1. Immediate political need and reality for EDDs to improve the appearance, marketing/presentation, accountability and metrics, and implementation of their EDA CEDS – this is essential to NADO’s ability to maintain current funding for the EDA EDD planning grant program with Congress and OMB, let alone pursue much needed funding increases in the near future.  This issue is also related to internal criticism by senior EDA policy officials and OMB budget staff.
2. Potential opportunities to gain greater recognition and value of the EDD CEDS process and document across the federal government or by other individual federal agencies beyond EDA, such as USDA Rural Development, DOT, EPA, HUD, SBA and others.  This also includes taking isolated EDD practices of integrating, coordinating and/or leveraging other federal, state and regional planning processes for transportation, workforce development, sustainability, housing and/or other economic and community development strategies with your regional EDA CEDS process and document.
3.  Pending regulatory or policy guidance changes being drafted and considered by EDA. (See NADO’s analysis of proposed rule changes at http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/nadosnapshot.pdf)  

As part of NADO’s preliminary efforts to promote stronger peer accountability, resource sharing, and quality controls, the association convened more than 20 EDD representatives in January 2011 to explore noteworthy practices, offer policy solutions to EDA, and discuss options for the future.  One of the event outcomes was a preliminary set of EDD Peer Standards of Excellence (PDF) that are intended to help the EDD industry take a stronger leadership role in improving the CEDS process and products. 

One idea is to use the NADO EDD Peer Standards of Excellence to help facilitate more beneficial peer exchanges as part of the EDD peer review process required by federal law every three years.  These standards could also be incorporated into NADO’s Regional Council Self-Assessment Toolkit.

In recent months, the association 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), we’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.

Next Steps:

1. We invite you to share your CEDS document, products and websites with us by emailing Brian Kelsey, NADO’s Director of Economic Development, at bkelsey@nado.org.  We are looking for noteworthy practices and potential models for sharing with the full membership.
2. 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

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/edaphil2012.pdf

Northern Forrest Regional Strategy

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/northernforest.pdf

Northland Works Partnership

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/northland.pdf

Pioneer Valley Regional Council – CEDS Executive Summary

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/PioneerValley.pdf

Puget Sound Regional Council’s Prosperity Partnership Executive Summary

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/pugetsum.pdf

Purchase Area Development District

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/purchase.pdf

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

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/rockford.pdf

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

http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SoutherTier.pdf

Southern Tier Open for Business – Sample of statewide data template

http://www.nado.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/07/SoutherTierOpenforBusiness.pdf

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.

Remember to mark your calendar for NADO’s annual training conference on October 13-16, 2012 at The Mirage in Las Vegas! Register today online at http://www.nado.org/events/2012-annual-training-conference/.  We also welcome ideas and suggestions for the CEDS 2.0 two-day workshop.

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2011 NADO Annual Training Conference

Regional CEDS and EDD Innovation Learning Lab (Part 1) Americana Salon 1
Growing Regional Innovation-Based Economies: The Kansas Opportunity Innovation Network This special workshop will explore an innovative partnership focused on increasing the number of globally competitive products and services produced in Kansas. As part of the Kansas Opportunity Innovation Network (KOIN), Kansas State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute, the state’s EDA Economic Development Districts, and other partners are working to create an environment that transcends geographic isolation, discovers new markets, innovates openly, and fosters global competitiveness to be at the intersection of great ideas and new opportunities.
• John Cyr, Kansas Association of Regional Development
Organizations
• Brad Kramer, Advanced Manufacturing Institute,
Kansas State University

Cyr and Kramer Presentation Slides

Regional CEDS and EDD Innovation Learning Lab (Part 2)
Regional Asset-Based Cluster Strategies: Mobilize Maine Mobilize Maine is a statewide asset-based approach to economic development centered on private sector engagement. Mobilize Maine takes a bottom-up approach to identifying
assets, including linking traditional workforce development and economic development planning. This process, coordinated by the state’s seven EDA Economic Development Districts (EDDs), emphasizes the regional nature of Maine’s economy. Representatives from two EDD pilot regions will discuss the planning and implementation processes that their organizations followed, including strategies to engage the private sector and align federal workforce and economic development resources.
• Michael Eisensmith, Northern Maine Development
Commission
• Elizabeth Sutherland, Sutherland Weston Marketing
Communications (ME)
• Moderator: Bob Thompson, Androscoggin Valley COG (ME)

