As counties, towns, and cities across the country explore how to manage new demand for data centers, Economic Development Districts (EDDs) can serve as important partners in the decision‑making process. This report provides EDD staff with an overview of data center basics, the variety of local and regional impacts to consider, and the roles EDDs are increasingly playing as communities respond to data center development. In general, these roles revolve around advising local communities, convening regional conversations and planning efforts, offering zoning and land use guidance, providing grant‑writing expertise, and supporting workforce and training initiatives.
This resource is offered through the Economic Development District Community of Practice (EDD CoP), managed by the NADO Research Foundation to build the capacity of the national network of EDDs. To learn more, visit: www.nado.org/EDDCoP. The EDD CoP is made possible through an award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (ED22HDQ3070106). The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations in this resource are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.