NGIN is a practitioner-led organization designed to invent and deliver products that drive more prosperous and inclusive regions. Read more...
The Greater Chatham Initiative
The Greater Chatham Initiative is developing and driving the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the Chatham, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park and Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods on Chicago’s south side. Read more...
Neighborhood Business Planning
This training presents the rationale and structure of a new approach to comprehensive neighborhood economic development: ”neighborhood business planning.” Read more...
Chicagoland FOOD
The Chicago region's food and beverage cluster organization, driving inclusive economic growth by serving as a hub for the Chicagoland food & beverage industry Read more...
Chicago TREND
Chicago TREND combines innovative predictive analytics, deal brokering and financial products to support “retail on the leading edge” of emerging neighborhood markets. Read more...
The Energy of the Future for the Economy of the Present: Business Opportunities in the Green Economy
January 12, 2017
This presentation (also available in Italian upon request) for a regional business conference in Rovereto, Italy describes the growing market for “green” products, identifies business opportunities and sustainability strategies and…
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Greater Chatham Initiative
June 12, 2016
This document is the culmination of an innovative, two-year effort to develop an integrated and mutually reinforcing set of strategies and initiatives to drive growth in four contiguous Chicago neighborhoods:…
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Chicago TREND
June 15, 2015
Chicago TREND (Transforming Retail Economics of Neighborhood Development) combines innovative predictive analytics, deal brokering and financial products to support “retail on the leading edge” of emerging neighborhood markets. The new…
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Chicagoland FOOD – Seizing the Opportunity to Grow Chicagoland’s Food Industry
May 25, 2015
This report, written in partnership with the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), highlights the opportunities for driving inclusive regional growth through the collaborative development of the Chicagoland region’s food manufacturing…
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Chicago TREND Background Presentation
May 12, 2015
Chicago TREND (Transforming Retail Economics of Neighborhood Development) combines innovative predictive analytics, deal brokering and financial products to support “retail on the leading edge” of emerging neighborhood markets. The new…
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Linking Regional Economic Clusters with Targeted Urban Places in Indianapolis
August 12, 2014
This set of documents reflects recommendations for leveraging urban industrial corridors in Indianapolis, Indiana in ways that support high-growth-potential regional clusters. The project was undertaken by RW Ventures in partnership…
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Strategic Development Scenarios for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s University Avenue Site
July 25, 2014
This presentation, delivered to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s leadership team, provides a set of strategic redevelopment scenarios for a 31-acre site the foundation owns in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of…
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Partnering for Prosperity
April 17, 2014
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, accepting the recommendations of her Council of Economic Advisors, adopted Partnering for Prosperity: An Economic Growth Action Agenda for Cook County, a report developed…
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Partnering for Prosperity: An Economic Growth Action Agenda for Cook County
April 1, 2013
Prepared for Cook County by its Council of Economic Advisors, Metropolis Strategies and RW Ventures, this Action Agenda begins by addressing Cook County’s role in the regional economy, in light…
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Milwaukee Framework for Economic Growth
June 12, 2012
The Milwaukee 7 (M7) released a draft of its Framework for Economic Growth at the November meeting of its Regional Economic Development Advisory Council. M7 engaged public, private and civic stakeholders from…
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A Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs
March 17, 2012
The plan was developed at the request of Mayor Rahm Emanuel by World Business Chicago and a team of consultants, including RW Ventures. It begins with an overview of the…
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The Chicago Region’s Green Economic Opportunities
January 30, 2012
This report, written jointly by RW Ventures and Innovation Network for Communities, explores opportunities for Chicago-area firms arising from the increasing market demand for energy- and resource-efficient products and services….
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City Vitals: How Do We Measure the Success of Cities?
October 11, 2011
This short slide deck was created in response to a presentation by Joe Cortright at CEOs for Cities Fall 2011 Meeting concerning metrics of city vitality. Highlighting the importance of…
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Foreclosure Effects on Neighborhood Property Assessments
September 12, 2009
RW Ventures’ analysis of the impact of foreclosures on neighborhood property values has garnered attention from civic sector stakeholders. Bob Weissbourd and Michael He presented the findings of the firm’s…
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Dynamic Neighborhoods: Tools for Community and Economic Development
September 1, 2009
The Dynamic Neighborhood Taxonomy (DNT) project provides new analysis on how urban neighborhoods operate, how they change over time, what factors determine their success and how these dynamics vary across…
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Dynamic Neighborhoods: New Tools for Community and Economic Development
June 2, 2008
The Dynamic Neighborhood Taxonomy (DNT) project provides new analysis on how urban neighborhoods operate, how they change over time, what factors determine their success and how these dynamics vary across…
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Analyzing Local Economies
January 15, 2008
This presentation, prepared for the Aspen Institute Roundtable and Funders’ Exchange on Community Change, Poverty Reduction and Prosperity Promotion, presents a new framework for thinking about neighborhood change, as well…
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Regional Effects and Convergence in Dallas Neighborhood Housing Markets
October 17, 2007
This paper, published in the Williams Review, presents selected results from the first phase of the Dynamic Neighborhood Taxonomy Project. In particular, the paper investigates two key questions relating to…
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Dynamic Neighborhood Taxonomy: New Tools for the Field
October 2, 2007
The Dynamic Neighborhood Taxonomy (DNT) project provides new analysis on how urban neighborhoods operate, how they change over time, what factors determine their success and how these dynamics vary across…
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The Kansas City Region: Economic Opportunity in the Heartland
April 6, 2005
The Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program hired RW Ventures and Alen Amirkhanien to complete a preliminary assessment of Kansas City’s economy in the context of the Heartland region. This study…
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Neighborhood Scan: San Antonio
January 1, 2004
These reports exemplify a line of work conducted with MetroEdge for the Annie E. Casey Foundation and other community development institutions across the country. RW Ventures conducts specialized market analysis…
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Banking on Technology: Expanding Financial Markets and Economic Opportunity
June 11, 2002
This paper, co-sponsored by the Brookings Institution and the Financial Services Roundtable, led to the business planning and creation of the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI). Originally housed at…
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Cities and Economic Prosperity
April 9, 2001
This study, completed for CEOs for Cities, features a data scan of economic indicators and activity in cities. The study finds that the assets of cities are enormous, varied, and…
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The Market Potential of Inner-City Neighborhoods: Filling the Information Gap
March 5, 1999
This paper examines how current information, primarily dependent on federal data sources, fails to accurately convey the opportunity in inner-city economies. It then suggests how building business-based data and models…