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Dimensions of Economic Development Practice presents findings from IEDC’s State of the Field survey, exploring how practitioners define the varied aspects of economic development in their own words. Further, it advances understanding of how the profession's evolving dimensions reflect broader shifts toward data-driven and inclusive growth. Access the Report

Across the field, one challenge continues to surface. Projects that matter locally often don’t “pencil” in traditional capital markets. The International Economic Development Council’s Community Capital Investment Accelerator (CCIA) is a new national pilot designed to address that gap — supporting communities in designing and launching locally governed, community-controlled investment funds. Launched with support from The Kresge Foundation and developed in partnership with the National Coalition for Community Capital, the Accelerator is bringing together a cohort of communities working to move from advanced concept to implementation-ready fund structures through structured learning, technical assistance, and ...

Nathan Ohle’s journey in economic development started through the human services and social work lens. Motivated by his passion for helping families, his career turned unexpectedly after working at a local family center focused on serving families on the economic edges. This early work sparked Ohle’s curiosity about how policy decisions are made and how those decisions shape what happens on the ground – a curiosity that led him to serve in former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s administration. From there, Ohle joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), leading efforts for three different economic development boards during the Great Recession. He later moved on to the U.S. Economic Development ...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how economic development organizations work, unlocking new levels of efficiency, insight, and impact. This members-only AI Toolkit provides practical guidance on how to integrate AI into daily workflows, from data analysis and grant writing to stakeholder communications and strategic planning. Explore the full resource to learn how to leverage AI tools effectively, enhance productivity, and drive stronger outcomes for your community. Read here

Every seasoned economic developer knows how vital it is to cultivate existing industry for long term growth. The concept of economic gardening is to nurture employers, developers, and local institutions to support each other, giving them collectively deeper roots in their community while growing sustainable jobs. But did you know that the hardiest organizations are those that sell products and services to foreign buyers, and have globalized their clientele? In their own backyards, many communities have native entrepreneurs, family-owned firms, and even institutions of higher learning that quietly conduct international operations while innovating, competing, and winning growth opportunities around the world. In the U.S., these businesses ...

Across the United States, sustainability is no longer a niche priority — it’s increasingly tied to economic competitiveness, operational resilience, and long-term cost savings. But for many small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments, one challenge persists: how to turn sustainability goals into practical, day-to-day action. Even in regions like Arizona, where technical assistance, incentives, and programs are widely available, adoption often stalls. Limited staff capacity, uncertainty around return on investment, and difficulty navigating fragmented resources all contribute to a familiar reality — organizations know sustainability matters but struggle to get started. Arizona’s participation in ...

The economic development field is changing. Not in some distant, theoretical way, but right now, in the conversations practitioners are having, the strategies they are questioning, and the results they are demanding. That change allows us to rethink not just what we do, but how we decide what to do in the first place. And for that, I keep coming back to an old idea from architecture. There is a principle that has stuck with me for years. "Form follows function." Louis Sullivan coined it in the 1890s to argue that the shape of a building should grow out of its purpose. You figure out what a space needs to do, then you design accordingly. The exterior, the layout, and the materials all respond to the job at hand. When you get that sequence ...

Big social change is nothing more, really, than a bunch of people coming together to face something that no longer works for them and then working to change a collective agreement. That’s it, really. There are some other strategies and tactics that will help organize your work…but in its essence, social change is about facing and changing implicit societal agreements, together, in solidarity. It is one of the most wildly creative and joyful things you could probably do with your life. And it will challenge you to your core. –Becky Margiotta It is not uncommon for those serving in the economic development profession to feel a strong call to improve the lives of those around us. Indeed, this is often our why when we ...