Pratt Center Research
Growing a More Equitable EconomyUrban Manufacturing Alliance 2nd National Convening Summary Report
Report | December 5, 2013
The Urban Manufacturing Alliance (UMA) 2nd National Convening, held in Oakland, California in early October, brought together more than 70 manufacturing and economic development professionals representing 40 organizations from 25 cities. This year’s convening theme, “Priming the Manufacturing Ecosystem,” focused on the confluence of trends—including the spread of new technologies, increasing importation costs, shifting consumer preferences, and more supportive public policies—that have set the stage for the revitalization of urban manufacturing.
The UMA 2nd National Convening Summary Report summarizes the themes from this year's convening and captures the key takeaways from each session. It includes Pratt Center’s proposal to launch a new UMA initiative to support the creation of Design/Production (D/P) Districts to help cities capitalize on the wealth of design and production talent concentrated in urban areas.
Other key takeaways from the convening included creating a central online repository for reuse or planning activities nationally; launching a local sourcing UMA initiative; developing a call for interest in UMA-wide paid apprenticeship and internship programs; and sharing survey instruments across the UMA network. Read the full report here.
Who's working on this
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Tanu Kumar
Senior Fellow for Economic Development
718-637-8654
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Adam Friedman
Executive Director
718-637-8640