Cities Offered Free Web-based Development Tool

A new project can help local economic development leaders better communicate with businesses in their community. The University of Kentucky and Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) are offering Bludot to cities free of charge.

A news release from UK states that Bludot, a web-based business retention and expansion platform, will help cities allow users to sort business data by industry type, geographic area, size, age, or custom-created tags. The pre-populated personalized business data is designed to give community leaders a secure and direct way to communicate with local businesses.

“For the first time in the commonwealth’s history, Kentucky’s economic developers and business leaders will be universally connected,” said Matt Tackett, president and CEO of Kentucky Association for Economic Development. Organizers hope the platform encourages interactivity to address issues and seize upon growth opportunities. “Industry expansion is a leading driver of Kentucky’s investment generation and job creation,” added Tackett.

Bludot allows multiple users but requires one lead contact from each community ‒ the mayor, or a city’s lead economic development staff person. The lead contact may add other users, such as a chamber of commerce and tourism director, main street manager, or downtown association director.

Organizers will host three webinars to demonstrate the platform and provide city officials an opportunity to ask questions: July 20, August 24, and September 21, all beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

The Kentucky Economic Recover and Resilience Project, a partnership with the UK Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK) and KAED, is providing the service.

City officials can register for a webinar here.

Learn more about Bludot here.