Eisensmith Northern Maine

Eisensmith Eastern Maine

Regional CEDS and EDD Innovation Learning Lab  (Part 3)Assessing Your Regional Innovation Assets
Entrepreneurship. Technology. Innovation. Commercialization. These concepts are fundamental drivers behind the Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN). Funded by the U.S. Economic Development
Administration (EDA) and supported by the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), RIAN is a virtual networking tool that bridges together people, ideas, and resources as the basis for economic growth and development. Learn about the core principles of RIAN and receive in-depth training on the RIAN asset toolkit and how it can benefit your region.
• Mark Skinner, SSTI and Regional Innovation
Acceleration Network
• Moderator: TBA

Below are links to the original Know Your Region training curriculum developed by Western Carolina University. Modules one through six are available in a narrated PowerPoint presentation. Click the appropriate link to view and listen to each module.

• [permalink href="136"]Module 1: Collaborative RED Framework[/permalink]
• [permalink href="138"]Module 2: Leading the Planning Effort[/permalink]
• [permalink href="139"]Module 3: Detecting Regional Advantage[/permalink]
• [permalink href="140"]Module 4: Formulating Strategies[/permalink]
• [permalink href="141"]Module 5: Workforce Development[/permalink]
• [permalink href="143"]Module 6: Executing Your Plan[/permalink]

Conferences

2010 NADO Annual Training Conference

Learning Lab: Know Your Region, Parts 1 & 2
The U.S. economy has experienced unprecedented turmoil recently: six million jobs lost, declining home values, a financial crisis that erased trillions in household wealth, and the worst global recession since the Great Depression. As the global economy recovers, regional development organizations will play a critical role in helping regions understand the changes that have taken place and how they can position themselves for future success. These sessions will draw from the EDA Know Your Region curriculum to discuss strategies for using the CEDS to strengthen regional partnerships, engage the public and private sectors, and provide leadership on economic and workforce development issues.
Brian Kelsey, Civic Analytics, Austin, TX

Click Here For Slides

 Part 4: Creating Statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies

Understanding the need to align goals and opportunities into a single document, several State Associations have been collaborating to create Statewide Comprehensive Development Strategies that align community and economic development, emergency preparedness, energy, affordable housing, technology, telecommunications, transportation and workforce development plans or a combination of these. Representatives from Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina will provide training on the methods that their State Associations are using to develop and implement statewide comprehensive development strategies.

Webinar Speakers include:

Jeff Pruitt – 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 and provides a statewide perspective back to the Regional Councils to provide guidance in the preparation and implementation of their respective regional strategies.

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 coordinate 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.

Click here to access presentation slides.

Click here to access the webinar video.

Part 3: Creating Asset-Based Strategies and Partnership

This EDA Know Your Region webinar featured two regional development organizations that exemplify the Peer Standards of Excellence through their work to encourage private sector engagement, multi-regional development strategies, and leveraging regional assets to better compete on a global stage.

Tim Brennan, Executive Director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (MA) presented on how his organization has utilized partnerships and economic development strategies to increase communication, spur innovation and target regional collaboration through the PVPC CEDS.

Chris Endresen- Scott, Director of Economic Development for the Puget Sound Regional Council (PVRC) presented on how engaging public, private, nonprofit and educational leaders has enabled the Partnership for Prosperity use teamwork and constructive approaches to support clusters and  innovation based economic development in their region.

Click Here to Access Presentation Slides

Links to the presentation video are below.

Click here to access the presentation video.

CEDS Peer Standards of Excellence

In January 2011, NADO brought together approximately 25 EDA-funded Economic Development Districts to share ideas with Federal partners and discuss innovative approaches to developing Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). The CEDS Forum allowed economic development stakeholders to set a pathway for transforming the CEDS  into living documents that frame regional visioning and strategy development, effectively leverage regional partnerships, and promote regional innovation.

The EDA Economic Development District “Peer Standards of Excellence” are meant to be guiding principles that will ensure that the 380 Economic Development Districts  share a common vision and mission of promoting economic prosperity, regional competitiveness, and quality of life through regional innovation, collaboration and strategic investments across America.

Click Here for to access the Peer Standards of Excellence

Part 2: Creating Asset-Based Strategies and Partnerships

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

Featuring Dr. Timothy Slaper from the Indiana Business Research Center and Rich Bryden from the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at the Harvard Business School, this webinar shows participants how they can utilize EDA supported data tools developed by the University of Indiana and Harvard University. STATS America and Clustermapping.us give economic development practitioners a cost-effective way to measure regional assets and build comprehensive development strategies that build upon those assets to create more competitive regions.

