Services
Economic & Workforce Development
Springline has extensive experience analyzing the state, local, and regional economy and supporting economic and workforce development initiatives. Much of our work in this area is conducted in the context of regional economic and workforce strategies that provide actionable data based on key measures that contribute to a healthy economy. This includes labor and workforce dynamics, population demographics, market conditions, commuting patterns, and existing and emerging industry sectors and occupations.
We also produce demographic and socioeconomic profiles of neighborhoods, municipalities, regions, and school districts by drawing upon a variety of secondary data sources and qualitative exercises.
Our Team has produced dozens of reports in the areas of economic base analysis, workforce development, industry analysis, and market analysis. Recent examples of Springline’s work in this area include projects that:
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Inform conversation with data; see the data brief Frontline Workers in the Southcoast
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Support economic development initiatives; see our analysis of the Marine Science and Technology (MST) sector in Southeastern New England
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Study industry sectors like the Blue Economy; see our Comprehensive Analysis of the Massachusetts Maritime Economy
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Analyze the workforce needs of the Offshore Wind Industry; see our Workforce and Economic analysis for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
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Provides an economic baseline of a community; see our Assessment of Economic Conditions in Provincetown
Economic & Fiscal Impact Analysis
We use economic impact analysis to estimate how an existing business, organization, event, or new investment contributes to state and regional economies. This includes analyzing the economic effects of large one-time capital investments and construction projects, events, or new policy initiatives, as well as the effects of on-going year-to-year operations.
Springline conducts economic impact analysis using IMPLAN, a very powerful and adaptable input-output analysis tool. Springline has years of experience using IMPLAN for a variety of project types, including conducting multi-regional input-output analysis (MRIO). Recent examples of Springline’s work in this area includes projects that:
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Analyze the economic impact of the burgeoning US Offshore Wind Industry; see Proposed Vineyard Wind Offshore Energy Project: Estimated Contribution to Employment & Economic Development for 400 & 800 MW
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Examine the impact of higher wages; see our analysis of the impact of Direct Service Providers Wage in Rhode Island
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Analyze one of the largest ongoing urban renewal projects in Massachusetts; see Transforming Quincy: A Holistic Assessment of the Economic Contributions of the Quincy Center Urban Revitalization District Project
Needs Assessment
Our clients use needs assessments to better understand the “gaps” between current conditions and desired conditions, and to address the needs of their constituents. This type of people-focused research summarizes the needs and priorities of stakeholders so that organizations and institutions can effectively set priorities and implement strategies that meet specific, real world demands.
Springline’s expertise in this area ranges from Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) and Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP), to supporting strategic planning initiatives and other projects where ensuring that programs and services are meeting clients’ needs is paramount.
Springline is particularly engaged in supporting health and wellness issues through its healthcare partnerships across the Southeastern Massachusetts region and beyond. These include:
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Documenting the major demographic, socioeconomic, and health trends in the region by conducting Community Health Needs Assessments for various health care providers in the region, including Southcoast Health, Saint Anne’s Hospital, and the New Bedford Health Department.
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Working with Southcoast Health, the region’s largest employer, to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), which will address the region’s most pressing health issues. This work is on-going.
Program Evaluation
Springline has worked extensively with the region's nonprofit and public sector partners to evaluate the efficacy of programs. We work with our clients to distill the goals of a program, develop metrics to measure those goals, and implement a feedback system for assessing progress and making corrections. Tasks we frequently undertake include creating evaluation plans and logic models; designing, implementing, and analyzing surveys; conducting primary research such as interviews and focus groups; and analyzing case studies and secondary data that support a project’s goals.
Springline also has experience facilitating and supporting programmatic planning. In this role, we provide our partners with the data needed to contextualize and understand the problem they are trying to solve, conduct literature reviews to find established programs aimed at addressing similar issues, and assist with planning an intervention strategy.
Recent examples of Springline’s work in this area includes projects that:
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Evaluate the efficacy of programs; see our evaluation of UMass Dartmouth's America Reads program
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Design a pilot survey and evaluation plan; see our work with the Center for Education Innovation
Technical Assistance & Analytical Support
Springline collects, analyzes, and interprets information to help organizations build capacity and improve performance. Whether it is primary data specific to institutions or organizations, original data collected from surveys and stakeholder interviews, or secondary data describing socioeconomic conditions. Springline’s in-depth analyses have supported economic development projects, community health plans, and strategic planning.
We are particularly adept at using secondary sources to help clients understand the world in which they operate and using interviews and focus groups to get the real story behind the data. Recent examples of Springline’s work in this area includes projects that:
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Provide data, research, and analysis that describes a region; see our technical assistance report presented to the 495 MetroWest Partnership
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Offer technical support to the strategic planning process; see our work with the SouthCoast Community Foundation
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Support entrepreneurship and professional development; see the topical infographics we created for Leadership Southcoast