Quotes: 
What others are saying about the Community Economic Development Handbook...

“The Community Economic Development Handbook provides guidance for both mature and novice practitioners. It's a dramatic new addition to the field. It provides practical tools to embrace the complexity of being the leader of a nonprofit community economic development organization in the world today: how to improve the management of your organization and how to understand the intricate programs and policies in workforce, microbusiness, and commercial development. A valuable tool for practitioners to use on a regular basis to improve the operation of their organization and enhance their capacity to serve their mission and the residents of their communities.”
—Roy O. Priest, President and CEO, National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED), Washington, DC

“Rich with street-smart guidance from a man who has helped scores of neighborhoods, The Community Economic Development Handbook is truly a recipe for rebirth. It is a highly practical, useful guide that inspires a can-do attitude and fills a void in the field. A must for anyone interested in seeing cities thrive.”
—Paul S. Grogan, President, Boston Foundation and author of Comeback Cities: A Blueprint for Urban Neighborhood Revival, Boston, MA

“It's a gem—an exceptionally clear, creative, and practical introductory resource. The Community Economic Development Handbook links the tools and 'pivot points' that community organizations can directly affect to the larger forces of government action and regional markets. It's not only a much-needed guide for community groups just getting started, but a useful tool for government, social investors, and others who want to expand their work and strengthen neighborhoods through entrepreneurial action.”
—Xavier de Souza Briggs, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and former Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Cambridge, MA

“Temali has produced a valuable guide for anyone interested in community-based development and neighborhood building. Full of practical advice drawn from decades of experience at the neighborhood level, The Community Economic Development Handbook is a resource for grassroots activists from coast to coast.”
—Monsignor William J. Linder, Founder, New Community Corporation, Newark, NJ

“I love this book! It's great for anyone interested in community economic development—board members and staff members of neighborhood groups, funders, city officials, bankers, politicians, and anyone else interested in how to turn around a declining neighborhood. It is the only book I've ever seen which lays out the steps of four proven and powerful strategies for revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods. It is a great resource for those in the business already and those getting into the business of community economic development.”
—Ronald Grzywinski, Chairman, Shorebank Corporation, Chicago, IL

“What makes Temali's Community Economic Development Handbook so special and unique is that it provides a practitioner's step-by-step approach to an extremely complex and difficult subject while never losing sight of the visionary's goal of building and renewing healthy communities. I believe this book can provide excellent guidance to community economic development professionals on a very broad range of subjects and at almost any stage of their work. This is a comprehensive tool that the field has needed for a long time.”
—Michael Rubinger, President & CEO, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, New York, NY

“Temali's years of community development experience led to this highly useful book, which I would recommend for any community economic development practitioner. The content pulls from his own experience and from many interviews of widely respected leaders in the field. The result is an effective, well-written, and interesting tool.”
—Ellen Lazar, Executive Director, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Washington, DC

“Community economic development is about connecting the dots between people, land, and money. This handbook will prove to be pivotal for developing your local assets to improve your local economy. Don't just read it; do it!”
—Ted Wysocki, President & CEO Local Economic & Employment Development (LEED) Council, Chicago, IL

“Temali's strategic step-by-step approach gives organizations and people concrete, hands-on examples of how to turn around a neighborhood economically. His profound experience in neighborhood development organizations is reflected in both the text and the detailed worksheets that get you right to work.”
—Peter Palesch, Senior Advisor, Urban and Municipal Development, GTZ-German Technical Cooperation, Santiago, Chile

“A highly practical, grounded primer which also does a great job providing the spirit and philosophical underpinnings of community economic development in the process.”
—Paul Fate, Director of Community Development, Wilder Center for Communities and former Senior Director, Twin Cities office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation, St. Paul, MN

“As a nationally acclaimed leader in community economic development, author Mihailo Temali understands asset-based community building. His work is modestly titled a 'handbook' but it offers much more than the how-to of development. He underscores the importance of social capital and the need for respectful and regular engagement with the diverse population of a community as a means of tapping the resilience and creativity of ordinary people. He shows how to organize and collaborate in detailed ways and how to make that civic engagement dynamic and sustainable over time. Policy makers, local elected officials, neighborhood activists, and lenders interested in bondable loans and continuing business growth—all will gain from learning the lessons of Temali's book. In the Twin Cities, we have enjoyed the benefits of his work: a profusion of micro-entreprises, reborn neighborhoods, and the pride of ownership in immigrant communities. Now, with this book, cities across the country will gain the tools needed to build strategies for community economic development.”
—George Latimer, Professor, Urban Studies, Macalester College, and Mayor, St. Paul, MN 1976-90

“An excellent how-to guide for communities and individuals who are working to make their part of the world a better place. The Handbook will assist them in improving their community well-being through economic activity. It is easy to use, the language is clear, and the examples are real.”
—Karl Stauber, Ph.D., President and CEO, Northwest Area Foundation, St. Paul, MN

“Finally, the burgeoning field of community economic development has a guide that any community organization can pick up and use to walk through the rewarding but complex process of revitalizing neighborhoods and building community wealth. This manual offers clear, practical advice built on approaches that blend best practices of economic development and community organizing, and that emphasize participatory process, partnerships, and a focus on results.”
—Millard "Mitty" Owens, Ford Foundation, Asset Building & Community Development Division, New York, NY



Table Of Contents: 
Chapter 1: Community Economic Development—An Overview
Two Goals of Community Economic Development
Your Vehicle to Meet Those Goals—an Organization
Four Pivot-Point Strategies
A Four-Step Process
Opening Your Toolbox
Getting the Most from This Book
Summary

Chapter 2: Develop Your Organization
Review the Types of Community Economic Development Organizations
Handle Basic Start-up Tasks
Establish Basic Operating Principles
Build Your Funding
Build Your Staff
Develop and Maintain Strong Relationships
Create Effective Partnerships
Gain Visibility and Credibility
Summary

Chapter 3: Pick a Pivot Point and Get Started
Assess Current Economic Conditions
Assess Your Organization's Resources
Choose a Pivot-Point Strategy
Tips for Creating Your Vision and Strategic Plan
Tips for Implementing Your Plan
Tips for Evaluating and Improving Your Work
Summary

Chapter 4: Revitalize Your Commercial District
Overview
Forces That Drive Districts Down
The Case for Revitalizing Your Commercial District
Step 1: Assess Current Conditions
Step 2: Create a Vision and Strategic Plan
Step 3: Implement Your Plan
Step 4: Monitor, Evaluate, and Improve
Summary

Chapter 5: Develop Microbusiness
Overview
Three Reasons to See Microbusiness as an Economic Pivot Point
Understand Microentrepreneurs
Step 1: Assess Current Conditions
Step 2: Create a Vision and Strategic Plan
Step 3: Implement Your Plan
Step 4: Monitor, Evaluate, and Improve
Summary

Chapter 6: Develop Your Community Workforce
Overview
Understand the Workforce Development Industry
Common Elements in Workforce Development Programs
Seven Common Approaches to Workforce Development
Step 1: Assess Current Conditions
Step 2: Create a Vision and Strategic Plan
Step 3: Implement Your Plan
Step 4: Monitor, Evaluate, and Improve
Summary

Chapter 7: Grow Good Neighborhood Jobs
Overview
Examples of Neighborhoods Growing Good Jobs
Pre-assessment: Define the Features of a Job-Producing Business
Step 1: Assess Current Conditions
Step 2: Create a Vision and Strategic Plan
Step 3: Implement Your Plan
Step 4: Monitor, Evaluate, and Improve
Summary

Conclusion
Appendices
Index