Webinar Recording: Click here

To access the presentations slides click the following link:

EDA Data Tools Presentation Slides

Part 1: Mapping the Nation’s Regional Innovation Clusters

The Cluster Mapping Project, spearheaded by the Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard University, aims to provide policymakers and development practitioners across America with rich data and tools for understanding industry clusters in every region of the country.

The cluster concept was developed and spread globally by the Institute’s founder, Michael E. Porter. Clusters are geographic concentrations of firms, suppliers, support services, specialized infrastructure, producers of related products, and specialized institutions (e.g., training programs and business associations) that arise in particular fields in particular locations.

• Dr. Christian Ketels, Havard Business School – slide presentation
• Dr. Christian Ketels, Havard Business School – webinar recording (64 MB)
• U.S. Cluster Mapping (Beta) Website

Part 2: Rural Approaches to Regional Clusters

This Know Your Region webcast explored practices in rural regions that have adopted state-wide cluster strategies intended to drive economic growth in a more cohesive manner.

By nature, cluster development typically occurs in more densely populated areas where the geographic concentration of knowledge, workforce and suppliers is generally higher.  Yet, in an age of technology where commerce is increasingly driven by the ability of a region to market itself beyond its geographic borders, rural regions are seeing the benefit of cross-industry collaboration, idea sharing and the fortification of existing assets, all with economic development as a common purpose.

Members of APED will discuss their Alaska Forward initiative to identify, prioritize, and implement a state-wide, collaborative economic development program.  The MTA will discuss their Innovation-Led Economic Development (ILED) project to drive innovation and technology-based economic development in the State of Mississippi.

• Alaska Partnership for Economic Development – slide presentation
• Mississippi Technology Alliance – slide presentation
• Download the Webinar Recording

Part 3: Regional Collaboration of EDA Economic Development Districts and Labor’s Workforce Investment Boards

This Know Your Region webcast focused on the natural symbiotic relationship between economic and workforce development.  Strategic partnerships across organizations with common goals are a key ingredient to driving regional innovation.  In this webinar, the Eastern Maine Development Commission (EMDC)presented on their multi-faceted approach to job creation and retention within the State of Maine.

Led by executive director Michael Aube, the EMDC has embarked on an aggressive effort to fully integrate the region’s Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and Economic Development District (EDD), including through the region’s Mobilize Maine regional innovation cluster strategy.  In collaboration with the area’s chamber of commerce, regional tourism and convention bureau, local economic development corporations and others, the group has developed a new architecture for linking workforce and economic development. These efforts focus on: asset mapping; staff training and development; creating new organizational and service delivery models through a “single portal for services”; and creating new service delivery systems through the business services team, partnerships and tools.

• Eastern Maine Development Commission – slide presentation
• Download the Webinar Recording

Part 4: Exploring New Ideas for Rural Wealth Creation Strategies

To date, the Know Your Region webinar series has tackled cluster mapping, developing rural clusters and fostering collaboration between workforce and economic development entities.  This installment of the series covered rural wealth creation strategies.

Rural regions in the U.S., particularly low-wealth rural areas, have struggled to implement strategies and institutions that will turn their assets into wealth that can be recirculated into the local economy. At the same time, the potential contributions of rural America are significant.  Rural areas can provide the nation with renewable energy, with food that is healthy and affordable, with open spaces for recreation and with myriad ecosystem services. The challenge is to create strategies that are place-based, demand driven and focused on building multiple forms of wealth that can create sustainable livelihoods for rural people and the places they call home.  The Ford Foundation has been supporting a systems approach to wealth creation in rural communities that were introduced as part of this webinar.

• Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and the Ford Foundation
• Download the Webinar Recording

Part 5: Regional Boundary-Spanning Growth Strategies

Exploring outward-facing trade strategies is an integral part of regional economic development.  This webinar  focused on two distinct types of expanding traded wealth outside a region: developing international export capacity and assisting businesses to identify and exploit emerging market opportunities.  

• Dr. Brad Kramer, Kansas State U’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute – slides
• Southern Alleghenies PDC (PA) International Trade Program – slides
• Download the Webinar Recording

Part 6: Incorporating Entrepreneurship into Regional Innovation Strategies

Entrepreneurship is a vital component of economic development.  By encouraging homegrown businesses to succeed, communities can elevate employment levels and economic activity by capitalizing on the existing talent pool and knowledge base.

