NADO.org » State Associations

Best Practices for EDDs and CEDS

Kathy Nothstine — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:48:14 +0000

Brian Kelsey, NADO’s Director of Economic Development, presented at the Alabama Association of Regional Councils Annual Training Conference on October 23, 2012. Attendees received an overview of best practices for Economic Development Districts and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), as well as the latest news about statewide CEDS projects going on in other states. Alabama’s Consolidated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, completed in 2011, provided a template that many other states are now following. This short workshop was funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as part of NADO’s Know Your Region initiative.

The presentation is available here.

Know Your Region Webinar: Creating Statewide Approaches to Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (5/31/2012)

Matt Black — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:57:38 +0000

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.

New Iowa State Association Brochure

Matthew Chase — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:52:28 +0000

The Iowa Association of Reg ional Councils (IARC) has developed a new publication with the assistance of NADO. The executive summary report focuses on the role of the state’s Councils of Governments in achieving results through partnerships. (View the new IARC publication.)

As noted by Governor Branstad, “Iowa’s Councils of Governments (COGs) are important partners and problem solvers in driving positive change across the state. They are trusted, accountable and proven stewards of public resources. Most importantly, Iowa’s COGs are focused on creating high quality jobs and improving the lives of our state’s people while also saving taxpayer money and improving government efficiency.”

In recent years, the members of IARC have:

Helped private sector partners create and retain over 5,800 jobs in the past five years through more than 250 business start-up and expansion loans totaling $52 million in COG investment, leveraging an additional $181 million in private investment
Collaborated with state and local officials to identify and program over $915 million in federal funding for over 1,200 transportation improvement projects since 2005
Offered transportation mobility options by providing more than 1.6 million rides each year through public transit systems, including for employees, elderly, and disabled
Increased access to safe and affordable housing including homeownership financingfor 445 families and rehabilitation upgrades for over 2,300 homes
Secured $93.8 million for 2008 disaster flood recovery and administered $66.6 million in federal and state recovery funding, impacting the livelihoods of 704 businesses and the well-being of 1,855 households directly impacted by the floods
Assisted communities in securing and managing nearly $215 million for water and sewer infrastructure projects in the past five years. An additional $28 million has been raised by our COGs for various cultural and recreational projects.

Through IARC and individually, our COGs are constantly looking for opportunities to improve our state, regions and local communities. Examples include:

To spur economic growth through regional purchasing, a COG created a Buyer Supplier program to connect companies with area products and services,keeping more money locally rather than fl owing outside the state or country
To assist with economic loss due to the closing of partner plants during the 2008 flood, AlphaGen Materials Technology, Inc. received a $60,000 COG loan for equipment, inventory, and operating expenses, helping retain quality jobs within the region
To help employees have affordable and reliable transportation connections to work, a COG launched a two-route van service, JobJet, which has provided nearly 11,000 rides since 2010—a majority of the riders are employees of Tyson Foods
To enable redevelopment of a brownfield site, a COG administered a $750,000 award to clear the site of contaminants. This resulted in new jobs and a $6 million expansion investment by Cystal Distribution Services
To reduce waste from landfi lls, three COGs partner on the Iowa Waste Exchange. By matching materials to businesses for reuse, the program has diverted 192,000 tons of waste and saved partners more than $6 million in disposal costs in the past two years
In partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation, IARC’s Statewide Mobility Manager coordinates with local mobility managers to improve transportation access and connections for the general public, with an emphasis on the elderly, low-income persons, and persons with disabilities
IARC members are partnering with the Iowa Department
of Public Health and selected pilot communities and schools
to increase the health of the state’s youth, adults, and
communities through the Iowans Fit For Life initiative.

Public Sector Financial and Performance Accountability

One of the hallmarks of IARC and its network of COGs is the shared commitment to public accountability, transparency,and customer service. Recognizing the group’s proven history in this arena, the Iowa Finance Authority selected IARC to provide monitoring services for the agency’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program. The goal of the initiative is to ensure taxpayer resources are spent efficiently, cost-effectively, and with the intended goals and purposes of each individual grantee.

