NADO and NADO Research Foundation Release 2020 Annual Report

NADO has released its 2020 Annual Report (PDF) which provides an overview of the key priorities, goals, and projects that NADO and the NADO Research Foundation have prioritized throughout 2020, as well as the association’s key accomplishments. Despite the unique challenges of the past year, NADO has remained committed to advocating for federal funding for NADO members’ programs, and providing timely information, training, and resources.

With input from the membership, NADO advocated for increased federal funding in collaboration with other national stakeholders. This resulted in supplemental funding for the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) via the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. NADO also successfully advocated to reform the EDA Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program to allow greater flexibility for EDA RLF operators.

The NADO Research Foundation secured nearly $1.6 million in new grants to support and provide NADO members with current and relevant information, training, and research. In lieu of in-person convenings, NADO hosted virtual events including the Annual Training Conference and the National Regional Transportation Conference and provided 26 webinars that covered a broad range of topics.  97 NADO members were recognized for their work through NADO’s annual Impact and Excellence in Transportation Awards and NADO’s annual photo contest. One of the NADO Research Foundation’s recently secured grants will help support the development of a curriculum for enhancing Economic Development Districts (EDD) organizational capacity; we look forward to sharing more information about this initiative in the coming months.

As an organization, NADO remains strong. During 2020 NADO relocated to a new office and added three new staff members: a Meetings and Membership Manager, a Database and Grants Manager, and a Research Fellow. NADO currently has 379 members: 312 General Members and 67 Associate Members. We encourage you to review NADO’s 2020 Annual Report and to share it with your colleagues.  Click here to read the report (PDF).  Now on to 2021!

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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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