EDGE (Enhancing, Developing, and Growing Entrepreneurs and Their Communities) is a community-based entrepreneurship strategy designed to enhance the economic and social base of rural communities that was initially developed in Nebraska.
The program works with communities to develop small business support networks and provide education and skill development for local entrepreneurs wanting to start or expand a business. Coalition building and accessing public/private assets within the community are critical keys to the success of this entrepreneurial development strategy.
Nebraska EDGE has trained and supported more than 2,000 entrepreneurs in over 100 communities. The program is located at the Center for Applied Rural Innovation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Western EDGE was established in 2005 and is based on a model similar to the Nebraska program. Western EDGE is a partnership program of the Western Rural Development Center and the Utah State University Extension Service.