View the new IARC publication.

State Associations of Regional Councils and Regional Development Organizations: Insights into Organizational Structures, Governance Models and Strategic Initiatives

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:28:42 +0000

This comprehensive report examines the organizational structures, governance models and strategic initiatives of state associations and networks of regional councils of government and regional development organizations.

Released February 2005, 50 pages

Click here to view State Associations of Regional Councils and Regional Development Organizations: Insights into Organizational Structures, Governance Models and Strategic Initiatives

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

Progress in Motion: Regional Strategies, Solutions and Partnerships That Achieve Economic Growth and Improve Local Communities

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:19:48 +0000

This report examines how area development districts, comprising Kentucky’s statewide network of 15 multi-jurisdictional entities covering 120 counties, partner to cultivate regional collaboration and local partnerships resulting in a stronger, more economically viable region.

Released March 2009, 24 pages

Click here to view Progress in Motion: Regional Strategies, Solutions and Partnerships That Achieve Economic Growth and Improve Local Communities (PDF).

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

Oregon’s Economic Development Districts: Creating Opportunities for Regional Prosperity

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:11:45 +0000

This report showcases the work of the 11 Economic Development Districts in Oregon, and how they partner with or provide services to the state’s 36 counties, local and tribal governments to ensure that the many needs of Oregon’s residents, businesses and local governments are met.

Released March 2009, 20 pages

Click here to view Oregon’s Economic Development Districts: Creating Opportunities for Regional Prosperity

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

New Mexico Association of Regional Councils: Partnerships, Progress and Promise

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:02:36 +0000

The National Association of Development Organizations assisted the New Mexico Association of Regional Councils with the development of this impact report. The report, first published in January 2007 and updated in January 2009, profiles the statewide impact of the numerous programs and projects that the association’s member organizations have developed and implemented. It also highlights the many partnerships forged between the councils and local and state government to provide valuable services to the surrounding communities. It gives detailed examples of specific projects and their impacts as well as a list of programs and services that the seven New Mexico regional councils offer to their region.

Released January 2009, 26 pages

Click here to view New Mexico Association of Regional Councils: Partnerships, Progress and Promise (PDF).

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

Partnerships, Strategies and Investments: Moving Idaho Forward in the Global Economy

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:41:51 +0000

The National Association of Development Organizations assisted the Economic Development Districts of Idaho, Inc. with the development of this report. The publication is part of the group’s renewed efforts to enhance its visibility in the state, manage a more formal state association and showcase its partnerships and achievements across the state. In addition, the report features specific quantitative results and return on investments.

Released January 2008, 16 pages

Click here to view Partnerships, Strategies and Investments: Moving Idaho Forward in the Global Economy (PDF).

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

Partnerships, Prosperity and Progress: Comprehensive Regional Approaches to Advancing Oklahoma’s Local Communities

Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:13:26 +0000

The National Association of Development Organizations assisted the Oklahoma Association of Regional Councils with the development of this impact report. This report, which was published in January 2008, profiles the statewide impact of the numerous programs and projects that the association’s member organizations have developed and implemented.

Released January 2008, 20 pages

Click here to view Partnerships, Prosperity and Progress: Comprehensive Regional Approaches to Advancing Oklahoma’s Local Communities.

Get Adobe Reader to view PDF files here.

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS)

NADO Admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:54:23 +0000

Successful economic development demands balance. From attracting private investment to training a workforce for a knowledge-based, global economy, identifying the needs of your region is paramount to implementing a cogent economic development strategy.

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) offer a blueprint for successful regional development. The examples below showcase methods for developing stakeholder engagement, asset mapping, project prioritization and long-range sustainability planning. Click on the links below to view sample CEDS documents: