Asset Mapping Roadmap: A Guide to Assessing Regional Development Resources
At its most basic level, asset mapping provides leaders with an inventory of key resources utilized in development efforts. Comprehensive asset mapping enables deep insights into key networks and cultural attitudes that shape the regional economy, indicates gap areas that require further investment, and shows a baseline by which to judge future progress toward regional prosperity.
A Regional Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor funds the Asset Mapping Initiative through the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Southwest Missouri in conjunction with WIBs in Southeast Kansas, Northeast Oklahoma, and Northwest Arkansas. The WIBs collaborate with colleges and universities across the region for market research. Committee volunteers facilitate focus groups and surveys of business and community leaders to capture regional insights.
Strategic priorities for the Asset Mapping taskforce:
- Identify and catalog assets relevant to regional development into searchable, online database
- Build collaborative networks by closing gaps and maximizing assets for regional transformation strategies
- Benchmark competitiveness of the region and measure performance of economic development
- Provide market trends and data to support efforts for other committees
