Q&A with Jaison G. Morgan, Managing Principal, The Common Pool

January 2012 Newsletter

The Common Pool (TCP) is supporting the design and development of EDA's Strong Cities, Strong Communities(SC2) Challenge, a series of prize competitions to be hosted at six cities across the country to bring forward new strategic economic transition planning to communities in need of comprehensive revitalization. By using new authorities granted under the America COMPETES Act, EDA is working with the White House Domestic Policy Council and other federal departments and agencies to implement "challenges and prizes," in addition to traditional grant-making approaches to sponsored programs. Rather than awarding a grant and tracking a single organization's efforts, the SC2 Challenge will motivate a wide range of participants to compete by submitting their best solutions for each city. Local authorities will invite competitors to spend their own resources developing winning entries, but they pay only for the answers that meet their unique needs. EDA has recently secured the counsel of TCP, an internationally recognized firm with specific expertise in developing challenges and prizes for government and corporate sponsors.

Spotlight: Challenge.gov - Obama Administration Leverages Prizes and Challenges to Bring the Best Ideas and Top Talent to Bear on Nation's Most Pressing Issues

January 2012 Newsletter

Challenge.gov - Obama Administration Leverages Prizes and Challenges to Bring the Best Ideas and Top Talent to Bear on Nation's Most Pressing Issues

For most of our country’s history, the U.S. government has obtained goods and services and carried out its mission in two ways – contracts and grants. In 2011, another method – challenges and prizes - began to prove itself as a viable third option.

Extra Extra

January 2012 Newsletter

Ex-Bloomington mayor remaking role of agency targeted by conservatives

A federal agency that hands out economic development dollars should be popular during tough economic times.