TN Economic Development Basic Finance Course
The Tennessee Economic Development Basic Finance Course is a one-and-a-half-day, hands-on course that focuses on the variety of development finance tools available in Tennessee, from bonds, tax credits, PILOT and TIF, to federal financing programs, revolving loan funds and access to capital lending resources. Through case studies, course participants will explore the pros and cons of utilizing the various tools in the economic development finance toolbox.
This course is one of a series provided by UT Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) designed to share best practices and trends with Tennessee’s economic development practitioners, private industry leaders, community leaders and elected officials.
Date and Location:
August 20-21, 2025 (Registration Link & Discounted Hotel Booking Link Coming Soon!)
Course Agenda:
2025 Agenda Coming Soon!
Course Fee:
Registration $445 | Early registration $395 (by: TBA)
The registration fee covers course materials, instruction, selected meals and refreshment breaks. It does not cover hotel and other travel expenses. Registration is limited to 40 participants and is filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please remit payment for the course no later than 10 days prior to the course start date. If payment is not received, you risk having your registration cancelled to make room for those on the wait list.
Course Times:
Onsite check-in: 9:30 AM
Day 1: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Day 2: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Meals provided: Day 1 - Lunch; Day 2 - Breakfast & Lunch
Registration:
Register (Registration Link Coming Soon!)
If you need assistance accessing your account, please contact us at 615-253-6371 or email us here. You may also register by submitting a Course Registration Form by email.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Cancellations made 7 days or more prior to the course start date will be eligible for a full refund or credit. Cancellations made less than 7 days will be eligible for credit only for a future course.
Hotel Accommodations:
(Discounted Hotel Booking Link Coming Soon!)
This link and rate code is only available for class attendees. If this link and special rate is used by someone outside of the class, the reservation will be cancelled and a fee will be applied to the credit card used to book the reservation.
Scholarships:
A limited number of scholarships are available to course participants from Tennessee. Scholarships cover $295 of the $395 early registration fee, and do not include hotel, travel or meals. Scholarship recipients will be required to pay $100 of the tuition cost, which will not be refundable should the participant withdraw from the course. Applications must be received by: (TBA) to be considered.
NOTE: If applying for a scholarship, please register for the class to save a seat and choose the "Invoice" option. If a scholarship is not received, the participant may decide to keep the seat or withdraw at the time of notification with no penalty. Scholarships are non-transferable.
Applications for scholarships can be downloaded here: Scholarship Application.
Dress Code:
The attire for the course is business casual.
Other TCED Economic Development Courses:
View other TCED economic development courses
Instructor:
Toby Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), which includes management of a 32 member Board of Directors, and the organization's various educational, advocacy, research, resources and networking initiatives. Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured extensively in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University teaching planning for sustainable economic development.
Rittner is a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) through CDFA and is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) through the National Development Council (NDC). Rittner has also advised state and federal government leaders, including President Obama's Administration Transition Team, on economic development finance policy.
Prior to joining CDFA, Rittner was the director of legislative affairs and former director of training for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Rittner has also worked for the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners, Community and Economic Development Department as a senior program coordinator for economic development and as an associate planner for the city of Gahanna, Ohio.
Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Financial Advisory Board. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I, LLC and is also a member of the Advisory Board for Heritage Ohio. Rittner holds a bachelor of arts in political science and a master's of city and regional planning degree from The Ohio State University. Rittner was awarded The Ohio State College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016.
