Become a Founder Member of Economic Development World
[If you are looking for the 17-day foundation course by email – you can register for it here]
The Founder Member Offer
Shape the community and the lessons and resources we develop
✓ Try for free
✓ 15 hours of on-demand courses
✓ Practical workbooks
✓ Community, chatrooms, discussion
✓ First 3 months: 3 x Monthly 1-to-1 Mentoring Session; 1 x Career Planning Session
✓ First 12 months: Exclusive Founder Member workshops
✓ Year 1: 67% off annual membership
Join in first quarter of 2026
Help shape the community
HOW IT WORKS
STEP 1: Register to get joining instructions
Register on the form above. We’ll send you joining instructions
STEP 2: Start Learning (Day 1)
Immediate access to all Navigator tier content plus book your first 1-to-1 with Glenn.
STEP 3: Join Founder Workshops (Week 1)
First fortnightly workshop within 7 days of launch.
Founder Member Benefits
Immediate access to 10+ hours of on-demand courses across 8 economic development disciplines
Foundation knowledge; Policy, strategy and intelligence; Enterprise, industry and innovation; Employment and skills; Inclusion, poverty and inequality; Place, infrastructure and real estate; Climate and sustainability; Executive toolkit.
1-to-1 sessions and workshops
3x 1-to-1 sessions with Glenn. Monthly Workshop with Glenn and other Founder Members.
Locked in savings over 5 years
Save £200 in Year 1
Lock in Year 2-5 pricing at £195 (save another £200)
10% off if you upgrade to Practitioner or Expert tiers; Discounts on Masterclasses
Combined savings over 2 years: £400-600+
Preferential access to online events
You will be in the first tier to register to attend online events. Full access to the podcast archive.
Complete template library (business cases, logic models, stakeholder maps)
Access to all the workbooks and guidance resources that go with the courses.
On demand learning
Learn what you want, when you want it. Got a meeting about FDI, and don’t know much about it? take our 10 minute foundational course or 1 hour introductory course to get you up to speed!
What You Get as a Founder Member
IMMEDIATE ACCESS (When We Launch):
- 15 hours of on-demand courses across 8 ED disciplines
- Complete template library (strategy templates, how to guides, audits and assessments, business case template)
- Community discussion forums with fellow founding members and other membership tiers
- Monthly live Q&A sessions
EXCLUSIVE FOUNDER BENEFITS:
- Month 1: Personal guidance 1-to-1 session; 1x career development planning session
- Months 2 & 3: 2x 1-to-1 mentoring and guidance sessions
- Every 2 months: Founder Members Meet Up and Workshop
- Influence the community’s direction and future course content
Why become a founder member?
- Shape the Community
As a founding member, you’ll have direct input into:
- Content priorities
- Course topics
- Community features
- Event formats
Your voice will be heard first and loudest.
- Exceptional Value
Year 1 at £95 is less than the cost of a single conference ticket, but you get:
- Year-round learning
- Expert guidance from Glenn
- Peer network of 20 committed professionals
- Complete ED training library
- Direct Access to Glenn
Three 45-minute 1-to-1 sessions over 3 months means:
- Get unstuck on specific challenges
- Strategic career advice
- Navigate complex stakeholder situations
- Build your professional development plan
This level of access won’t be available again.
- Build Your Network
The first 20 members will form a tight-knit cohort. These relationships often become:
- Bi-monthly Founder Members Meet-up
- Your go-to advice network
- Collaboration partners
- Career opportunities
- Lifelong professional friendships
- Lock in Lifetime Savings
Your Year 2 and 3 rate of £195 is guaranteed. As the community grows and adds more value, standard pricing will increase. You’ll always pay less.
Who this is for
This founding membership is perfect if you're:
✓ An economic development officer, manager, or director in local, city or regional government
✓ Working in a Combined Authority, Local Authority, Metropolitan Authority, Development Agency, Consultancy, Think Tanks, or similar organisation
✓ A consultant specialising in economic development
✓ New to ED and want comprehensive foundational training
✓ Experienced but lacking access to CPD and peer networks
✓ Committed to improving your practice and advancing your career
✓ Ready to invest in yourself and your professional development
This is NOT for you if:
✗ You’re just browsing and not ready to commit
✗ You want specialist content and insight highly relevant to your home nation (the content and context are UK-specific, but international practitioners are welcome)
✗ You work in an unrelated field
✗ You’re looking for a quick fix rather than sustained professional and personal development
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why only 20 Founder Members?
