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EDA Unveils Online Tool to Help Economic Developers Optimize Investments

September 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On August 31, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), in partnership with Portland State University (OR), announced a new online tool to help weigh benefits of economic development projects using the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) model. The new TBL Tool will assist economic development practitioners, investors, and decision-makers assess, compare, and communicate the viability of potential investments.

The TBL model has been recognized as a valuable analytical tool among businesses including major U.S. companies such as General Electric, Unilever, and Proctor and Gamble. The model has not been widely applied within the public sector, but the development of the new tool represents a significant step forward for expanding the application of the TBL model by planners, nonprofits, community organizations, and governments to help support the assessment and decision making of critical development decisions.

In creating the TBL Tool, EDA collaborated with Portland State University and its project team and an advisory board of policy makers, practitioners, academics, and industry leaders, including the National Association of Development Organizations, the International Economic Development Council, and the Ford Foundation. Click here for more information and to view the TBL Tool.

Filed Under: Featured Post, Latest Posts Tagged With: , ,

Noteworthy CEDS Examples

July 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In recent months, the National Association of Development Organization (NADO) has partnered with EDA through the Know Your Region project (www.knowyourregion.org) to offer statewide technical assistance training and workshops, a series of webinars, and special reports.  During NADO’s annual training conference (October 13-16 in Las Vegas), they’ll be offering a special two-day workshop on the concepts of CEDS 2.0 (October 13-14). We will also be releasing a series of new reports on performance metrics, regional case studies, and lessons learned from Alabama’s statewide CEDS process.

Review some of the current noteworthy models and examples of EDA-funded CEDS and other related regional economic development strategies as linked below.  Many of these examples are highlighted in the NADO EDA Know Your Region presentation at http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/edaphil2012.pdf

 

NADO CEDS Presentation at EDA Philadelphia regional conference

Northern Forrest Regional Strategy

Northland Works Partnership

Pioneer Valley Regional Council – CEDS Executive Summary

Puget Sound Regional Council’s Prosperity Partnership Executive Summary

Purchase Area Development District

Rockford EDC (IL) CEDS – Read the sections on performance metrics

Southern Tier New York Regional CEDS – Format is modern and clean

Southern Tier Open for Business – Sample of statewide data template

 

 

Share your ideas on how NADO and its membership can foster the development and implementation of more effective CEDS.  Within the next few weeks, we will be launching a new Sharepoint features on the NADO website at www.nado.org for our members to share documents, post thoughts, and connect.

Filed Under: CEDS, Featured Post, Latest Posts, Presentations, Regional Economic Development, Resources, Rural Development, Tools and Training Tagged With: , , ,

Know Your Region Webinar: Creating Asset-Based Strategies and Partnerships

May 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Public-private partnerships can form dynamic foundations that support the development of  regional strategies built upon the strengths and assets of each community. As America looks to restore its manufacturing base and promote American exports, and as more states turn to regional organizations to pilot their bottom-up economic development strategies, it becomes even more necessary for rural areas to recognize their assets and develop networks that support economic growth, job creation, and increase competitiveness in the global economy. This webinar focused on how two regional development organizations used partnerships to advance small manufacturing clusters build on regional assets.

Christine Frei, Executive Director of the Clearwater Economic Development Association (CEDA) in Lewiston, Idaho presented on four of the partnerships that have been used to increase small manufacturing in her region.  CEDA has leveraged a partnership with the Northwest Intermountain Manufacturers Association on a number of projects including:

  • Solidworks in the High School – exposes local students to manufacturing related occupations to encourage a rural workforce of manufacturers
  • Snake River Boat Builders Export Program – which has provided viable foreign markets for the welded-aluminum jet boat manufacturing cluster in the region
  • Ende Machine and Foundry/Craigmont Business Park – worked with a local manufacturer and helped establish the first lost foam foundry in the Inland Northwest; and
  • American Manufacturer Network – helps increase military preparedness and create manufacturing business opportunities resulting in job creation in the Pacific Northwest.

Michael Eisensmith and Alain Ouellette from the Northern Maine Development Commission spoke about how their region has utilized partnerships with local businesses to create a network that led to increased investments and opportunities for their region. The Aroostook Partnership for Prosperity was essential in establishing goals and inventorying the indigenous assets that would offer northern Maine the best opportunities to meet regional economic development goals. Through Mobilize Northen Maine and their Jobs Accellerator Initiative, NMDC worked with APP to foster innovation in manufacturing natural resources and expand the renewable energy industry cluster found in their region.

To access the video recording of the webinar: Click Here!

To access the presentations slides click the following link:

Asset-Based Strategies and Partnerships

Filed Under: Events, Innovation Resources, Latest Posts, Newsfeed, Regional Innovation Projects, Resources, Rural Development, Webinars Tagged With: , ,

Statewide Approaches to Regional Development

September 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This presentation describes statewide approaches to regional development, including the federal policy landscape and seven significant issues facing regional councils.  The presentation outlines national trends and innovations and model practices of state associations of regional councils, including case studies of exemplary practices and projects in Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Maine, New Mexico, and Texas.  Click here for the presentation (PDF).

Filed Under: Innovation Resources, Presentations, Regional Economic Development, Resources, Tools and Training Tagged With: , ,

KYR Part 2 – Webinar Materials Now Online

May 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Led by Rex LaMore and his team at Michigan State University, this week’s installment of the KYR webinar series focused on methods for Taking Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies to the Next Level. Concepts covered included project prioritization, the use of export indicators in the CEDS process and developing an understanding of the global knowledge economy.

To access a copy of the slides click here, and to access the recorded webinar in its entirety click here.

EDA Deputy Assistant Secretary Kristine Leiphart introduced the webinar by acknowledging the importance of regional collaboration as a means of achieving common goals.

Filed Under: CEDS, Regional Economic Development, Resources, Tools and Training, Webinars Tagged With: , , , , ,