IEDC Leads Economic Recovery Teams to Lafourche Parish, Louisiana

Per the commitment of President Obama to the Lafourche Parish President, Ms. Charlotte Randolph, IEDC in conjunction with the Economic Development Administration, led a team of experts in August to assist the Parish in its economic recovery efforts. The combined IEDC/ Federal delegation spent 2.5 days in the community meeting with various stakeholders in business, government, and economic development. The trip concluded with the delegation’s preliminary recommendations, which will be followed up by a detailed report with short and long-term economic recovery strategies. Learn more.

Economic Development Now - August 30, 2010

Competition for Attraction Projects: Seven "P"s of Corporate Site Selection
In site selection, it's important to know which criteria really matter, which of those you can affect and which you can't. The key is targeting the most effective improvements you can make for the projects you have the highest probability of winning.

Expediting Retail with a One-Stop Shop
The recession has been tough on retail, and it remains a tenant market. But there are steps that communities can take, or at least plan for, to gain retailer interest in their markets.

Free IEDC Publications for Download

NEW: Getting Prepared: Economic Development in a Transforming Energy Economy
While the specifics of the transition to a low-carbon economy are still being debated both nationally and internationally, it appears likely that some type of cap and trade or carbon pricing will emerge. This report helps economic developers and those in related fields think about how they can position their economies to benefit from the transition.

Creating Quality Jobs: Transforming the Economic Development Landscape
As the role of economic developers has expanded to include everything from technology transfer to attracting retail to expand a community’s tax base, the profession must examine the types of jobs it is creating and how well they meet the needs of individuals and communities in a globalized, skill-based economy. This report identifies the role of economic developers in creating quality jobs and improving the quality of existing jobs.

Sustainability Roundtable Summary Paper
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR), IEDC hosted a Sustainability Roundtable discussion during the 2009 Annual Conference. The event brought together EPA representatives, economic development professionals, and others who are actively engaged in sustainable development initiatives. This summary paper builds on the discussion at the roundtable to examine emerging trends, successful strategies, and continuing challenges in this cutting-edge area of economic development.

An Improved Federal Response to Post-Disaster Economic Recovery
This report identifies capacity, resource and regulatory constraints imposed on local communities after a disaster, and presents a series of recommendations on how federal partners could better assist communities in their recovery effort.

Economic Development Journal - Spring 2010

The Spring 2010 issue of economic development's premiere publication is now available to download. Articles include:

• Innovation and Transformation in the Buckeye State
• Unique Collaboration Bolsters Central Ohio’s Entrepreneurial Capacity
• How Economic Development Teams Must Move up the Value Proposition Scale with Business Leaders
• Hometown Entrepreneurs: Creative Approaches to Nurturing Businesses
• Sector Based Talent Attraction & Retention: A Case Study of the Columbus Logistics Industry
• A Case for the Main Street Approach®: A New Venture in Economic Restructuring

IEDC News

2009 AEDO Benchmarking Excellence Report

IEDC and The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute have launched a new initiative to create up-to-date benchmarks by surveying current AEDOs (Accredited Economic Development Organizations). Stakeholders from each organization were asked to assess their organization on the basis of 10 key indicators related to quality management. The AEDOs received top marks in the management areas of Customer and Market Focus, Partnerships and Relationships, and Results. To learn more, read the full report (2.6 Mb PDF).

IEDC Teams Up with Federal Reserve of Atlanta for Free Economic Development Podcast Series

Today's economy challenges economic developers to re-evaluate their strategies. This free podcast series, brought to you in partnership by IEDC and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, features experts discussing how they've adapted existing strategies or created new approaches to economic development. These interviews will increase your understanding of the issues and offer solutions to the problems.

IEDC Publications

Primer on Globalization

IEDC’s newest membership category, the Economic Development Research Partners, is a think-tank environment which supports practice-oriented research. The Partnership’s first product is the Primer on Globalization (994 Kb PDF), a guide to the transformational forces shaping the economic development needs of US communities. The Primer delineates the opportunities and challenges presented to economic developers by our rapidly globalizing economy.

IEDC Announces Launch of Climate Prosperity Handbook

The Climate Prosperity Handbook is a free guide to informing communities of the economic benefits of proactively pursuing sustainable development and climate action strategies. The handbook demonstrates the utility of adopting the three-part agenda of the Climate Prosperity Project Green Savings/ Green Opportunities/ Green Talent.