Regional Development

With broad institutional knowledge, strong partners, networks, and staff expertise, RDOs are well-positioned to support numerous regional development initiatives. Many coordinate regional planning efforts that strengthen local communities and improve quality of life by leveraging local assets and opportunities. Most RDOs are also federally designated Economic Development Districts that write and maintain the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

The CEDS is a locally-based, regionally-driven economic development planning process and document that identifies regional strengths and weaknesses. It also brings together a diverse set of partners to generate good jobs, diversify the economy, and spur economic growth.

Through a variety of planning efforts, RDOs also promote economic and climate resilience to better prepare regions to anticipate, withstand, and bounce back from shock, disruption, or stress. These shocks can include natural disasters, hazards, and the impacts of a changing climate. Economic disruptions such as the closure of a region’s large employer, the decline of an important industry, changes in the workforce, and population fluctuations are also possible. Finally, RDOs work to better incorporate equity and economic inclusion principles into their plans, programs, and outreach efforts to ensure that all residents have an opportunity to help shape their community’s future.

Resources

Categories
Regional Development Category

From Construction to Community Wealth: Insights for Planners and Economic Developers from RootedHomes

At the 2026 EDD Wealth Creation Summit in Bend, Oregon, hosted in partnership with Rural Development Initiatives (RDI) and Regards to Rural, participants engaged in mobile workshops highlighting place-based wealth creation strategies. One workshop featured RootedHomes, a community land trust (CLT) operating in Central Oregon, that offered a compelling example of how housing can function as a regional wealth building strategy aligned with the wealth creation framework.

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Video: A Career in Regional Economic Development

A career with an EDD or RDO offers the chance to make a meaningful, lasting impact on the communities and regions you serve. In this video, you’ll hear from four experienced leaders in regional economic development as they reflect on their career paths, the impact of their work, and what it takes to succeed in the field.

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Building Capacity and Strengthening EDD-University Connections In Arkansas

This case study demonstrates how University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service (UADA Extension) partners with all eight EDA-designated Economic Development Districts in Arkansas to strengthen regional capacity, with a focus on its long-standing collaboration with the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District (WAPDD).  It highlights how coordinated efforts in training, data sharing, and community facilitation have evolved into a scalable, locally rooted model for university–EDD partnerships. 

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Building Connection and Economic Opportunity Through Community Forestry

In 2023, Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments (UCPCOG) in eastern North Carolina received funding to hire a dedicated staff member to establish a Community Forestry Program. The new position allowed UCPCOG to expand its regional service offerings and respond to growing member interest in urban and community forestry as a tool to support livability, resilience, and local capacity building, particularly in economically distressed communities with limited staff and resources.

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Opportunity Zones 2.0 Resource Guide

This resource page includes a variety of information on Opportunity Zones, including background information, updates on the designation process, mapping and data tools to support informed planning and decision making, and materials about local planning and implementation considerations. 

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Chicken Before the Egg: How Central Virginia Poultry Farmers Turned a Crisis into a Cooperative

In March 2023, Tyson Foods announced the closure of its Glen Allen, Virginia facility, leaving hundreds of local poultry growers and their 265 farmer‑owned production houses without long‑standing contracts. This case study examines how a broad coalition of regional partners, including the Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC), the area’s Economic Development District (EDD), mobilized to respond and chart a path forward.

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