Darrene is a consultant based in Sacramento, California, also serving as a Watershed and Workforce Initiatives Manager at the California Institute for Water Resources and Senior Advisor to Smart Incentives and Business Development Advisors. Darrene brings economic development expertise in economic equity and inclusive growth, entrepreneurship and small business, innovation, and broadband. She assists local and regional government officials, as well as large and small economic development, non-profit organizations, and foundations with policy analysis, strategic plans, incentives analysis, and technical assistance. Her clients have included universities, think tanks, foundations, governments, and funding agencies. She has served as an Executive Director at the University of California, Davis’ Office of Research, the Vice President of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), a Senior Fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), and an Associate Professor at George Mason University.

Relevant Publications by Topic

Broadband

Hackler, Darrene. 2006. Cities in the Technology Economy. Cities and Contemporary Society Series, M.E. Sharpe.

Economic Development: Entrepreneurship

Hackler, Darrene, Ellen Harpel, Jessica Looze, and Jessica Milli. 2022. “COVID-19 and Entrepreneurial Firms: Seeding an Inclusive and Equitable Recovery”. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. https://smartincentives.org/wp-content/uploads/seeding_an_inclusive_and_equitable_recovery_report-2.pdf

Hackler, Darrene and Ellen Harpel. 2021. “Incentives for Entrepreneurial Firms” Report and Technical Appendix. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. https://www.kauffman.org/entrepreneurship/reports/incentives-for-entrepreneurial-firms/?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=jl_si_businessincentives

Hackler, Darrene and Ellen Harpel. 2021. “Incentives for Entrepreneurial Firms” Report and Technical Appendix. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. https://www.kauffman.org/entrepreneurship/reports/incentives-for-entrepreneurial-firms/?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=jl_si_businessincentives.

Economic Development: Strategy, Sustainability and Incentives

Hackler, Darrene. 2021, April 12. “Community Benefit Agreements: An Equitable Tool for Innovation District Development.” Available at: https://smartincentives.org/community-benefit-agreements-an-equitable-tool-for-innovation-district-development/.

Hackler, Darrene. 2021, April 3. “A new framework for equitable economic development.” City Observatory. Available at: https://cityobservatory.org/a-new-framework-for-equitable-economic-development/

Hackler, Darrene and Ellen Harpel. 2020, December. “Reflecting Community Priorities In Economic Development Practices.” Commissioned by Pew Charitable Trusts. Available at: https://smartincentives.org/reflecting-community-priorities-in-economic-development-practices-2/.

RWV Ventures, Hackler, Darrene, et al. 2020. Scale Up Sacramento: Inclusive Economic Development Action Agenda. 

Hackler, Darrene and Ellen Harpel. 2019. Franklin County Economic Development Strategic Plan, SWOT, and Tax Incentive Evaluation. https://smartincentives.org/wp-content/uploads/BDA-Franklin-County-EDSP-Summary-FINAL.pdf.