Course Overview

Economic Development Strategic Planning focuses on how communities assess conditions, set priorities, engage stakeholders, and create actionable strategies. Participants examine how planning can help align partners, guide decision-making, and move economic development work from broad goals to practical implementation.

Course Focus and Learning Outcomes

Participants will examine how to:

• Assess local and regional economic conditions
• Engage stakeholders in meaningful and productive ways
• Identify strategic priorities and realistic implementation steps
• Align economic development goals with available capacity and resources
• Use planning as a tool for accountability, partnership, and long-term progress

Who May Benefit Most

This course is open to all participants and may be especially useful for professionals involved in strategic planning, organizational leadership, community engagement, board relations, regional partnerships, implementation planning, or economic development program design.

Registration (Opens December 2026)

Professional Development Credits

Attendance and participation during all sessions of the training course is required by a registrant to obtain the following credits. 

• Certified Economic Developer (CEcD)
  • Exam = Core Requirement
  • Recertification = (3) Level-1 Points
    
    
• Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP)
  • Exam = Elective Requirement
  • Recertification = (3) Level-1 Points

Note: IEDC will send a registrant an electronic certificate of completion after the course for their records.

Questions

If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call (202) 223-7800.

Policies

Please read the following policies carefully prior to registering for the training course.

Materials

The materials provided by IEDC are intended for use only by the registrant of the training course. A registrant should not share the training course materials with anyone else.

A registrant found in violation of this policy will be removed from the training course immediately and will not receive a refund for it.

Payment

A registrant will not receive the materials for the training course until IEDC receives the full amount owed for their registration.

Substitution

A registrant is not allowed to substitute a colleague in their place for any IEDC training course.

Cancellation

Please review our cancellation policy here.

No Show

A registrant is considered a “No Show” if they fail to send a cancellation email and/or do not attend the training course. A “No Show” registrant will forfeit any monies paid to IEDC for the training course.