Over the past four years, New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) has managed the Economic Partnership Alliance, training 141 organizations and supporting 24 cross-sector partnerships across...
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Over the past four years, New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) has managed the Economic Partnership Alliance, training 141 organizations and supporting 24 cross-sector partnerships across...
Read More »This installment of the EDDs in Action video series showcases the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), an Economic Development District (EDD) serving five counties...
Read More »Presentation materials and an accompanying workbook from a recent disaster preparedness workshop for EDDs are now available. These resources can help staff assess vulnerabilities, map...
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Drawing on data from the State and Local Economic Development Strategies (SLEDS) database, this brief from the University Economic Development Association examines how EDDs can better incorporate higher education institutions into their CEDS process and plans and shares examples of how EDDs use the CEDS to foster stronger partnerships with universities and colleges.

Over the past four years, New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) has managed the Economic Partnership Alliance, training 141 organizations and supporting 24 cross-sector partnerships across the country. Insights from this initiative, funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), have been distilled into the Economic Alliance Playbook, which were shared on this webinar hosted by the NADO Research Foundation as part of the EDD Community of Practice.

This installment of the EDDs in Action video series showcases the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), an Economic Development District (EDD) serving five counties in Virginia. In this video, you’ll see how CSPDC works alongside local partners and businesses to strengthen communities and expand economic opportunity through investments in site readiness, workforce training, business development, and placemaking.

From Monday, June 29 through Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the National Association of Counties’ Rural Energy Academy (REA) hosted a peer exchange in Grundy County, Illinois, bringing together county leaders from across the country for site visits and briefings centered on two pressing energy technologies facing rural communities today: nuclear power and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Presentation materials and an accompanying workbook from a recent disaster preparedness workshop for EDDs are now available. These resources can help staff assess vulnerabilities, map regional networks, align planning efforts, and develop a 90-day action agenda to support regional preparedness and strengthen economic resilience.

The annual Impact Awards program honors NADO members for their creative approaches to advancing regional economic development and improving quality of life.

This webinar explores how cooperative models can help communities respond to disruption, retain jobs, and reposition key industries for growth.

East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC) is using a creative method to plan with small communities in their region. SPARC, Strategic Planning And Revitalization for Communities, is a small community technical assistance program that combines visioning workshops, design consultation, and grant assistance to help communities move projects forward.

On April 17, 2026, NADO’s Rural Energy Academy (REA) team hosted a post-conference session at the University of Texas JJ Pickle Research Campus following the Southwest Regional Economic Development Association (SWREDA) conference in Austin, TX. Economic Development District (EDD) leaders from Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas spent the afternoon hearing from researchers, practitioners, and community leaders on pressing energy topics facing rural communities today before embarking on a tour of the UT Energy Institute data center.

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.

The Business of Nuclear: Communities & Industry Working Together NADO Attends 2026 Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) Forum In April 2026, Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) hosted their fifth

This resource provides tips and best practices drawn from the experiences of EDD staff who have managed fee-for-service or contract planning services in their member communities. While the EDDs featured operate in the Southeast, their lessons can apply broadly to districts across the country