“Afternoon with the CEDS” 2019 Workshop Materials


Over 50 participants from across the country came together in Arlington, Virginia for the second annual “An Afternoon with the CEDS” workshop on March 20, 2019.  This workshop provided training on innovative approaches to Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) planning and implementation, an opportunity to share successes and best practices, and a collaborative space to trouble-shoot challenges in small groups.  The full agenda is available here.  For more information, contact NADO Associate Director Brett Schwartz at [email protected].  Additional CEDS training and resource materials are available at www.CEDSCentral.com.

Welcome / Introductions / Goal-setting
Brett Schwartz, Associate Director, NADO Research Foundation

CEDS Best Practice Snapshots
These short presentations shared innovative and effective approaches to CEDS planning, outreach, and implementation.
Erica Anderson, Economic & Community Development Director, Land of Sky Regional Council, Asheville, NC
Kirk Bustrom, Senior Planner, Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission, Appleton, MN
Jeff Holt, Board Member, Eastern UP Regional Planning and Development Commission, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Dorthy Jackson, Regional and Economic Development Manager, Heart of Texas Economic Development District, Waco, TX
Daniel Martin, Economic and Community Development Director, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Gainesville, GA

Strengthening Your Region’s Resilience through Economic Diversification
This session explored how regions can better position themselves for resilience by embracing economic diversification strategies that identify local assets, build and attract talent, support entrepreneurship, and more.
Erik Pages, President, Entreworks Consulting, Arlington, VA

Peer Consulting and Problem Solving  
Tapping into the knowledge and expertise of all workshop attendees, participants served as both consultant and client in an interactive “Troika Consulting” session.  In groups of three, attendees shared challenges, problem-solved together, and discovered new approaches to strengthening their CEDS.
Brett Schwartz, Associate Director, NADO Research Foundation

Over 50 participants from across the country came together in Arlington, Virginia for "An Afternoon with the CEDS"to share successes and best practices, network, and trouble-shoot challenges in small groups. 
Over 50 participants from across the country came together in Arlington, VA for “An Afternoon with the CEDS” to share successes and best practices, network, and trouble-shoot challenges.

This workshop was organized as part of the NADO Research Foundation’s Stronger CEDS, Stronger Regions program, made possible through Federal funds under award ED17HDQ3030005 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

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Applications cannot be saved and returned to at a later time. It is recommended you compile all of your information in advance in a word processor and cut and paste into the application below.

2023 Impact Awards

The primary applicant must be a NADO member. Project partners, both NADO and non-members, can be recognized under "Project Partners" below.

Primary Project Contact:
This person will be the designated point of contact for all future awards-related correspondence.

Organization Address

Project Location (if different from Organization Address)

Executive Director

Additional Organizational Information
Please upload your organization's logo which will be included on the winning project award certificate.

Project Information
This title will be printed on the award certificate for winning projects and in all 2022 NADO Impact Award materials and cannot be changed.

Project Summary & Questions
Please craft clear, thoughtful, and engaging responses to the following questions. Use the following sections to tell us how your project has made an impact, such as its use of creative funding mechanisms, efforts to create efficiencies or reduce costs, unique partnership models, and emphasis on building resilience and/or enhancing your region's quality of life.

For award-winning projects, the information provided below may be used verbatim to inform project descriptions that will be published in the 2023 NADO Impact Awards materials and included on the NADO website.

Please submit at least one photo showing your project in action. Please keep file size to a minimum (<2Mb) and use JPEG format. If uploading multiple files, ZIP files prior to submitting. If you have trouble uploading images they can be directly emailed to Brett Schwartz at [email protected] Include the project title they correspond to in the subject line of your email.

Note: Submitted photos may be used in NADO Impact Awards materials and in other NADO published materials with credit to your organization. Please also consider submitting photos for NADO's 2023 Photo Contest, which will be held this summer.


CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION - PLEASE BE PATIENT! IF YOU DO NOT SEE A CONFIRMATION, YOUR APPLICATION WAS NOT RECEIVED.
Your application is not submitted until you are directed to a confirmation page. If you have any questions or are unsure if your application has been submitted, please contact Brett Schwartz at [email protected]

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Joe McKinney serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). Headquartered in Washington DC, NADO provides advocacy, education, research, and training for the nation’s 500+ regional planning and development organizations.

Joe has thirty-one years of experience having served in city, county, regional, national association, and government management since 1991. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a candidate for a master’s degree in Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill.

McKinney has provided congressional testimony on numerous occasions regarding the importance of regional development organizations in helping shape the nation’s economic growth. He is nationally recognized for promoting innovative solutions in areas such as planning and economic development, workforce development, transportation and transit, and aging services.

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