Led by Maureen Collins-Williams, Director of Entrepreneurship Outreach at the University of Northern Iowa, this webinar focused on methods and best practices for encouraging regional entrepreneurial growth.

Drawing from her experience in the development and implementation of entrepreneurship initiatives in Iowa, including a service technology business incubator in downtown Waterloo in 2001 and a second business incubator on the UNI campus in 2007, Maureen will discuss the importance of providing access to capital, access to networks and access to technical assistance as a means of helping fledgling business achieve their potential.

•  Ms. Collins-Williams, University of Northern Iowa Entrepreneurship Outreach – slides
  

Part 7: Global Trends in Competitiveness and Productivity Growth

Know Your Region is honored to have McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) discuss their recent findings on productivity growth and policy trends that drive economic competitiveness for the penultimate session of our biweekly webinar series.  Formed in 1990, MGI is the business and economic research arm of the renowned management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company.

Our speaker for the session was Dr. Jaana Remes, Senior Fellow at MGI.  Since 2003, Dr. Remes has led MGI research on productivity and competitiveness, during which time the Institute has conducted more than 15 country performance assessments.  Working around the globe, MGI has developed a unique approach to understanding how managerial decisions and industry dynamics lead to different aggregate outcomes across countries.  Current MGI research examines how productivity, cost, and skills mix influence sector-level competitiveness across countries

• Dr. Remes, McKinsey Global Institute
  
• Download the Webinar Recording
  

Part 8: State-Led Regional Innovation Cluster Initiatives

• Mr. Justice, Georgia Centers of Innovation – slides
• Dr. Cameron K. Martin, Utah Cluster Acceleration Partnership Initiative – slides

Part 9:  Accessing the Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN)

• Download the Webinar Recording
• Link to the RIAN Website

Part 1: Regional Economic Development Strategies for the 21st Century

• Presentation Slides

Part 2: Taking Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) to the Next Level

• Presentation slides

Part 3: Pursuing Regional Innovation and Competitiveness

• Presentation slides

NADO staff presented information on statewide CEDS initiatives, examples of innovative projects at Economic Development Districts (EDDs), and snapshots of how EDA-funded data tools can be used for identifying and evaluating clusters. Key takeaways from the presentation were:

Several states are engaged in efforts to “roll up” regional CEDS into new statewide economic development strategies in partnership with governors’ offices, state agencies, and other business and economic development organizations. Each statewide CEDS initiative underway is unique in terms of how it came together, which partners are involved, how EDDs are leading and providing technical assistance, etc. Yet, the common denominator appears to be that a window has opened for greater EDD involvement in state strategies because of budget cuts, recognition of existing EDD networks and partnerships with federal agencies, and several other factors. While it’s too early to identify best practices—only Alabama among the states we know about has completed its statewide CEDS—NADO will be monitoring and reporting on lessons learned for other states that may be interested in pursuing similar initiatives. EDA has provided funding for several of these statewide CEDS initiatives and has been generally supportive of leveraging regional EDD CEDS as a foundation for larger statewide CEDS efforts.

Many EDDs are leading innovative projects that would rival anything coming out of larger and better-funded economic development organizations, but EDD innovations are not marketed as success stories as well as they could be. EDDs should focus more on showcasing and sharing their accomplishments, and thinking about how successful projects can be expanded through new funding opportunities such as the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge.

Partnerships have always been at the core of successful EDDs and it now appears those EDDs focused on broadening and committing to more forward-thinking public-private alliances, including with universities, are remaining relevant in today’s economic development field.

Take advantage of EDA-funded data tools, including STATS America and the now free-of-charge U.S. Cluster Mapping website. These are excellent tools for CEDS data analysis, demonstrating the existence of clusters and distress criteria for grant applications, and even doing revenue generating projects for other regional and local organizations.

If EDDs in your state are engaged in a statewide CEDS initiative that we don’t know about, please let us know. And send us links to innovative projects, revenue generating initiatives, and anything else we can use to tell the story of how EDDs are accelerating innovation and job creation around the U.S. You can send your information to Brian Kelsey at bkelsey@nado.org.

Slides from the presentation and other Know Your Region curriculum are available at the Know Your Region Website or in the presentations section of the EDA Seattle Regional Conference website.

Webinar Speakers include:

Jeff Pruitt – 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 and provides a statewide perspective back to the Regional Councils to provide guidance in the preparation and implementation of their respective regional strategies.

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 coordinate 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.

Click here to access presentation slides.

Click here to access the webinar video.