May 8-12 is Economic Development Week and we are so excited to recognize and share the incredible work that economic development professionals and organizations are doing in your communities both in the U.S. and internationally!
With the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changing so much of the way we live, work, and do business, the field of economic development has also had to rapidly shift and respond to the many new needs and challenges facing our communities.
And it’s not just been COVID-19 impacting our work. Increased globalization of goods and services, stress on our supply chains, natural disasters, evolving technology, uncertain business and financial markets including real estate, shifts in our workforce, and many other factors are challenging our members and never has the need for successful story-telling and best-practice sharing been greater.
Over the course of my first year at IEDC, I have had the honor of meeting with hundreds of economic developers from all over the world, and while everyone’s challenges and priorities are different, one thing has remained consistent among everyone I have spoken with—the passion for this work. No matter what their community or region is facing, IEDC’s members are driving a more equitable and sustainable economic prosperity for the people and places they serve, and finding new and innovative ways to do it.
Perhaps the most overlooked area of our work is the power of stories. To highlight our members’ great work and innovations, IEDC invites you to participate in the 8th annual Economic Development Week and to tell your story. Join us in sharing best practices, success stories, and the lasting impacts of economic development with colleagues both in the U.S. and across the globe.
Get involved and join the celebration by downloading the Economic Development Week Toolkit to access:
- Special ways to engage your elected officials
- Press release and proclamation templates
- Social media graphics, stock images and logos
- Electronic and print advertising templates
- City, county, and state resolutions templates
- Social media marketing sample promotional messaging
- Event ideas
- Economic Development Week Excellence in Economic Development Week Awards details
We encourage you to share your story using the #EconDevWeek – IEDC looks forward to sharing, liking and retweeting your stories!
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,300 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers typically work for cities, counties, states, public-private partnerships, and chambers of commerce and promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions.