With support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Austin Regional Office (Agreement Number ED23AUS0G0013), the NADO Research Foundation is pleased to announce the application process for the 8^th cohort of the Training Program for Emerging Leaders (Emerging Leaders).

The Emerging Leaders program provides EDD staff members with the education and skills required to lead a high-performing EDD.  Cohort participants are offered a unique opportunity to learn about successful community and economic development approaches of other EDDs in the five-state (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) region through on-site workshops and web-based training.  Additionally, the program is an opportunity to create a peer network across the Austin Regional Office service area that can add value to EDD activities long after the training program is finished.

The application period for this cohort is now closed. Selected recipients will be notified of their acceptance soon.

The sites visits and conferences are as follows (plus a possible day before or after to accommodate travel):

• October 13–17, 2025
  NADO Annual Training Conference
  Salt Lake City, UT

• February 2–5, 2026
  Eastern Oklahoma Site Visits

• March 10–13, 2026
  NADO Washington Conference
  Arlington, VA (and Maryland Site Visits)

• April 12–17, 2026
  SWREDA Annual Conference
  Austin, TX (and Texas Site Visits)