On August 13 at 3:00 p.m. EST, the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center, will host a free webinar on the topic of sequestration and the potential impact on regional development organizations and local governments.

Loren Adler and Shai Akabas, senior policy analysts from the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington, DC-based think tank that promotes bipartisanship and works to address key challenges facing the nation, will provide an in-depth look at sequestration and the impact that it could have on the economy as a whole, and federal government spending and programs.

Questions that will be addressed during the webinar include:

• How did we get here?
• What is sequestration?
• When will sequestration occur?
• How will sequestration impact regional development organizations and local government?
• How would sequestration affect programs like EDA and HUD CDBG?
• What are the politics surrounding sequestration and the likelihood of it being eliminated or replaced?

Spaces for the webinar are limited.  RSVP today by clicking here.

On May 31^st, NADO will be hosting a EDA Know Your Region Webinar on Statewide CEDS.

Learn about how Regional Development Organizations in Alabama, Florida and North Carolina are working together to create value-added statewide economic development strategies.

Planned Webinar Speakers include:

Jeff Pruit – Planning Director, Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments
Alabama Consolidated CEDS – informed by the 12 Regional Councils in Alabama the CEDS: brings together and “consolidates” the regional strategies from the various Regional Councils into a statewide strategy; provides a statewide perspective back to the Regional Councils to provide guidance in the preparation and implementation of their respective regional strategies; and provides a statement of intent of the Regional Councils as a group to other statewide and local organizations and agencies with regard to the significance and importance of maintaining a vision and strategy for economic development that incorporates principles of sustainability.

Scott Koons – Executive Director of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council
The Florida Association of Regional Councils has been working with the state of Florida to coordinating their individual district strategies into the State’s Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Betty Huskins -  Executive Director of the North Association of Carolina Regional Councils
The North Carolina Association of Regional Councils is leading a collaborative partnership with assistance from the US Economic Development Administration, North Carolina Department of Commerce -Division of Community Development, the US Department of Housing & Urban Development and the SAS Institute of Cary, NC to create a statewide Strategy for Comprehensive Economic Development  for North Carolina.

For more information and to register for the webinar click the following link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/188250658

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

Part 1: Utilizing EDA Data Tools in your CEDS