ED Now

An economic sustainability plan can help communities and economic development programs create consensus around goals, strategies, and actions that meet the needs of the present without risking the prospects of future generations. Learn how to develop an economic sustainability plan and what critical questions to ask.

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 newly accredited AEDOs, putting some of economic development's highest-performing organizations in the spotlight. This edition: City of Dublin (Ohio) Division of Economic Development.

Does your organization have what it takes to be EDO of the Year? IEDC is accepting submissions for the 2022 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. The following EDOs won Gold in 2021: City of Dublin (Ohio) Division of Economic Development, Loudoun County (Va.) Department of Economic Development, and Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

IEDC will kick off 2022 by focusing on strengthening our communities, attracting new industries, and advancing equitable economic growth. The Leadership Summit will concentrate on diversification—strengthening what we have by diversifying existing economic drivers, diversifying the regional economy and attracting new industries, and diversifying to advance equitable and inclusive growth for disadvantaged and underserved populations.

A recent webinar in the Cities on the Frontline Speaker Series detailed how cities have learned to live with the pandemic and emerged even stronger. The economic fallout from the pandemic hit cities harder than rural areas because tourism, global trade, and retail are centered in urban areas. However, cities were generally better equipped than rural regions to cope with hardship and adopt new strategies to serve their residents. Soo-Jin Kim, policy analyst from the OECD, highlighted that investments in digital technologies have been invaluable to cities. For example, prior to the pandemic Seoul established a smart data hub for urban planning purposes, but pivoted its use for Covid contact tracing. Many other cities are encouraging these ...

The expanding green economy provides EDOs the opportunity to establish new industries and jobs within their region. Green industries and jobs can become a driver of economic development, and EDOs can provide the support that helps local green industries prosper. Below are some steps that EDOs can take to encourage green growth in their local economy. Workforce training EDOs can play an important role in preparing a workforce that is skilled and ready to take on green jobs. As mentioned in my previous post, workforce development poses a challenge for the green economy. By working with training providers, local education institutions, and businesses, EDOs can ensure that their community’s workforce is prepared for green jobs. By ...

As climate change has become increasingly evident, the support for a greener economy has grown. The 2009 stimulus package was one of the first government policies that allocated funding for green industries. President Obama included $20 billion for green economy investments, which included $500 million for green job training. This action began shifting our economy to include large energy sectors focused on environmental health. President Biden has made it known that he plans to support and invest in the green economy. Growth in green industries will help Biden achieve his goal of a zero carbon emission energy sector by 2035. In the past month, multiple legislations and proposals have been introduced to help with the shift towards a ...