Innovators in Rural Community Economic Development

Quasi-governmental

Yellow Wood brings a special combination of content and process expertise to our work.

We invite you to explore our work.  Recent projects and presentations are listed below.  You can explore additional work using the various tags in the right hand column.

DASH-NY Coalition Conference: Keep the Good Work Going, "Increasing Your Organization's Impact Through Collaboration"

Melissa Levy presented a workshop, “Increasing Your Organization’s Impact through Collaboration,” as part of the DASH-NY Coalition Conference on March 19, 2015 in Albany, NY. This workshop on collaboration was an interactive, highly participatory workshop,…

Becoming a Measurement Guide Training, April 2014

Participants in the April 2014 Becoming a Measurement Guide Training joined us from the Virgin Islands Developmental Disabilities Council and the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link.  Yellow Wood has been offering professionals with facilitation skills…

WealthWorks Training, April 2014 - February 2015

Participants in the second WealthWorks training, which began in April 2014 and runs through February 2015, come from organizations and states across the country, including Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group…

National Advisory Board, Food Hub Management Program

Shanna Ratner was invited to serve on the National Advisory Board of the Food Hub Management Program, an innovative higher education program focused on food hub management.  Shanna is collaborating with thought leaders, practitioners, funders, and…

Evaluation Assessment for the Farm to Plate Technical Assistance for Producers and Processors Working Group

Yellow Wood designed and administered a survey on evaluation metrics for the Farm to Plate Network Technical Assistance for Producers and Processors Working Group, which is facilitated by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. The need for improved program…

Woody Biomass Energy Research Symposium for the Northern Forest – “Community Roadmap to
 Renewable Woody Biomass” (Panel)

Panelists Kamalesh Doshi and Samantha Dunn, along with panel organizer Sarah S. Smith, discussed the The Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy (the Roadmap) as part of a panel at the Woody Biomass Energy Research Symposium. The roadmap…

Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy

Yellow Wood partnered with the Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC) to develop the Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy: A step-by-step decision-making tool for NH communities through a contract…

Dissemination Planning for the Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy

Yellow Wood assisted the North Country Resource Conservation and Development Area Council and Roadmap development partners in planning for dissemination of the Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy.

9th Annual Catskills Local Government Day, “Community Infrastructure: Is Your Town Ready for Change?”

As part of the 9th Annual Catskills Local Government Day, Samantha Dunn gave an interactive presentation on a unique process for rural municipalities to inventory their infrastructure and evaluate the potential for applying sound alternative…

Developing a Tool to Measure the Economic Impact of America’s Byways

Yellow Wood Associates delivered a workshop on measuring the economic impact of Byway designation to the Connecticut River Joint Commissions.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Guides to Local Agriculture Products and Services

The Vermont Association of Conservation Commissions hired Yellow Wood to help design a participatory evaluation process for a project in which five rural communities received funds to prepare directories of local agricultural products and producers…

The Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce Canadian Connection Project

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce to identify seven key sectors – Industry, Tourism, Real Estate, Cultural Affairs, Retail, Financial and Professional Services, and International Border Businesses…

Dragon Run Natural Resource Economic Assessment

Yellow Wood helped the Middle Peninsula Planning and Development Commission to define and assess the feasibility of economic development activities and opportunities that sustain traditional land uses and which minimize adverse impacts on the natural…

Feasibility Study for a Shared-Use Kitchen Incubator in Tioga County

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. assessed the feasibility of developing a shared-use kitchen incubator in southern New York and northern Pennsylvania. Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with project partners to develop goals for the proposed facility,…

Maine Low Impact Forestry Project

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. facilitated a series of focus groups on starting a value-adding forest landowners cooperative to be coordinated by the Maine Low Impact Forestry Project of the Hancock County Planning Commission. Participants included approximately…

A Network Evaluation Model for Sustainable Businesses

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. designed a unique evaluation tool to use with the 23 business groups who received assistance within VSJF’s first two years of operation. The first function of the tool assesses the development and status of networks between…

Town of Cambridge, Vermont Planning Commission

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. assisted the Town of Cambridge, Vermont Planning Commission in designing and implementing a process to engage local residents and landowners in a dialogue about guiding future growth in the town. Specifically, the dialogue…

Vermont Forest Resources Advisory Council

Presented “Forest Products Markets and Marketing” to the Rural Economic Development Work Group of the Vermont Forest Resources Advisory Council.

Connecticut River Joint Commissions, Connecticut River Valley: Opening New Markets for Agriculture, Conference and Report

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with the Connecticut River Joint Commissions of New Hampshire to plan a conference for growers, buyers and others interested. Results included a written summary of agricultural production and marketing trends in…

Water Resources and the Town of Champlain

Prepared case study of the Town of Champlain, New York on behalf of The Lake Champlain Management Conference to illustrate the complex connections between the town's water resources and its economy. Explored the potential impact of a Lake Champlain…

The Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. served as an economic development consultant to the New York State Governor's Commission on “The Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century.” Prepared a concept paper on economic development in the Adirondacks, published as…