ED Now

As part of our EDA Atlanta region grant, IEDC created a workforce housing strategies primer for a series of workshops developed in partnership with the Eastern Carolina Council, a nine-county regional economic development district in North Carolina. Learn about missing middle housing and availability, affordability, and funding solutions, and explore case studies from communities of all sizes.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU)’s entrepreneurship ecosystem has worked hard to develop comprehensive support for students and community members—from idea to successful, sustainable company and beyond. In 2020 the ecosystem had a gap: support and resources for post-revenue, second-stage companies with around six employees and their particular set of challenges—the forgotten ventures. FAU was not alone. In fact, many ecosystems do not cater to these important job-and-revenue-generating second-stage companies.

IEDC honored the winners of the Leadership and Excellence in Economic Development Awards at the Annual Conference in Dallas. The awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, and the year's most influential leaders.

“Volunteering is so important,” says Eloisa Klementich, CEcD, PhD, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta and vice chair of IEDC’s board of directors. “You grow professionally and also bring back ideas for your city and region.” There are many ways to get more involved with IEDC! Board IEDC members are invited to nominate candidates to the board of directors. The nominating committee reviews candidates in late summer and voting takes place during IEDC’s Annual Conference. Board members serve two-year terms and can serve up to four consecutive terms. Committees IEDC’s Advisory Committees leverage their expertise in different areas to support IEDC’s work. Areas include higher education, ...

IEDC is accepting submissions through May 30 for the 2023 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. The Tullahoma (Tenn.) Area Economic Development Corporation’s Williamson Aviation Historic Hangar Redevelopment won a Gold Award in 2022 in the Real Estate Redevelopment and Reuse category. In 2021 business owner Mike Williamson learned of a neglected 20,400-square-foot World War II hangar at Tullahoma Regional Airport. Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it had been used to house B-24 and B-25 bombers and later general aviation aircraft. Already using airport space for his aircraft maintenance and multifaceted manufacturing businesses, Williamson acquired the hangar to house both companies with enough ...

IEDC is accepting submissions through May 30 for the 2023 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. The Lafayette (La.) Economic Development Authority’s ArtSpark won a Gold Award in 2022 in the Entrepreneurship category. In 2014 the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) and the Acadiana Center for the Arts collaborated to develop an annual individual artist funding program called ArtSpark. The purpose of the program is to provide opportunities for artists in Acadiana to display the artistic excellence that reflects and represents the diversity of the region while increasing economic opportunities. Artists who apply for the program can request funding ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for expenses related to a ...

IEDC's Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) program recognizes organizational excellence in the areas of internal and external operations, structures, and procedures. This series profiles recently accredited AEDOs, putting some of economic development's highest-performing organizations in the spotlight. This edition: City of Brampton (Ont.) Economic Development Office.

IEDC is accepting submissions through May 30 for the 2023 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. Norfolk (Va.) Economic Development’s WELDNOW Mobile Welding Lab won a Gold Award in 2022 in the Talent Development and Retention category. The WELDNOW mobile welding lab program is a collaboration between Tidewater Community College, Norfolk Economic Development’s workforce initiative Norfolk Works, and inaugural host site Lyon Shipyard, a 94-year-old ship repair facility adjacent to the region’s largest concentration of households in poverty. This comprehensive training initiative prepares individuals for employment in shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing with an emphasis on work readiness and ...