The Network understands that economically challenged cities need long-term partners to realize sustained recovery. To complement the Network's targeted engagements with cities, we launched State Resource Networks (SRNs) to help connect city leaders within a state, and foster relationships between those local leaders and their state government.

The Network’s own research highlights the important role states can play in a local government’s recovery. Building on this report,, we developed a partnership with MassDevelopment to pilot a Massachusetts State Resource Network in 2016 . Two years later and with the support of Arnold Ventures (formerly the Laura and John Arnold Foundation), the Network launched a New Jersey State Resource Network.

For inquiries or additional information about SRNs, please contact us at info@nationalresourcenetwork.org.

We’re pleased to partner with the National Resource Network, which has done so much good work with practical economic development solutions...This pilot program will provide a new resource for select Gateway Cities, and we hope our network will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and as a blueprint for other states to help to transform their cities.

Marty Jones MassDevelopment President and CEO

The NJ SRN initiative will deliver professional services to our state’s neediest communities, bringing them high-quality expertise they have often lacked to address the special issues they face.

Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver State of New Jersey

Salem City is extremely excited not only to be the first municipality named by the State to participate in the Network consortium, but for the resources this partnership will provide toward the goal of moving our economic and redevelopment agenda forward. We are pleased the State and the Network see the work Salem City has already been doing and agree that adding additional resources to our current plans would help make Salem City a more thriving community, at an expedited pace.

Mayor Charles Washington City of Salem, New Jersey

State Initiatives

Ohio

Ohio has a concentration of communities that have struggled to regain the population and economic activity they lost during the Great Recession. A 2016 study by the Greater Ohio Policy Center showed that Ohio’s legacy cities experienced population loss, lower labor force participation, falling housing values and rising poverty in the five years after the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009. The Network, in cooperation with the Greater Ohio Policy Center, Arnold Ventures and the Just Transition Fund, led the creation of the Ohio State Resource Network which brings the Network’s comprehensive, tailored approach and proven tools to Ohio communities.

New Jersey

In 2018, the State of New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the National Resource Network jointly launched the New Jersey State Resource Network, a collaborative effort designed to improve participating cities’ long-term financial health and economic competitiveness.

Massachusetts

In early 2016, MassDevelopment (through its Transformative Development Initiative) and the Network launched MassSRN – a collaborative effort designed to increase participating cities’ economic competitiveness. Massachusetts was the first state to pilot such a partnership leveraging federal, state and local funds to deliver customized, comprehensive and cross-cutting technical assistance to its cities.

State Resource Network

Connecting Cities & States for Impact

State Initiatives

Ohio

New Jersey

Massachusetts

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