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.
Shanna Ratner presented the closing keynote at the 2015 Regards to Rural Conference in Bend, Oregon. Her presentation shared perspectives on what it looks like to do economic development differently, drawing on her experience with the WealthWorks framework…
Shanna Ratner was the featured presenter at the Regards to Rural 2015 Conference Pre-Session, “WealthWorks Northwest,” consisting of three workshops introducing WealthWorks. The first workshop, “WealthWorks Northwest! Building Rural Wealth,” focused…
Shanna Ratner worked with Barbara Wyckoff of Dynamica Consulting to develop a handbook for ActionAid. This work built off of the framework developed in the Kathmandu workshop on Gender Sensitive Access to Market and Value Chains. Topics addressed…
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,…
Opportunity International was interested in developing an agricultural model for sharing economic benefits and applying this model to a plant operated by Opportunity International in Nicaragua. The CODESPA Foundation was selected to complete this…
The Rural Health Network of South Central New York is working on a collaborative assessment project, Rural Broome Counts, that will provide organizational leaders, decision makers, policy makers, service providers and funders with a comprehensive report…
Yellow Wood provided the Town of Hinesburg with assistance in developing an economic development strategy. This assistance included planning and facilitating a community engagement workshop to identify the strategic leverage points for goals identified…
Melissa Levy presented a workshop titled Strategic Planning, Measurement and Evaluation Using “You Get What You Measure®” at the 2014 Connecticut Land Conservation Conference. You Get What You Measure® is a facilitated, values-based strategic planning…
Melissa Levy co-authored a report, along with Barbara Wyckoff of Dynamica Consulting, for the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. The report, titled “Connecting Community Assets with Market Demand for Lasting Livelihoods: Meeting New Challenges…
Yellow Wood worked with the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center to plan and facilitate a learning journey around arts tourism. Representatives from the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center traveled to Western North Carolina for an itinerary…
The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development's What Works Conference Series hosted a joint regional conference with the National Value Added Agriculture Conference on "Enhancing Food Security and Rural Viability through Innovative Food System…
Shanna Ratner was a panelist on the panel "Innovative Strategies that Support Rural Communities." This panel featured organizations that build local value chains in sectors such as food and agriculture, green affordable housing, energy efficiency,…
Shanna Ratner and Jackie LeBlanc presented two sessions at the NGFN Food Hub Collaboration Spring 2014 Conference in Raleigh, NC: “Finding Common Measures for the Nation’s Food Hubs” and “Measures that Matter.” In “Finding Common Measures,” Yellow…
Yellow Wood worked with the National Audubon Society to coordinate research work related to the demand for and economic impact of ecological services. Yellow Wood’s role included conducting coaching calls related to demand studies, participating on…
Yellow Wood Associates is working with the Natural Capital Investment Fund and partners to develop outcome measures for the Rural Jobs Accelerator that capture effects on the seven forms of wealth as well as on jobs and income. We will work with NCIF…
Shanna Ratner and Barbara Wyckoff were invited by ActionAid to co-facilitate a five day workshop in Nepal. The participants included partners and ActionAid staff from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Senegal together with two women community…
Melissa Levy presented on measuring multiple forms of wealth on June 2013 as part of the 2013 Community Economic Development Webinar Series. Melissa's presentation was part of a webinar titled "Measuring the Success of Your Community Economic Development…
Melissa Levy presented, “Wealth Creation in Rural Communities: Measuring Impact to Build Locally Controlled Wealth” at the Vermont Nonprofit Conference in Fairlee, Vermont in March 2013. The Ford Foundation’s Wealth Creation in Rural Communities initiative…
Yellow Wood provided consulting services to ReGeneration Resources in support of their strategic planning work with Commute Green New Hampshire (CGNH), a partnership of businesses, schools, transit agencies, regional planning commissions, rideshare…
Shanna Ratner was selected as a member of the 2012 Mel King Community Fellows cohort. The 2012 Mel King Community Fellows Program is devoted to convening leading economic development and community development practitioners from across the United States…
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…
Shanna Ratner was a panelist for two sessions at this conference: "Place-based vs. Conventional Economic Development" and "Measuring Real Time Plan & Project Impacts." The conference was sponsored by the New England Federal Partnership for Sustainable…
Shanna Ratner participated on the panel "Quality of Life: How Can Co-ops Make a Difference?" along with representatives from NRECA, CoBank, and the US Department of Agriculture. Changing demographics and an economy in transition present challenges…
Yellow Wood was contracted by the Vermont Environmental Consortium to produce content for a Vermont-focused “green careers” website, as part of a Vermont Department of Labor deliverable to Vermont Technical College. The content that was researched…
Melissa Levy presented an overview of the Ford Foundation’s Wealth Creation in Rural Communities initiative, which uses a systems approach to wealth creation, linking together the whole system of assets, producers and consumers in ways that benefit…
Yellow Wood conducted a market study to determine if there was a sufficient market for a commercial/light industrial park in the Town of Johnson, including the types of sectors/clusters that might be most interested. The study shed light on whether…
Shanna Ratner was an invited participant in National Climate Assessment Rural Communities workshop, which provided input for the Rural Communities chapter of the 2013 Synthesis of the National Climate Assessment.
