For 27 years, NADO’s Annual Innovation Award program has honored members who have had significant and positive impacts on their regions through innovative approaches to problem solving and program delivery.  We are pleased to announce that the 2013 slate of awardees includes 93 impressive projects from 25 states!

NADO congratulates the 2013 Innovation Award-winning projects.  This annual awards program acknowledges creative approaches to regional community and economic development throughout the nation.  The winning projects represent the innovative and strategic approaches that regional councils are employing to strengthen and enhance their regions.  We applaud their efforts and impact!

ALABAMA

• South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, South Alabama Regional Planning Commission Annual Jobs Fair and Business Expo

ARIZONA

• Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, International Trade: at the Border – about the Border
• Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, Growing Greenlee: The Opportunity Forum

CALIFORNIA

• Sonoma County Economic Development Board, Sonoma County Business Retention and Expansion Program

FLORIDA

• Apalachee Regional Planning Council, Florida ExpertNet
• Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Florida Heartland Energy Baseline and Greenhouse Gas Inventory
• Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Heartland Brownfields Revitalization Partnership – Mulberry Health Clinic
• Florida Regional Councils Association, Energy Resiliency Strategy
• North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Operation TRUCKs (Transportation Response Untangling Chemical Kaos) Full Scale Hazardous Materials Exercise
• North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Fish Natural North Florida Tourism Promotion Program

GEORGIA

• Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission, Aycock Corner (Formerly Old SOC Station) Redevelopment
• Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission, Kettle Creek Battlefield Park Master Plan
• Coastal Regional Commission, Adaptive Reuse of State Surplus Property
• Coastal Regional Commission, CRC Practicum Series
• Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Renovation of Historic Southern Railway Depot
• Middle Georgia Regional Commission, Reverse Mortgage Counseling for Adults 62+
• Middle Georgia Regional Commission, Hospital On-Site Options Counseling
• Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia CEDS Update Development
• River Valley Regional Commission, Vienna Redevelopment Plan
• Southern Georgia Regional Commission, Building Partnerships and GIS from the Ground Up!

IDAHO

• Clearwater Economic Development Association, The American Manufacturer Network

IOWA

• East Central Iowa Council of Governments, Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority
• Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, Southeast Iowa Regional Speed Indicator Sharing Program

KENTUCKY

• Barren River Area Development District, Industry Career Pathways Initiative
• Big Sandy Area Development District, Eastern Kentucky Disaster Case Management Program
• Bluegrass Area Development District, Data Distribution and Sharing using Cloud Technology
• Buffalo Trace Area Development District, Maysville Cox Building Renovation
• Buffalo Trace Area Development District, Kenton Pointe Assisted Living Facility
• Green River Area Development District, GRADD GIS Infrastructure Map Books
• Lincoln Trail Area Development District, Lincoln Trail Short Term Home Delivered Meals
• Pennyrile Area Development District, Operation Military Support
• Pennyrile Area Development District, Go Madisonville
• Pennyrile Area Development District’s Pennyrile Area Agency on Aging, Caregiver Education and Empowerment Project (CEE Project)
• Purchase Area Development District, Kentucky Care Health Clinic in Carlisle County

LOUISIANA

• Greater New Orleans, Inc., Greater New Orleans Comprehensive, Integrated and Sustainable Water Management Strategy

MASSACHUSETTS

• Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Merrimack Valley Regional Clean Energy Program
• Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, The Pioneer Valley Brownfield Plan

MICHIGAN

• Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, Food Innovation Districts: an Economic Gardening Tool Guidebook

MINNESOTA

• Region Five Development Commission, Resilient Region Plan

MISSISSIPPI

• Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, University of Mississippi Medical Center East University Drive
• Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, Ridgeland’s Creative Approach to Economic Development
• Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, Madison County, Mississippi Interactive Web Map Application
• East Central Planning and Development District, Reshoring of Jobs and the Impact on Rural Community
• East Central Planning and Development District, Enterprise Park Project
• North Delta Planning and Development District, Tunica County Schulz Xtruded Products (SXP)
• Northeast Mississippi Planning and Development District, Factory Redevelopment
• South Delta Planning and Development District Inc, SDPDD Innovation Project Funds
• Three Rivers Planning and Development District, Inc., Regional Economic Developer Program

