for evaluators engaging with industry partnerships, in this blog for Evalu-ATE.
NAWB Forum 2026: Key Takeaways Driving the Future of Workforce Development
By Vicki Thompson, Senior Director, Workforce Growth Partnerships - vthompson@tpma-inc.comThis March, I was delighted to attend NAWB: The Forum...
Workforce Pell Is Coming. Are You Making the Right Decisions Now?
By Sara Tracey, Vice President, National Workforce and Education Workforce Pell is moving from policy conversation to...
The Transformative Power of Postsecondary Career & Technical Education
By Vicki Thompson, Senior Director, Workforce Growth PartnershipsReflecting on a Career in CTE As National CTE Month comes to a close, I’ve found...
Will AI Replace Community Engagement? Not If We’re Doing It Right
It’s being asked more frequently in planning, economic development, and public-sector strategy meetings: will artificial intelligence replace...