Washington, D.C. - This week, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers, brought together federal partners from seven agencies and the inaugural cohort of 65 Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellows to discuss strategies for improving access to federal resources for distressed communities across the nation.
Led by IEDC through a $30M cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), ERC was created to address enduring economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly affecting historically underserved populations. With 65 fellows in their field placements now for the next 2.5 years, this event aimed to enhance communication and build relationships between federal entities and distressed communities to improve their access to federal funding.
EDA senior leadership, including Assistant Secretary Alejandra Y. Castillo and Deputy Assistant Secretary Craig Buerstatte joined the conversation to discuss how programs like ERC are advancing the EDA’s Investment Priorities of Equity, Recovery, and Resilience to greater serve distressed communities. The Urban Institute, Results for America, and Opportunity Insights, alongside the Gates Foundation, introduced Fellows to tools and frameworks for boosting mobility and advancing equity. Throughout the event Fellows interacted directly with officials from various federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD), Small Business Administration (SBA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), EDA, and the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (DOE-EPA Joint Initiative).
“Facilitating connections between field-based practitioners and organizations with federal partners represents an important step towards advancing our shared objective of cultivating more resilient, inclusive, and equitable economies nationwide,” said Nathan Ohle, President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). “Stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and the advancement of opportunities for access are fundamental pillars not only to IEDC’s work but also for the ERC program and the economic development profession.”
ERC Fellow, Leonie Zapata, who is supporting an entrepreneurship project in Texas alongside the City and County of El Paso reflected on the training, “I have deepened my understanding of the federal landscape and resources, along with my role in the technical assistance ecosystem. I feel better equipped in how to identify, advocate for, unlock, and braid various funding sources for my ERC project to support my host community.”
“Through the 65 fellows who are now in their field placements across the nation, the Economic Recovery Corps’ efforts will advance equity and improve access to federal resources for distressed and under-served communities, strongly aligned with the Economic Development Administration’s Investment Priorities focused on Equity and Recovery & Resilience in economic development,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “By centering the needs of under-resourced regions and investing in the next generation of economic development leaders, we have an opportunity to usher in a new era of economic prosperity in America – one that leaves no community behind.”
Explore the 65 projects across 42 states and 2 U.S. territories that are underway for the next 2.5 years and learn more about the ERC program at www.economicrecoverycorps.org/projects.
Interested in supporting the ERC program or one of the 65 projects located near you? Contact IEDC at www.economicrecoverycorps.org/contact-us, and sign up for exciting program updates over the next 30 months by joining our newsletter at economicrecoverycorps.org/updates.
About the Economic Recovery Corps Program & Partner Coalition (www.economicrecoverycorps.org)
ERC was authorized under the CARES Act through a $30 million cooperative agreement with the EDA. The program is led by IEDC in partnership with six leading national organizations that represent every facet of America’s economic development landscape, including the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), National Association of Counties Research Foundation (NACo RF), National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation (NADO RF), National League of Cities Institute (NLCI), and RAIN Catalysts.
About the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
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 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 engage in the full range of economic development practices. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at www.iedconline.org.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
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