MISSOURI

• Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Continuity of Operations Planning Workshops
• Mo-Kan Regional Council, Better Block St Joe

NEBRASKA

• Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, Carter Lake Water Improvement Project
• South Central Economic Development District, Inc., Community Needs Assessment Survey

NEW MEXICO

• North Central New Mexico Economic Development District, REDI Net Open Access Broadband Network-Northern New Mexico
• Southeastern New Mexico Economic Development District/Council of Governments, Mayor’s Summits

NORTH CAROLINA

• Centralina Council of Governments, Prosperity for Greater Charlotte
• Isothermal Planning and Development Commission, Reducing Barriers to Entry for Building Diagnostics for the Isothermal Region (STEM)
• Land of Sky Regional Council, The Power of Partners
• Mid-East Commission, Hurricane Irene Disaster Recovery Project
• Mid-East Commission, 2013 North Carolina JobSeekers Survey
• Piedmont Triad Regional Council, NW Piedmont Workforce Development Board/United Way of Forsyth County Financial Capability Initiative
• Piedmont Triad Regional Council, Creating Successful Learners
• Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging, Extended Health Community Programs
• Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Catawba County Early Head Start Community Assessment
• Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Western Piedmont Industry Growth Analysis

OKLAHOMA

• South Western Oklahoma Development Authority, Housing Development and Community Improvement

OREGON

• Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, Klickitat-Skamania Local Technology Planning Team
• Northeast Oregon Economic Development District, GrantReady Training
• South Central Oregon EDD, Commercial Energy Efficiency Loan Fund
• Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., Emerging Business Initiative/TAG Team/Jefferson Grapevine

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, OurRegion OurPlan
• Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, Charleston Regional Competitiveness Center
• Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, Alliance Reclaimed Water Storage and Supply Project
• Catawba Regional Council of Governments, Lowcountry Council of Governments, Lower Savannah Council of Governments, and Santee-Lynches Council of Governments, Revolving Loan Fund Collaboration
• Lower Savannah Council of Governments’ Workforce Investment Area, Youth Focus Forum – GPS Your Career Destination
• SC Appalachian Council of Governments, InfoMentum Fact Finder – Quantifying Upstate SC
• Upper Savannah Council of Governments, Laurens Community Safety Initiative

TENNESSEE

• First Tennessee Development District, Washington County Disaster Recovery
• First Tennessee Development District, FTDD Interactive Map of Historic Places
• First Tennessee Development District, Production of Sinkhole Activity Maps via Imagery Overlays through time for an Informative Guide to assist with Economic Development Growth in the First Tennessee Development District
• Memphis Area Association of Governments, West Tennessee Day Trippin’ Campaign video series
• Southwest TN Development District, REDI College Summits

TEXAS

• Ark-Tex Council of Governments, Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County TX – Downtown Reinvestment Project
• Capital Area Council of Governments, Capital Area Geospatial Base Map (GeoMap)
• South Plains Association of Governments, City of Ralls Small Town Environmental Project
• South Plains Association of Governments Area Agency on Aging, “Heat the Town”
• Texoma Council of Governments, Summertastic! Texoma Summer Youth Guide
• Texoma Council of Governments, Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation (SEPA)

VIRGINIA

• Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission and Lenowisco Planning District Commission, Virginia Coalfields Wireless 4G Project – Phase 1
• New River Valley Planning District Commission, NRV Tomorrow Interactive Survey
• Northern Neck Planning District Commission, Northern Neck Planning District Commission: Regional Tourism Initiative
• Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission, Regional Report Card: “The 2013 Compilation of Regional Cooperative Initiatives and Activities”

VERMONT

• Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, The ECOS Project

WEST VIRGINIA

• Region 1–Planning and Development Council , Region 2–Planning and Development Council , Region 3–Regional Intergovernmental Council, Region 4–Planning and Development Council, Region 5–Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council, Region 6–Planning and Development Council , Region 7–Planning and Development Council, Region 8–Planning and Development Council, Region 9–Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council, Region 10–Bel-O-Mar Regional Council and Interstate Planning Commission, and Region 11–Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning and Development Council, West Virginia Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program