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Bonds are interest-bearing certificates of debt issued by a municipal governmental body or a private corporation to finance physical improvements.

BOTs (Build, Operate and Transfer) is a process in which a private company finances, builds, and operates an infrastructure system for a fixed time, during which the government has a regularoty and oversight role. At the end of the project, usually 15 to 25 years, the system is transferred back to the government.

Business Angels are anonymous, private investors who invest in start-up companies, lacking capital.

Business Parks (industrial, research): Parks designed to provide businesses with services and support structures. They create a setting for office, manufacturing, research and development facilities.

Business Recruitment and Attraction: traditional approach to economic development to entice companies to relocate or to set up a new branch plant or operation in a state or locality; often referred to as "smokestack chasing".

Business Retention Strategies: systematic effort designed to keep local companies content at their present locations which includes helping companies cope with changing economic conditions and internal company problems.

Capacity Building- developing the ability of a community-based neighborhood organization to effectively design economic development strategies through technical assistance, networks, conferences, and workshops.

Cash flow analysis is a statement showing actual or projected cash receipts and disbursements for a specifi6 period of time.

Collateral is used as security for the repayment of loans.

Cost-benefit analysis compares the costs of a program with the benefits that it would bring to the community. It is useful when comparing alternative programs.

Debt capital are loans that are repaid with interest, within a specified time period, based on a pre- established schedule.

Discount rate is the interest rate at which the government stands ready to lend reserves to commercial banks.

Early Warning System- Aseries of factors that localities watch closely to identify business that are "at risk" of relocating or closing. A few of these factors might industry trends, recent layoffs, and disinvestment.

Entrepreneurial training: Programs that provide guidance and instruction on business basics such as accounting and financing in order to ensure that new businesses improve their chances of success. The most common training methods include classroom training, workshops, speakers, peer groups and one-on-one counseling, lectures, internships, as well as self-study and home-study.

Equity capital is an investments that does not require a, firm to repay the debt. Instead, investors assume partial ownership of the business.

Export development services: Export Assistance programs can help a manufacturing or service company diversify its customer base, expand its operations and become more profitable. Export services include: 1) assessing company capacity for exporting; 2) market research; 3) information services (on exporting, trade regulations, transportation, etc.); 4) international lead generation; 5) trade shows/exhibitions; and 6) promotional marketing trips.

Fiscal policy: The course of action adopted by the government, concerning taxes and the government's spending.

Incubators: A mechanism used to encourage and support young companies until they become viable. They provide new firms with affordable space, assist them with technical and management support, help them to secure equity and long-term debt financing and locate qualified employees.

Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB): bonds that provide lower-cost financing for real property improvements or the purchase or construction of buildings, facilities, or equipment.

Inflation rate: The gradual reduction of purchasing power of a currency, usually related directly to the increase in the money supply by the federal government.

Infrastructure banks are public-targeted lending facilities, financed through a combination of bond issues, government funds and external donor support. They mobilize domestic funds, and create an attractive vehicle for donor funding.

Interest rate: The cost of money.

Land banks are municipally-owned banks that gather land parcels of developable land, and its resources to meet determined goals and objectives.

Land use and zoning assistance: Economic development agencies provide assistance with the location, zoning, land permitting, and building codes of site redevelopment in order to facilitate the development of industrial and commercial facilities.

Leveraging means of multiplying the availability of funds for economic development or community development programs by providing a certain amount of funds to lure in a larger amount of private funds.

Line of credit is an agreement between a borrower and a bank, whereby a bank,provides access to money, typically for a stipulated annual maximum, for a set term usually from one to four years.'The borrower only pays interest on the actual amount borrowed, not the maximum loan amount.

Microcredit: Credit provided to microenterprises who have had difficulty gaining access to credit. Microcredit programs provide very small loans to new entrepreneurs. Banks ordinarily do not make loans this small.

Microloans are very small, short-term unsecured loans given to people without credit history and/or the collateral necessary to obtain a conventional loan.

Monetary policy: Governmental regulation of the amount of money in circulation through various institutions.

Monitoring is the tracking of the performance or outcomes of a project.

Morgtage is a transfer of rights to a piece of property usually as security for the payment of a loan or debt that becomes void when the debt is paid.

One-stop business service centers: One stop business service centers focus on reforming licensing and permitting regulations and are facilities where business persons can go to obtain the licenses and permits needed to start-up, operate and expand their facilities. These centers improve the local business environment while reducing the number of separate agencies and offices a business must apply to for various licenses and permits, saving public and private time and financial resources.

Public infrastructure extension: Local governments provide public infrastructure extension to meet the infrastructure needs of new, expanding, or relocating firms whose facilities need better water, sewage, telephone, or road infrastructure.

Seed capital refers to financing obtained by a company before it has completed developing a prototype of its product. Similar to venture capital, but occurs at the pre-production stage. It is a risky type of investment because the investor does not know what the actual product will be.

Site location assistance: Local governments provide new, expanding, and relocating businesses with assistance for locating the sites which fit their facility's needs. These services include provide information on sites and organizing visitation programs.

Strategic Planning is a systematic process by which communities can envision their future and create the appropriate steps given local resources to achieve that future.

SWOT Analysis is a method of analysis used to determine a community's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and competitive advantage.

Tax incentives: The use of various tax relief measures such as tax exemptions, tax credits or tax abatements to recruit and attract businesses to a community or help local businesses expand.

Technical Assistance: Technical assistance is generally aimed at providing specific services that a small business typically can not afford, or general business planning. Technical assistance includes aid with preparing grant applications, training staff, applying for loans and marketing the product. It may also include assisting a small business to improve the design of its product or manufacturing process.

Technology services: Economic development organizations provide a number of services for the promotion of technology-based firms in their locality. Those services include: 1) facilitating financing for technology-based firms and programs; 2) creating technology incubators and/or research parks; and 3) facilitating the patenting and licensing of technologies; 4) providing assistance commercializing new technologies.

Term loans are bank loans generally made for periods from one to five years. These loans are designed to fit the particular needs of each borrower.

Venture Capital is an investment made where there is a possibility of very substantial returns on their investment, as much as 40 percent within a short period. It is usually invested in dynamic, growing and developing enterprises, not in start-ups. The capital is subject to considerable risk and uncertainty.

Work force development: Workforce development programs focus on education, training, and recruitment of workers. Workforce development programs concentrate on improving the skill base and job placement of a community's labor base.

Zoning is the use of restrictions and requirement that determine the type and intensity of development on each parcel of land.