Stronger CEDS, Stronger Regions Economic Development Writing & Lecture Series

In the spring and fall of 2021, the NADO Research Foundation reached out to experts and thought leaders across the country to reflect on key issues and trends impacting the field of regional economic development.  The result is the Economic Development Writing and Lecture Series: ten issue briefs and accompanying short video lectures that address practical elements of doing economic development, current and emerging topics and themes, and broader commentary on the current state of economic development, especially in small metros and rural regions.

This series was designed specifically for Economic Development District (EDD) staff and leadership who maintain a CEDS, but should be of interest to a wider audience of practitioners, public and private funders, elected officials, students, and others working on economic and community development.  ​Though these briefs and videos highlight a wide variety of regional economic development issues, the themes of resilienceequity, and wealth creation flow through all of them.  This is in recognition that regions can only thrive when they are empowered to proactively plan for the future, are inclusive and welcoming to all residents, and leverage local assets to drive prosperity and resilience.

Click to access the Economic Development Writing & Lecture Series

Contact NADO Research Foundation Associate Director Brett Schwartz at bsch[email protected] with any questions about the Economic Development Writing and Lecture Series.

These briefs and videos were published by the NADO Research Foundation using Federal funds under award ED17HDQ3030005 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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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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