Community and Economic Development
Planning for Stronger Places in a Changing Economy
Our economic and community development products give cities and regions the leading-edge tools they need to advance the performance of their local economies and compete in a modern economic ecosystem.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
Workforce Development Strategies
Strategic Regional And Local Plans
Labor Market Analyses
Guidance For Green, Creative, Or Logistics Economies
Advisory Services To Guide ARPA Investment
Common mistakes made in the field of community economic development, including generic analysis, recycled policy recommendations, and overly technical writing.
As a series of research questions that are answered through a custom program that mixes cutting-edge quantitative analysis and sensitive community intelligence.
We work to serve our clients’ research and strategy needs through novel technical analysis, new approaches to engagement, and/or the diagnosis of a new community challenge. Our innovation can also help advance the field of economic development more broadly.
Led by a PhD urban planner and advised by PhD economists across the firm, our team brings an interdisciplinary, problem-solving sensibility to community economic development issues.
BEACON ECONOMICS’ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS IS:
CLIENT CENTERED
Each of our projects is customized to meet the needs of our client. Our team prides itself on providing fast, reliable service, and thoroughly-researched reports that are easy to understand and use in many forums. We are responsive and stay in close contact with our clients throughout every project to ensure all objectives are met.
ACTION ORIENTED
Beacon Economics’ products do not stop at providing data, quantitative findings, and detailed narrative descriptions. We connect what those findings mean for a client and their ultimate goals, and then deliver strategic, actionable recommendations.
UNCOMPROMIZING RESEARCH
As researchers who have clients seeking important answers for their communities, we take the objectivity and reliability of our analysis seriously. We guard our empirical research approach carefully, ensuring rigorous scientific results with an uncompromising focus on accuracy.
65+ Years Of Collective Experience Serving Entertainment Companies, Universities, Cities, Counties, Tribal Governments, Nonprofits, Utilities, And Other Industries Nationwide
Our Approach: Recent Community and Economic Development Projects
CLIENT: Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office
The Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office engaged Beacon Economics to undertake an analysis of the Film and Digital Media industry with a focus on Los Angeles County and on strategies for inclusive growth. The analysis identifies priority issues for the industry and recommends specific action items to enhance regional competitiveness as the industry evolves. The research included a significant economic impact component that revealed LA County’s Film and Digital Media cluster generates a whopping $158.3 billion in economic output and $58.8 billion in labor income annually.
CLIENT: County of Monterey
Anxiety over Monterey County’s long-term economic viability was a primary driver behind the County seeking a comprehensive economic development strategy. In response, Beacon Economics delivered a deeply-researched and inclusive CEDS that provided actionable recommendations and identified opportunities for growth and renewal. Building off the County’s core strengths, primarily an exceptionally productive agricultural sector and a world-famous coastline that draws tourists from around the globe, Beacon Economics’ analysis revealed creative avenues the County could follow such as bolstering eco-tourism, and applying technology development in the Agriculture industry and in an emerging robotics and drone sector.
Our Experts
Meet our community and economic development specialists and economists. Each team member brings a unique blend of knowledge, experience, and passion to their work, ensuring that our clients receive the highest level of service and expertise.
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Stafford Nichols
Research ManagerStafford Nichols is a Research Manager at Beacon Economics. He oversees and guides projects and...
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Christopher Thornberg
Founding PartnerChristopher Thornberg Ph.D. has been called many things throughout his career, but his favorite...
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Bryan S. Castro
Senior Research AssociateBryan Castro is a Senior Research Associate at Beacon Economics. Mr. Castro works across multiple...
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Emil Alexander Sabán
Senior Research Associate, Community and Economic DevelopmentEmil Alexander Sabán is a Senior Research Associate in the Community and Economic Development practice...
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Miriam Valdes Ibarra
Policy and Economic Development ManagerMiriam Valdes Ibarra is a Policy and Economic Development Manager at Beacon Economics, overseeing...
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Related Services
Housing, land use and real estate advisory
Beacon Economics partners with policymakers, non-profits, private businesses, and developers to advance actionable solutions to community housing and real estate challenges across the United States.
Regional and sub-regional analysis
Beacon Economics’ wide-ranging regional and sub-regional economic analysis allows economic developers, city and county governments, private businesses, and other local stakeholders to understand deeply specific trends occurring within their communities – and to take actionable steps that capitalize on local strengths and address challenges.
Economic and Revenue Forecasting
Beacon Economics delivers accurate, rigorously constructed outlooks that inform private and public sector planning, policy, investment, and growth.
Economic, Fiscal, and Social Impact Analysis
Beacon Economics specializes in successfully communicating the full economic, fiscal, and social impacts of events, institutions, projects, and investments.
For
Projects
To connect with us or ask a question about our Community and Economic Development work, or any of Beacon Economics’ practice areas, please contact:
Business Development Team at 424-666-2165 or [email protected]