Action Alert: NADO Members Are Encouraged to Respond to EDA Regional Tech Hubs RFI
The US Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published a Request for Information (RFI) to inform the planning and design of the new EDA Regional Technology and Innovation Hub program. NADO has drafted a response to the EDA RFI which can be viewed here. NADO members are encouraged to submit their own responses to the RFI, and are invited to use text from NADO’s comments in their responses. Comments are due on March 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET and should be submitted via email to techhubs@eda.gov.
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2023 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference Update
The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) Washington Conference will be held from March 12-15, 2023 in Arlington, VA. Click here to learn more and to register. The hotel room block at the conference hotel, the Crystal Gateway Marriott, for the 2023 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference is full. Questions about hotel reservations? Contact Brittany Salazar at bsalazar@nado.org.
Hotel Reservation Deadline Extended for Collaborating, Innovating, Transforming: 2023 Economic Development Conference for the EDA Denver Region
The NADO Research Foundation, with support from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) Denver Regional Office, is holding a conference in Denver, Colorado from April 10-12, 2023. The conference is designed for Economic Development Districts (EDDs), University Centers, Tribal Planning Grantees, and other regional development practitioners in the 10-state EDA Denver Region. Click here for the for more information and to register. Book your room before March 15 to take advantage of the discounted rate. After this date, the group rate cannot be guaranteed. Click here to reserve your room or call 303-571-0300 and reference the conference name. The conference group rate is $199 + tax.
2023 SWREDA Annual Conference
The Southwest Region Economic Development Association (SWREDA), in partnership with the NADO Research Foundation, will hold the 2023 SWREDA Conference in New Orleans, May 3 – 5, 2023. The conference is designed for staff from Economic Development Districts, Tribal Planning Grantees, University Centers, Revolving Loan Funds, and others engaged in economic development across the region. New this year, there will be an Executive Directors Institute on Tuesday, May 2, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. EDD Executive Directors, whether new to their organization, mid-career, or a seasoned professional, will find this to be an informative and timely opportunity to enhance your leadership skills. Click here for more information. Registration will open later this month.
REMINDER: Employment and Transportation Challenges – Member Input Requested
The NADO Research Foundation is working on technical assistance efforts across the membership network and is seeking input on employment and transportation challenges members observe in their regions. Of greatest interest, how is transportation impacting employment efforts, and how are employers facing these challenges? Please direct any comments or feedback to Bret Allphin at ballphin@nado.org, or post a reply in the forum at my.nado.org.
EDA Publishes RFIs for Recompete Pilot Program
The US Economic Development Administration (EDA) published a Request for Information (RFI) to inform the planning and design of the new Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program. Comments due: March 27 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Final Peer Knowledge Exchange Executive Director Profiles Available: ‘Managing a Small Economic Development District’
The final three Executive Director profiles have been published on nado.org. Many Districts are making tremendous impacts in their regions despite having a small staff and often covering a large geographic area. Learn from Alene Carr, Sandy Chancey, and Scott Warner about how they prioritize projects, manage partnerships and work to creatively serve their communities. Funded by the Stronger Districts Stronger Regions project, this series is designed to help readers learn from peers and Executive Directors as they share lessons learned and strategies for addressing the many challenges they’ve faced.
NADO Research Foundation Welcomes Three New Staff Members
The NADO Research Foundation is pleased to announce that it has hired three new staff members, Krishna Kunapareddy (kkunapareddy@nado.org), Andrew Coker (acoker@nado.org), and Lara Gale (lgale@nado.org) to support its growing portfolio of programs and projects. All three bring a depth of knowledge and expertise in the field of regional development and look forward to collaborating with NADO members and partners through their upcoming work.
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Events, Conferences
& Online Training
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Webinar: Outdoor Recreation Workforce Series
Join the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and outdoor industry experts and practitioners for a virtual masterclass series on the outdoor recreation workforce and Topics will include national trends, available jobs, needed skillsets, available technical and academic programs, and on-ramps for the next generation of the outdoor recreation workforce.
- How to Work in the Outdoor Recreation Industry, Wednesday, March 15, 1 p.m. ET Register Here
- Career Development for Outdoor Recreation Professionals, Wednesday, March 22, 1 p.m. ET Register Here
- Trend Forecasting for Outdoor Careers, Wednesday, April 12, 1 p.m. ET Register Here
EFCN to Host No-Cost Webinar Series on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Join experts from the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) for a no-cost webinar series on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). This monthly series is intended to help participants better understand the CWSRF funding process. Sessions will be held on the third Thursday every month. Click here to learn more details about each session and to register.
White House Rural Stakeholders Call - President's Budget Proposal Briefing
When: Thursday, March 9, 2:30 p.m. ET
Where: Virtual | Register here
Details: You are invited to join the White House Rural Stakeholders Call for a briefing on the President's Budget proposal.
