Economic Development Research Services

Using staff, student, and faculty expertise, OCED has professional resources to assist with research projects for your community or region.  Examples of recent projects include:

• Virginia's Growth Alliance Entrepreneurial Development Plan
  • Focus groups of 10-12 business owners and stakeholders throughout VGA Region - 7 localities and 13 separate on-site focus groups.
  • Surveys to determine awareness and gaps in service provision for small businesses
  • Results - Action plan to better support and develop entrepreneurial activity in the region
  • Final report, including results and recommendations (pdf)

• Downtown Farmville Market Analysis
  • Surveys of shoppers, residents, students, and faculty
  • 1217 online surveys collected
  • 385 consumer intercept surveys completed
  • 72 business owner surveys collected
  • Project supported the attainment of and on-going work associated with Virginia Main Street status
  • Final report, including results and recommendations (pdf)

• Virginia SBDC Needs Assessment of Second Stage (Growth Oriented) Small Businesses
  • Statewide research project including surveys of business owners and five on-site regional focus groups
  • Project initiated to study whether Virginia SBDC could respond to the needs of more established existing businesses that are facing challenges with business growth.
  • Project resulted in addition of consulting services through the Virginia SBDC Network:
    • Internet Marketing and Social Media
    • Export Assistance
    • Innovation and Commercialization Assistance

• Economic Impact of Longwood University
  • Project initiated in 1997 to study the local economic impact of spending by Longwood University as well as it's employees and students
  • Study repeated in 2002 and 2008
  • 2008 study showed that the university had an economic impact of $135.6 million, of which $89 million, or 66 percent of the total economic impact, occurred in Farmville and surrounding counties.

• Other Past Projects include:
  • Crewe, Virginia Consumer Needs Assessment - 2007
  • Educational and Human Services Needs Assessment for Longwood University - 2006
  • Client Satisfaction Survey and Analysis prepared for W.M. Jordan Company - 2001 & 2005
  • Cumberland County Consumer and Business Needs Assessment - 2005
  • Longwood University Continuing Education Needs Assessment - 2004
  • Virginia Economic Developers' Association Membership Survey - 2003
  • Liberty University Economic Impact Study - 2001 & 2003
  • Scottsville, Virginia Consumer Needs Assessment - 2000