Arizona: Resources
The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) aims to achieve responsible economic development by providing professional education and influencing public policy through the collaboration of its members. AAED's membership consists of workforce development professionals as well as business and community leaders throughout the state. By registering with AAED, members are able to gain access to economic development events where they can discuss issues related directly to Arizona's economy in order to influence legislation and gain business relations. The site contains information about the organization's committees, sponsored events, and news as well as a job board.
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is Arizona's leading economic development organization. The aim of the ACA is to recruit non-local companies to expand their operations to Arizona, work with existing companies to grow their business, and partner with entrepreneurs and companies to create jobs within the state. The site provides information on why Arizona is a prime business destination, the state's thriving industries, and how to start a business.
The Arizona District Export Council (ADEC) collaborates with Arizona businesses to stimulate economic growth through trade and investment. Included on the ADEC website are the main roles of the council, a contact form for those needing export help, an events listing, and recent news covering international trade with Arizona.
The Arizona Secretary of State Business Services page contains information useful to entrepreneurs with topics including business registrations and filings, notaries/apostilles, publications and pamphlets, office locations, and public records requests. Some resources have fees for customer use.
The Arizona Small Business Development Center (AZSBDC) provides evaluation and guidance to help small businesses create plans for startups and growth along with numerous workshops and seminars that teach various skills required of business owners. AZSBDC's website provides information about the center itself, its functions, and a number of useful online tools and resources for entrepreneurs. Some portions of the site can only be accessed by members, who gain membership by registering first for a training event, workshop, or counseling.
The Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research is part of the W.P. Carey School of Business, of Arizona State University. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, the center provides various business-related data, reports, and publications, such as economic indicators, business indices, or economic forecasts. The content is broken down into three categories, P3 research reports, university economist reports, and other reports.
The Central Arizona College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides management and marketing counseling to Pinal County firms with less than 200 employees at no cost to the client. The site also features e-counseling and provides information on seminars. The service focuses on several areas of business including business plan development, exporting, and strategic planning among others.
The Economic & Business Research Center, operated by the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, offers comprehensive data on Arizona’s economy. Some of the resources include indicators, statistics, and research studies. An annual forecast of the economy is also available.
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) aims to promote the economic development of Phoenix by providing market data and analysis, site-selection services, and networking opportunities for companies in the greater Phoenix area. Its website contains basic information about doing business in the area such as demographics, workforce, education, and infrastructure as well as profiles for popular industries. An online data center allows users to search for market research for various types of profiles, industries, and communities in Arizona.