National Association of Development Organizations

Staff

Mission

NADO provides advocacy, education, networking and research for regional development organizations primarily serving small metropolitan and rural regions. The association is an advocate for federal programs and policies that promote regional strategies and solutions for addressing local community and economic development needs.

NADO and the NADO Research Foundation identify and promote best practices, analyze the impact of federal policies and programs on regional development organizations and local communities, and examine the latest trends and developments in the field of regional community and economic development.

As the premier organization for executive leaders and professional staff of the nation's 525 regional development organizations, NADO and its members have worked together since 1967 to promote the regional cooperation of local governments and communities. In 1988, the NADO Research Foundation was founded to serve as the research and professional development affiliate of the association.

NADO's 40th Anniversary Video

MEMBERSHIP: REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

The term Regional Development Organizations is used generically to describe the national network of multi-jurisdictional planning and development organizations that provide administrative, professional and technical assistance to more than 2,000 counties and 15,000 municipalities across the nation.

These public entities are often known locally as: councils of government, area development districts, economic development districts, local development districts, planning and development commissions, regional planning commissions and regional councils. Each organization is typically governed by a policy board of local government officials, with additional representation of business and community leaders.

These entities are a key catalyst for strategic planning, partnerships and initiatives that are designed to meet locally-identified needs and conditions. The core philosophy of regional development organizations is to help local officials and communities pool their limited resources to achieve economies of scale, build organizational skills and professional expertise, and foster regional cooperation and collaborations.

Depending on local priorities, regional development organizations work closely with local communities, governments and businesses on a variety of areas, including: aging services, business development finance, community and economic development, emergency preparedness and response, environmental stewardship, housing, GIS services, public administration, transportation planning and workforce development.

Associate members of NADO include state agencies, local governments, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals that support regional community and economic development.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Each member of NADO is an investor in a grassroots-driven national organization that pays exceptional dividends and offers new opportunities for regions. A brief sample of recent legislative accomplishments and program developments includes:

Organized and coordinated a successful broad-based national coalition to oppose the administration's Strengthening America's Communities Initiative and to preserve the 18 existing federal community and economic development programs, including EDA and CDBG, in the fiscal 2006 congressional budget resolution.
Coordinated and spearheaded a successful bipartisan effort to preserve appropriations funding for EDA, including a $3 million increase for the EDA district planning program and committee report language supporting the traditional policies and practices that govern the district planning program.
Forged a compromise in the final EDA reauthorization bill (S. 1134) that provides a $3 million funding increase for the economic development district planning program. The final bill and accompanying committee report also includes bipartisan legislative language championed by NADO which reinforces the traditional policies and practices of the district planning program.
Negotiated the compromise proposal for the new FHWA-FTA regulations that require an enhanced role for rural local officials in the statewide transportation planning process. As a result of NADO's efforts in the past six years, more than 25 states now contract with regional development organizations to conduct rural transportation planning activities and to facilitate the input of rural officials in the planning and project programming processes.
Secured language in the pending House and Senate reform bills (HR 1544 and S. 21) for first responder and homeland security grant programs that strongly encourages the Department of Homeland Security to utilize regional development organizations and regional councils of government in the grant-making process and to encourage regional cooperation at the local level.
Launched a new professional certification program for small business development finance professionals through the association's Economic Development Finance Service (EDFS), which also provides highly-respected training, research and networking opportunities for the RLF community.
Upgraded communication tools to meet the demands of today's fast-paced work environment. NADO News, the association's weekly newsletter, is now delivered directly to members' desktop. The bimonthly best practice publication, Regional Development Digest, now reaches more than 5,000 readers. This publication has featured the programs and initiatives of more than 200 members since 2002, including winners of the annual NADO Innovation Awards.