Community as a Start Up (CASU)
Introduction
The CASU model is a collaboration with communities that takes a customized view of a community and assists in facilitating its future. The model utilizes tried and true principles used in the world of fast moving, results achieving start ups and applies it to the community as a whole. The desired outcome is to develop a community that more readily identifies opportunities and increases the chance of achieving them. The proposed project will develop economic resilience and diversification, enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and build a framework for rapid development of future economic vitality.
The CASU Model is delivered working with community leaders in a workshop format that facilitates the community’s objectives and provides a set of simple tools that allow the community to act as an agile Start Up.
Outcomes
The CASU model utilizes a series of six, 75-minute workshops to identify community value drivers, strategic issues, infrastructure deficiencies, and other internal and external factors affecting quality of place and small business development. At the community level, this entails documenting the current state of the community from an economic perspective, and facilitation of the future state of the community by defining community identity and developing implementation strategies to achieve the future state. At the community stakeholder level, this involves aligning strategic priorities of the community and stakeholder groups.
Delivery
The CASU Model will be completed through the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center with collaboration from the College of Business and South Texas Economic Development Center both at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Workshop Delivery
The foundational workshops include:
1. Development of community identity.
2. Defining community aspirations.
3. Identifying strategic issues affecting quality of place and economic development.
4. Development of action items for city departments and stakeholder groups to address strategic issues.
5. Workforce development and job training programs.
6. Discussion of funding opportunities to support infrastructure projects, economic development efforts, and job training programs.
It is important to note that, during the time frame of delivery of the foundational workshops, several pointed surveys will be sent to a broader community population (Chamber members, Rotary members, etc.). These surveys will inform each of the foundational workshops and result in a more accurate snapshot of the community.
Summary of Documents/Results Received
Each community will receive documents developed from the workshop and planning phases. These documents will be individually customized and serve as a custom road map to fulfill the aspirations derived from the workshops.
1. Each community will be provided the results of surveys completed after each of the foundational workshops.
2. Economic baseline report(s) for prospective communities from Dr. Lee and the STEDC received in early stages. These reports will be an economic profile, community profile, and business profile.
3. PowerPoint Presentations from the foundational workshops and tools workshops.
4. Participating communities will receive the framework for the CMC, the TEAM center framework, and the TCF all custom to each community.
5. Follow up economic target reports from the STEDC, asset mapping/profile report, facilitate the development of target industries, and projections of capital/workforce requirements.
6. A final report will be provided to participating communities. This report will serve as a custom road map to fulfill goals developed through each planning phase and workshop.
Participating Communities/Organizations:
Art Center of Corpus Christi
Rockport, Texas
Navasota, Texas
Rockdale, Texas
Little River-Academy, Texas
Rogers, Texas
Gatesville, Texas
Dilly, Texas
Devine, Texas