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EDD Community of Practice
Spotlight
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New Case Studies Added to the EDDs in Action Series
NADO RF’s “EDDs in Action” Case Studies Series demonstrates the wide breadth of programs, projects, and initiatives EDDs support and implement to improve their regions, making them more resilient, prosperous, and better prepared for the future. Two new case studies have recently been added featuring the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments’ nine-county hazard mitigation plan and the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission’s collaborative efforts to restore Muskegon’s Veterans Memorial Park to its former glory as a community amenity and destination. Click here to access the series.
Brookings Releases Smart Growth Strategies Tool to Support EDDs and Cities
The Workforce of the Future Initiative at Brookings has developed a Smart Growth Cities tool that allows users to explore strategies that best leverage an area’s underlying capabilities and explore the trade-offs that are implied by each industry strategy in terms of economic growth, good job creation, and equitable job creation. Search functionality allows for exploring economic growth strategies at both the metropolitan and EDD levels to create and evaluate potential economic growth strategies. Click here to access the tool and learn more.
Recording and Slides Available from Webinar Featuring Argonne National Laboratory’s NERDE and EDCI Tools
The NADO Research Foundation and Argonne National Laboratory recently hosted a webinar demonstrating how the National Economic Resilience Data Explorer (NERDE) and the Economic Development Capacity Index (EDCI) tools can be utilized to support your CEDS and other regional planning efforts. Click here to view the webinar recording and download presentation slides.
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Funding Opportunities
& Resources
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DOE Notice of Funding Opportunity for Rural or Remote Areas
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) intends to issue a funding opportunity in March 2023 for up to $300 million to improve the cost, reliability, environmental impact, and climate resilience of energy systems in rural or remote areas across the country. Learn more about this anticipated funding opportunity announcement (FOA) here.
DOT Opens Port, Transit, and Other Funding Opportunities
A number of FY2023 grant programs and funding opportunities geared toward rural transportation practitioners are currently accepting applicants. These programs include modernizing port infrastructure (MARAD), training in operating commercial vehicles (FMCSA), funding buses and bus facilities (FTA), funding low-emission buses and bus facilities (FTA). Further information is available on grants for Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) and the RAISE Grants. To read about these grants and how to apply, review this post on NADO’s Rural Transportation site.
The AIEI Releases an Investment Playbook for Rural Areas
The Appalachian Investment Ecosystem Initiative (AIEI) released a resource playbook on investments and economic development opportunities in rural areas. The playbook focuses on Appalachia, but is applicable to any region.
HUD Releases Community Compass Webpage Featuring NOFOs
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the Community Compass webpage which includes resources on technical assistance, capacity building, and HUD projects. This resource also highlights Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for HUD programs. Applications due March 28.
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Advocacy &
Legislative Updates
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President’s Budget for FY 2024 Released
On Thursday March 9, the FY 2024 President’s Budget was released. Among many other inclusions, the President’s Budget requests more than $4 billion for the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program.
Updated NADO Advocacy Resources
Updated advocacy handouts and resources are now available on the NADO website. These resources can be used to help support meetings with your members of Congress and their staff. During the 2023 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference, NADO members are encouraged to schedule meetings on Capitol Hill with your Senators and Representatives. The recommended day to schedule your meetings is Tuesday, March 14 between 10:30 am-5:00 pm ET. Access the resources here as you prepare for your meetings. If you need help securing contact information for Hill staffers and schedulers, please contact Jamie McCormick (jmccormick@nado.org).
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Opportunities &
Job Openings
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Texarkana, TX | Housing Director
The Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) is now accepting applications for a Housing Director This is a full-time position located in the Texarkana, Texas. The position directs, administers, manages, and evaluates the housing programs in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. For more information, click here.
Columbus, OH | Chief Mobility & Infrastructure Officer & Senior Director of Programming
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) is seeking a Chief Mobility & Infrastructure Officer & Senior Director of Programming to manage the Programming Department and co-lead regional development and strategic growth initiatives. For more information, click here.
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2023 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference
March 12-15, 2023
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 20022
2023 Economic Development Conference for the EDA Denver Region
April 10-12, 2023
The Curtis Double Tree by Hilton
1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202
Southwest Region Economic Development Association (SWREDA) Annual Conference
May 3-6, 2023
Double Tree by Hilton New Orleans
300 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
NADO Board of Directors Meeting
June 26-28, 2023
Sheraton Park City
1895 Sidewinder Drive, Park City, UT 84060
NADO Annual Training Conference
November 7-10, 2023
Hilton Cleveland Downtown
100 Lakeside Avenue East, Cleveland, OH 44114
The views and opinions expressed by other organizations or outside publications referenced in NADO News do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the National Association of Development Organizations or its members.
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