A: This ensures Glenn can provide meaningful 1-to-1 time with each member and the workshop groups remain intimate enough for deep discussion. Quality over quantity.
Q: What if I can’t make all the group / workshop sessions?
A: 1-to-1 sessions can be rescheduled. Workshops will be recorded for founder members who can’t attend live.
Q: Can my employer pay for this?
A: Yes! £95 is well within most CPD discretionary budgets. We can provide a membership and course brochure pdf to help you get it signed off as well as full invoices.
Q: What happens after Year 1?
A: You’ll have the option to renew at your guaranteed £195 rate (vs £395 standard). Entirely your choice.
Q: What if I want to upgrade to the Practitioner or Expert tier (click here for the membership tiers explained)?
A: You’ll get 10% off those tiers for life as a Founder Member. You can upgrade anytime.
Q: What’s included in “1-to-1s” with Glenn?
A: Up to 45 minutes of focused time every month for 3 months. Bring your challenges, career questions, strategic dilemmas. It’s your time to use as needed.
Q: When exactly does the community launch?
A: 01 December 2025. You’ll get 7 days notice before launch date is confirmed.
Q: What if I join the waitlist but don’t get Founder Member status?
A: You’ll be first in line for standard Navigator membership (£295) and we’ll give you a consolation 10% discount code.
Q: Is this just for senior practitioners?
A: Not at all! Founder Members range from recent graduates to Heads of Service. All experience levels welcome.
Q: What makes you qualified to teach this, Glenn?
A: 30+ years in UK economic development, strategic advisor to multiple local authorities, PhD in economic development, and I’ve been asking “why doesn’t this community exist?” for years. Now I’m building it.
Our Clients are Superfans
“Glenn delivers high quality advice and insights based on years of experience with no fuss, he just delivers the results you need.”
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“Glenn’s work is highly professional, demonstrating a very high level of stakeholder management, workshop and facilitation skills.”
Local London
“Glenn is an uber-consultant, a cut above the rest.”
UK Innovation Corridor
“Glenn, Mike and Hannah delivered us a high quality and locally focused employment, careers and skills strategy and action plan that allows us to take our approach and reputation for skills to the next level.”
Local Economies (UK): Local authorities sitting on £9bn in developer contributions
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Combined Authorities (England): ‘A supersized planning authority but still no agreed vision for Greater Cambridge’
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: newsdesk@iliffemedia.co.uk (Newsdesk Cambridge) Date published: 2026-03-01 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Opinion | Edward LeighThe government’s plan to create a Greater Cambridge Development...
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Source: Local Growth and the United Kingdom Author: Rhea Goel Date published: 2026-02-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The partnership intends to combine the research strengths of the two institutions, alongside their respective...
International Economic Development Council: Economic Developer Role Shifting from Deal-Making to Systems Stewardship
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Source: News & Events | EUI Author: unknown Date published: 2026-02-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] With the launch of Call 4 for Innovative Actions, the European Urban Initiative (EUI) is once again stepping in to support cities across...
Regional Economies: U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Trump tariffs a welcome development for Canadian businesses
Source: Regional Economies Author: Mario Toneguzzi Date published: 2026-02-20 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Friday striking down many of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, including some of those levied...
Local Economies (UK): Wales becomes UK launchpad for next generation autonomous technology
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Gary Mortimer Date published: 2026-02-20 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Welsh communities will benefit from high-skilled roles as a landmark £50 million Defence Growth Deal boosts autonomous technology...
Supercool Ltd: The full-speed economy: Does running a hotter economy benefit workers?
Source: Supercool Ltd Author: Abi Hynes Date published: 2026-02-20 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Managing the macroeconomy to achieve strong growth and low inflation is a careful balancing act. Overly restrictive macroeconomic policy –...