Yellow Wood was invited to collaborate with the National Cooperative Business Association to develop the introductory workshop and framework for subsequent workshops in a conference track for community economic development practitioners. The initial…
Shanna Ratner was an invited participant at the Rural Futures Conference, hosted by the University of Nebraska in May 2012. This conference was held as part of the process of creating the Rural Futures Institute at the University of Nebraska.
Yellow Wood worked with the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) to conduct a pilot study on the unique contribution cooperatives make to the creation and retention of wealth in the communities and regions in which they operate. We worked…
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…
Shanna Ratner presented on the wealth creation approach as a guest lecturer for this five-day intensive summer program offered by the UVM Institute for Global Sustainability, taught by Professor Rhonda Phillips of Arizona State University.
Yellow Wood conducted a feasibility study for a local retail food enterprise in the Town of Johnson, Vermont. The study included interviews with local food businesses, institutions and social service agencies to learn more about their desire and interest…
Opportunity International Nicaragua (OIN) is a nonprofit organization working to blend community economic development strategies with microfinance strategies to benefit the poorest of the poor in Nicaragua. As part of their work, OIN has incubated…
Shanna Ratner participated as a speaker/panelist in a call discussing how communities can help to create business opportunities and mentor the entrepreneurs who can help them grow.
Protect the Adirondacks!, a non-profit, grassroots membership organization, hired Yellow Wood Associates to review application materials for the Adirondack Club and Resort (ACR). a major real estate development proposed for Tupper Lake, New York. Yellow…
At the Vermont Community Development Association’s Annual Meeting in April 2010, Shanna Ratner presented Green Community Technologies® and facilitated exercises in skilled listening, skilled inquiry and skilled advocacy with Vermont planners and U.S.D.A.…
Samantha Dunn, along with Tom Broido of ATC Associates, a Vermont Environmental Consortium (VEC) board member, presented a webinar to the Vermont Chamber of Commerce on the results of a survey to identify Green Workforce Training Needs and Opportunities…
As part of a public meeting on the future of LNG in the Bay, Shanna Ratner presented on Potential Economic and Fiscal Impacts of LNG Terminals in the Passamaquoddy Bay Region, based on work prepared for the State of Maine Technical Working Group in…
Yellow Wood was the local evaluator for Workforce Central, an initiative of the Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County (now Incourage Community Foundation) and its strategic partners funded by the National Workforce Solutions Fund (NWSF).…
Yellow Wood was engaged by the Vermont Environmental Consortium (VEC) to define Vermont’s environmental sector, survey the sector to improve the understanding of the workforce education and training needs of these firms and survey schools, organizations…
Shanna Ratner, Principal, presented on "Local Wealth Creation, Diversification and Retention." This presentation provided an overview of the wealth creation approach to rural development and the Ford Foundation's…
The Central Appalachian Network (CAN) is a group of seven nonprofits in the Central Appalachian states of Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia focused on transforming Central Appalachia’s economy by creating economic opportunities…
In a continuation of our work with Save Passamaquoddy Bay, Yellow Wood reviewed the draft Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the Downeast LNG project and provided written testimony to FERC on the impact of LNG on Socioeconomics in Passamaquoddy…
Yellow Wood worked with Susanne Moser, PhD to explore the issue of community resilience from the perspective of literature and key informant interviews with 25 rural development practitioners from around the country. They identified stages of community…
Yellow Wood conducted a supplementary round of interviews exploring the issue of community resilience. These interviews were with representatives from MDC, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Danville Regional Foundation, Louisiana Disaster Foundation,…
Yellow Wood Associates worked with the America’s Byways Resource Center to develop a tool to measure the economic impact of scenic byways and All-American Roads. This work involved engaging a steering committee, determining the specific needs of byway…
