NDN Blog

The U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in December, dropping unemployment to its lowest level in 3 years.

As noted in the New York Times, this is the sixth consecutive month the economy added at least 100,000 jobs.

Currently, the unemployment rate is 8.5% - still a high number, but the lowest since February 2009.

Interesting piece by Rebecca Bagley at Forbes on innovations in regional economies and technology-based economic growth in 2011.

As you can see from the full piece, there are lot of signs of life in terms of bottom up economic development, advanced manufacturing, and stronger public-private partnerships.

Job creation is America's top challenge.

We all have a stake in creating jobs and accelerating the ideas that work to create jobs - which is why it's great to hear things like this:

'The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is moving forward with launching a $1 billion Early Stage Innovation Fund, originally announced as part of Startup America, which will provide matching capital to Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), targeting early-stage small businesses seeking private institutional capital...

The White House is also hosting the first board meeting of the Startup America Partnership, where board members will announce commitments from more than 50 private-sector partners to deliver over $1 billion in value – from free software to free consulting and legal services – to 100,000 startups over the next three years.' 

This is an all hands on deck moment for America.

It's great to see innovative efforts like Startup America breaking through the morass of the status quo to bring new ideas and energy to job creation.

The headline of this post says it all.

NPI is extraordinarily proud to work with the Surdna Foundation and we are honored to be Surdna's Spotlight Grantee for December 2012.

Please go here for more on NPI and the Surdna Foundation.

NDN/New Policy Institute is hosting two exciting energy-related events next week.  Both will be held at our NDN event space located at 729 15th Street NW in Washington, DC.  If you cannot attend in person and want to watch and participate, please visit our Spreecast channel at 12:15pm each day.   

On Tuesday, December 6, at 12 Noon, our Clean Energy Initiative will host an insider discussion of the electric vehicle industry, “Progress and Promise of the Electric Car". This lunchtime discussion will highlight the recent emergence of the electric vehicle in today’s economy and showcase how innovations in clean energy have opened doors for growth and opportunities of the electric car.  Leading this discussion will be a group of well known leaders and opinion makers in this arena:  

• Barbara Baumann Tyran – Director, Washington and State Relations, Electric Power Research Institute

• Miles Keogh – Director, Grants and Research, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners 

• Genevieve Cullen - Vice President, Electric Drive Transportation Association

• Kyle Davis – Director, Congressional Relations, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company

• Mary Beth Stanek - Director, Federal, Environmental, and Energy Regulatory Affairs, General Motors

To RSVP for this event please click here. 

To watch the Spree cast please click here on the day and time of the event.

On Wednesday, December 7, at 12 Noon, the Next Economy Partnership Project, our newly created program devoted to advancing an economy based on bottom-up development and low-carbon outcomes, will discuss how states, the federal government and the private sector can work together to accelerate the ideas that work to create the Next Economy. 

America needs a plan to accelerate job creation, get gas prices under control and raise our game in the more competitive 21st Century energy economy. But how can we create the Next Economy when skeptical Americans have lost faith in top-down mandates and empty promises from Washington?  Joining us to discuss bottom up economic growth will be:

• Dan Carol - Director of Multi-State Initiatives, Office of Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon and Senior Fellow NPI (on leave) 

• Karl Agne, Partner, GBA Strategies 

To RSVP for this event, please click here. 

To watch the Spree cast please click here on the day and time of the event.

We can all agree that saving energy is a good thing.

We can also all agree that creating new jobs is a good thing.

Therefore, it's a little strange that an energy conservation program that could put thousands of people back to work is languishing instead of flourishing.

As reported by Inside Climate News, the Qualified Energy Conservation Bond program:

'is supposed to help state and municipal governments develop clean energy projects. But of the $3.2 billion available, only $550 million—or just over 15 percent—has been spent since the program was created in 2008.

The problem, according to a coalition of clean energy advocates, is that the program’s guidelines are so vaguely written that it's almost impossible to figure out which projects qualify for the money.'

Help get this money deployed - and get people working while reducing energy consumption - by signing here.

You’re invited to a special event marking the public debut of an exciting new program at NDN and the New Policy Institute. 

In these divided times, there is one clear idea that currently unites everyday Americans, business leaders and elected officials: America needs a plan to accelerate job creation, get gas prices under control and raise our game in the more competitive 21st Century energy economy. But how can we create the Next Economy when skeptical Americans have lost faith in top-down mandates and empty promises from Washington? 

Enter NDN/NPI’s new program - the Next Economy Partnership Project, a program devoted to advancing an economy based on bottom-up development and low-carbon outcomes. 

Please join us on Wednesday, December 7th for a lunchtime discussion about bottom up economic growth – how states, the federal government and the private sector can work together to accelerate the ideas that work to create the Next Economy. 

We will be joined by: 

Dan Carol, Director of Multi-State Initiatives, Office of Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon, Senior Fellow NPI (on leave) 

Karl Agne, Partner, GBA Strategies 

Please RSVP directly to me at jgrant AT NDN dot org 

For more on NPI visit here, and be sure to read Dan Carol’s foundational set of recommendations around bottom up growth, The Acceleration Agenda, here. 

Lunch will be served at noon, and the program will begin at 12:15pm, and all will take place here at the NDN/NPI offices at 729 15th, Street, 1st Floor. RSVP here. And check back at ndn.org for information about how to watch the webcast live. 

Hope to see you next week! 

PS. Don’t forget NDN’s upcoming event on electric vehicles on December 6th!

According to a feature story in today's USA Today, the Recovery Act (better known as the stimulus bill) has provided a boost to several critical emerging industries.

The stimulus is responsible for 'a 263% gain in the three public companies that took $7.8 billion of federal financing to build next-generation vehicle factories. It contributed to a 79% jump in stocks of the four leading energy-efficiency companies identified by IDC, including diversified companies such as Johnson Controls and Honeywell. Companies involved in developing smart electric grids, nine big tech firms that are also in many other businesses, have risen 54%.'

Read the full story here.

As you know, Starbucks sells coffee. A lot of coffee - $10 billion worth in 2010. However, starting this month, Starbucks is now in a new business: job creation.

Starting this month, Starbucks is launching a unique campaign called the Create Jobs for USA Fund.  

Teaming up with the Opportunity Finance Network, Starbucks is creating a new pot of money to fund entrepreneurs with good ideas for job creation.  Starbucks contributed $5 million to start the fund, with the rest coming in $5 increments from coffee-seeking customers.

For your $5 contribution, you get a bracelet and the peace of mind that you're doing something to help kick start American jobs.

While this campaign alone isn't the silver bullet to solve our jobless crisis, it's definitely a step in the right direction. Starbucks should be applauded for their innovative partnership.