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IEDC has released its latest Economic Development Research Partners (EDRP) report titled "Leading and Managing Next-Level EDOs: Leveraging Technology," which encourages EDOs to devise intentional strategies for adopting new technology.

In 2020 St. Tammany Corporation in Louisiana embarked on a large-scale fiber installation project that had 6,500 crossings and also many challenges. Over the next two years, the team learned a few things that might be useful to fellow economic developers.

The Minnesota Economic Development Foundation is a private nonprofit corporation supporting economic development education, training, and outreach in Minnesota. Its initiatives are closely aligned with key partners such as IEDC and the Economic Development Association of Minnesota. The foundation has provided professional development scholarships to hundreds of economic developers in Minnesota and supported internships at dozens of Minnesota EDOs.

In September Brookings Metro and the Center for Economic Inclusion will launch the Growth Intermediary Practitioner Network. Growth Intermediaries are organizations or partnerships that work with and through the business community to advance socially beneficial economic change and can take a variety of forms, including EDOs, chambers of commerce, corporate leadership groups, civic leadership groups, and broader civic coalitions. This 18-month collaborative learning network seeks to both learn from and inform the work of Growth Intermediaries in up to eight regions—each anchored by a small- or mid-sized city—that strive to advance greater economic and racial inclusion in their communities. Participation in the network will ...

IEDC, in partnership with EDA and six national and international associations, has officially launched the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) program. The multiyear, $30-million collaborative initiative will place up to 65 ERC fellows from diverse backgrounds and disciplines within partnering organizations across the United States to activate economic development projects and plans that generate new practices and paradigms for equitable and inclusive change. Organizations interested in hosting a full-time fellow for 2.5 years (30 months) will have until June 30, 2023, to submit an expression of interest and initiate the application process. This is a great opportunity for organizations that are looking to drive their economic development ...

IEDC has partnered with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for more than four years through IEDC’s economic recovery and resilience program. The CNMI’s tourism- and agriculture-focused economy is unique, vibrant, and dynamic. IEDC’s current work with the CNMI economic development community addresses dual recovery from the pandemic and natural disasters. To kick off this phase, a team of IEDC volunteers visited the islands to conduct a needs assessment.

This year’s Economic Development Week will take place May 8–12. ED Week gives economic developers a platform to create awareness of the value that the profession brings to communities. Articulate your contributions to your local economy, organize a base of support, show and tell the importance of economic development, and amplify your message to increase exposure. Download the 2023 Economic Development Week Toolkit for communication and social media strategies, artwork, sample posts, event ideas, brochures to distribute, and more. Fill out this form to be featured on IEDC’s website and news and social media channels. IEDC started Economic Development Week in 2016 to increase awareness of local programs that create ...

To help businesses with the ongoing labor shortage, EDOs are pursuing strategies to expand the pool of workers in their communities. One approach to boosting local labor force participation is to remove obstacles for those who want to work but face constraints. “Growing Your Workforce: Strategies to Raise Local Labor Force Participation”—the latest report from IEDC’s Economic Development Research Partners—explores how EDOs are tackling labor force barriers such as lack of childcare, transportation, justice involvement, the benefits cliff, and more.