Training Services

West Virginia Virtual Institute of Rural and Small Town Community Development: Because of its experience in developing small business incubators (refer to VTI@E), CI was chosen by West Virginia University to develop a course on how to develop a small business incubator for its Virtual Institute for Rural and Small Town Community Development.  The course reviews existing literature on business incubators, examines their structure, reviews case studies, and provides a how on conducting a feasibility study for a business incubator.  Information on the course will appear soon at www.wvu.edu.  The Institute is a new distance learning initiative scheduled to launch in the fall of 2000.

New York Society of Securities Analysts: CI worked with sharpflat.com to conduct a feasibility study for the New York Society of Securities Analysts which assessed the available technology and potential partners for NYSSA to put its respected certification training into a web-based format.  An NYSSA web-based program is scheduled to launch early in 2001.

Windsor Area Community Partnership: CI is currently working with WACP to develop a technology training enrichment program for young people and adults.

VCDP Manual: CI developed a day-long training session and training video for the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development.  The training, in conjunction with CI's rewrite of the Vermont Community Development Program Grants Management Guide, covered all aspects of administering community development block grant (CDBG) funds in Vermont.  The training was held in June 1998.  Excerpts from the training video are available upon request.

Training for Business: CI designed and conducted a day-long workshop for Green Mountain Power on doing economic development in Vermont.  CI also conducted a workshop on business planning for the Vermont Women Business Owners annual conference and conducted classes in writing a business plan for a community-based organization.

Training for RLFs: CI provides training in all aspects of developing and administering revolving loan funds.  For Colchester CDC, whose Partnership Fund is capitalized with community development block grant (CDBG) payback funds, CI provided one-on-one training.  The training involved both the management of CDBG funds and the administration of a small business RLF.  CI also provides workshop training in RLF administration for organizations such as the Vermont Community Development Program and the Vermont Technical Assistance Providers Network.

CI Staff Training Track Record

CI Principal Jill Michaels has a long history of providing training in all aspects of economic development that predates CI's founding.  That history includes providing training in using the community reinvestment act (CRA) for the Washington-based Center for Community Change; developing training programs in historic preservation and low income housing, housing rehabilitation, and accounting for small nonprofits, for the Philadelphia-based Comunity Development Coalition; and conducting a workshop for the Connecticut River Valley Revolving Loan Fund Loan Review Committees on analyzing loan applications.  Ms. Michaels has taught courses in organizational development and community organizing for Temple University and LaSalle College in Philadelphia.

CI Associate Albert Zielenski has conducted numerous courses and workshops in computer applications, statistics, and professional development.  Sponsors have included the Community College of Philadelphia, Peirce Junior College, the Community College of Vermont, the Orange East Supervisory Union, and the Northeast Technical Assistance Conference.  Computer applications taught have ranged from introductory courses in Windows and Internet usage to advanced topics like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD), and web page design.