New "How-To" Manual On Expanding Economic Development Now Available By GEORGE H. RYAN Lieutenant Governor Chairman, Rural Affairs Council

What is on the minds of small town mayors? According to the Illinois Rural Affairs Institute at Western Illinois University, one of the most pressing issues is jobs. And as chairman of the Rural Affairs Council, I believe that one of the better means by which to bring jobs into rural areas is by creating small businesses.

Not that small business creation is necessarily easy. An idea may exist, the will and desire to dive into a venture may be there, but it's good business planning combined with the idea that will ultimately result in success.

Consequently our Task Force on the Future of Rural Illinois stressed the need for special attention to small business development when it filed its report with the Illinois General Assembly two years ago.

Small business creation was recognized at the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors, when a speaker from the U.S. Small Business Administration, James Abdnor said, "Farming is important to Rural America, but most jobs will be found off the farm." He went on to say that rural development was a top priority of the SBA.

Realizing this need, the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Illinois, which is one of the partners on the Rural Affairs Council, has issued a manual on business planning for persons considering starting a new business or for those already in business.

This publication is an excellent aid for people who think they have a new business idea and would like to take it from the "idea" stage right into the marketplace with their own business. It contains a guide for collecting all of the information necessary to make wise business decisions.

Compiled by Norma Turok, Area Advisor for Business Management, the plan can be applied to any size business venture. This manual, along with assistance that it available from DCCA's Small Business Development Center Network (located throughout Illinois at community college locations) is part of the many assistance programs that are available from State Government for people who think they would like to start small businesses — especially in Rural Illinois.

There have been many conferences held across Illinois and the Midwest to help rural residents find out about new business venture opportunities that might exist for them. These conferences provided the "what"; this business plan guide serves as the step-by-step "how-to" manual. Let the two work hand-in-hand for you.

Interested in setting up a small business in Rural Illinois? Call the Rural Affairs Council for a copy of the manual at 217/782-7514; or contact Norma Turok at 901 West Washington St., Benton, IL 62812, (618-439-7263). •

August 1989 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 21