Washington, D.C. – The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) today announced a new initiative to better equip states to support thriving rural communities. The project will incubate a new national organization to provide resources and a centralized space for state rural prosperity offices across the United States to share information and

Congress has passed S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, a five-year reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which are administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in coordination with participating federal agencies. The Senate

By Tyler Butler (Collaboration for Good), Amanda Jordan (City of Phoenix), and Jeanine Jerkovic (City of Surprise) 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

A few weeks ago, billboards appeared overnight in Gary, Indiana and Youngstown, Ohio two cities that have endured decades of industrial decline, disinvestment, and broken promises. The signs, erected by Palantir, declare: "AMERICA'S FUTURE." For communities long abandoned by the industries that once sustained them, such a promise is designed to stir hope.

Last fall, I was speaking with the mayor of a midsized city about artificial intelligence. He was worried his team couldn’t predict exactly which jobs were most at risk in his region. I told him he had a bigger problem. Politicians worry about which jobs will disappear. Economists model unemployment scenarios. Tech executives race ahead with new AI

When I was born in 1979, Oklahoma City was the 37th-largest city in the United States. Today, we are the 20th-largest. Across the span of that half-century, our population, our GDP, our quality of life, and our economic diversification have soared. But first, we experienced a 1980s economic depression. What then followed is perhaps one of the most dynamic

South Summit Brazil is teaming up with IEDC as part of its Centennial Event Series, celebrating 100 years of leadership in economic development and preparing the field for the future. The partnership is in collaboration with Invest RS, the development and investment promotion agency of Rio Grande do Sul and a strategic partner of the event. “The

As part of its Centennial Event Series, IEDC convened a flagship gathering at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2026 in Austin, Texas, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and economic development leaders to explore the future of the field. Designed as a curated, future-focused convening, the event created space for meaningful exchange