Yellow Wood Associates was selected as the evaluator for the Advantage Valley Entrepreneurial Development System. Advantage Valley was one of six initiatives funded by the Kellogg Foundation to experiment with a variety of approaches for encouraging…
Yellow Wood assisted Wayne Fawbush of the Ford Foundation in developing an innovative approach to rural development based on an application of triple bottom line principles to create and maintain community wealth. Wealth was defined by categories of…
Yellow Wood worked with the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks to review materials prepared by the Adirondack Club and Resort, a large ski-area and residential four season resort proposed for Tupper Lake. Our role was to identify the…
Yellow Wood Associates was hired by the Village of Derby Line to study the potential economic, fiscal and environmental impacts from a proposed expansion of the I-91 Derby Line Port of Entry on the Village of Derby Line as well as potential mitigation…
Yellow Wood partnered with Mt. Auburn Associates to help the Massachusetts Trust for Public Land build a framework for discussing the full range of economic benefits derived from public land. Categories of economic benefit include contributions to…
In a continuation of our work with Save Passamaquoddy Bay, Yellow Wood provided a Review and Comments on the Financial Framework Agreement between Town of Perry and Quoddy Bay LNG, LLC.
Appalachian Sustainable Development, the Center for Economic Options, and the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development asked Yellow Wood to provide facilitation services for their collaboration. The purpose of the collaboration was to…
Yellow Wood Associates conducted market research on behalf of Deep Root Organic Cooperative with current buyers, supermarket chains, food coops and natural food stores, institutions, wholesalers/distributors, and organic processors to learn about the…
Yellow Wood worked with Maine Rural Partners and the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship to design and facilitate a two-day training based on the award-winning Home Town Competitiveness framework for rural community economic development. The first…
Yellow Wood partnered with another firm, Camp and Associates, on a project with the Department of Defense to study the economic impacts on businesses of mobilized reservist employees. As part of this project, Yellow Wood planned and facilitated a number…
On behalf of the National Association of Development Organizations, Yellow Wood conducted research on EPA brownfields grants awarded to regional development organizations. As part of this research, Yellow Wood developed an online questionnaire and…
Prepared a concept paper on wealth and sustainability and their relationships to one another for use by the Northern Forest Center and the North Country Council in developing principles to guide the Northern Forest Sustainable Economy Initiative. Meet…
As part of our work with Save Passamaquoddy Bay, Yellow Wood presented to the State of Maine LNG Technical Working Group on the potential economic and fiscal impacts of LNG terminals in the Passamaquoddy Bay Region.
Yellow Wood Associates was hired by Save Passamaquoddy Bay to study the economic and fiscal impacts of potential LNG import terminal development on the Passamaquoddy Bay. Economic impacts on real estate and employment were studied, as were fiscal impacts…
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…
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…
Shanna Ratner presented the findings of Yellow Wood Associates, Inc.’s study of the potential economic and fiscal impacts of a proposed liquid natural gas import terminal on the Town of Harpswell, Maine to an audience of over 150 people in a public…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. collected data from primary and secondary sources to assess the potential economic and fiscal impacts of a proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal on the fishing town of Harpswell, Maine. Work included analyzing…
The University of Minnesota Extension Service Business Retention and Expansion Program selected Yellow Wood Associates to develop a tool to test the theory that building social capital in communities while focusing on community economic development…
The Leadership and Civic Engagement Program of the University of Minnesota Extension Service selected Yellow Wood Associates to work with a team of Extension professionals to create an interactive tool to measure social capital in Minnesota communities.…
Yellow Wood developed and delivered testimony on the economic and fiscal impacts of a proposed Shaw’s Supermarket at an Act 250 hearing before the District #5 Environmental Commission. Testimony emphasized the impact on downtown and traffic costs.
