City officials and business leaders looking to increase economic performance and attract new residents recognize the benefits of having a strong local retail environment. Money spent at a local retail is more likely to stay in the community (Civic Economics, 2008; Patel and Martin, 2011) and sell goods that are sourced locally (Clark & Banga, 2010). A commissioned study in Grand Rapids, Michigan, found that locally owned restaurants spent 56% their revenues locally, compared to only 37% in the… Read More

The electric bicycle (e-bike) is a low-emission mode of transportation that offers communities benefits in the areas of health, planning, time, cost, street safety, congestion, air pollution, noise pollution, and energy security, among others. Despite the establishment of a stable and growing market, e-bike ownership remains prohibitively expensive for many people. Across the world, incentive programs have emerged as a popular technique in the effort to bridge the chasm of e-bikes' technology… Read More