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. conducted research to determine how, and whether, Vermont municipalities can use alternative technologies to save money, create jobs, and reduce negative environmental impacts. Our research focused on alternative approaches…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with the Town of Richmond, Vermont to inventory and assess municipal infrastructure assets and provide options for future investment based on a comparative analysis of alternative technologies versus conventional…
Yellow Wood Associates provided an introduction to strategy development using You Get What You Measure® to a multi-lingual group of residents, immigrants, and refugees in Central South King County, Washington on behalf of the Northwest Area Foundation.…
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,…
This project consisted of two phases. The first identified a mix of possible products that the former Ethan Allen employee group would be able to produce given their skills, knowledge base, opportunities for additional training, and an array of business/marketing…
Shanna Ratner of Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. was invited by the Northwest Area Foundation of St. Paul, Minnesota to work with grantees receiving support under its Regional Center Initiative. Grantees received significant financial support to prepare…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. prepared a short lesson on “Planning for Economic Development” for Vermont municipal officials, which was used as part of the Lincoln Land Institute’s Online Planning Series, sponsored by The Orton Institute. The lesson…
The Principal of Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. participated as a socio-economist with a three-member interdisciplinary team to conduct a management assessment of 83,000 acres of private forest land according to criteria established by the Forest Stewardship…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. surveyed members of the Learning Cluster to determine the variety of approaches being used to build rural community capacity, resulting in a report entitled Community Capacity Building, What Is It? for the Aspen Institute.…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. gathered information from primary and secondary sources, developed written and oral testimony, and appeared before the Vermont Environmental Board on behalf of appellant, Friends of Vermont’s Way of Life. Our client took…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation on the integration of social capital into their grant-making process. The work involved facilitating the Social Capital Multiplier Group, researching social capital applications…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. defined a business concept and conducted preliminary research for a cooperative cleaning business that used non-toxic products and techniques.
Worked on behalf of the Conservation Law Foundation to document and analyze the economic and fiscal impacts of the proposed Stowe Ski Area Master Plan. The analysis emphasized the extent of public investment versus public benefit in electric utilities,…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. evaluated the proposed Stratton Mountain Master Plan expansion; prepared prefiled direct and rebuttal testimony explaining the impacts of growth, costs of scattered development, and reasonable rates of growth (Criteria…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. co-delivered a training with Daryl Hobbs of the University of Missouri Office for Social and Economic Data Analysis using Yellow Wood Associates, Inc.’s measurement process to over 120 USDA Rural Development staff from…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. assisted in developing methods for low-income people to estimate the demand for a cooperative specializing in the restoration and maintenance of wooden windows. Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. analyzed secondary data, conducted…
Yellow Wood provided written and oral testimony for the foundation in the Act 250 review of the Town of Milton, Vermont in their proposal to expand sewer service along Route 7. The purpose of the evaluation was to review the adequacy and/or deficiencies…
Awarded a grant by TVA Rural Studies to conduct research. Yellow Wood Associates produced a paper on the role of the informal economy in rural communities. The paper reframes rural development in terms of the whole economy, and begins to articulate…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. provided an inventory and assessment of hiking and walking resources in the Lake Champlain Basin. The work was undertaken as part of a bi-state Lake Champlain Byways Management Plan, and produced a database and maps with…
On behalf of local business people, Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. prepared an independent analysis of the potential economic impacts of a proposed national chain hotel on the existing lodging industry in Middlebury, surrounding areas, and downtown Middlebury.…
On behalf of Funding For Our Future of Potsdam and Canton, New York, Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. prepared an independent analysis of the potential economic and fiscal impacts of the proposed Wal-Mart on existing business in and around Potsdam and…
Shanna Ratner presented a keynote speech on "Why Capacity Matters and What You Can Do About It" at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Statewide Conference in Waterloo, New York, in October 1998.
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. worked with the Northern Community Investment Corporation and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund to identify opportunities for establishing a telecommunications call center employing welfare-to-work individuals in the Northeast…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. researched and analyzed the socio-economic impacts of a proposed expansion of lodging and retail facilities at Stratton Mountain for the Stratton Area Citizen’s Committee. The analysis considered the economic viability…
"What Towns Can Do to Support Local Economic Development" presented to the Addison County Regional Planning Commission Board meeting.
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. prepared a paper on the concept of learning communities for the Appalachian Regional Commission. The paper focused on how to identify traits common to learning communities and how to foster the development of these community…
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc. conducted training for the staff and grant recipients of the Maine Community Foundation's Rural Initiative. Training focused on defining poverty and economic security and learning how to measure progress toward the goals…
