IEDC has a long history of assisting communities in the wake of natural disasters and economic disruptions.After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, IEDC began coordinating member volunteers to provide technical assistance to the region. Thanks to continued grants from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and other regional partners, IEDC and our volunteershave completed over 335 technical assistance engagements in more than twenty states and U.S. territories. Additionally, IEDC hosts RestoreYourEconomy.org, which serves as an online hub for IEDC’s resources and research about disaster preparedness, resilience and recovery.

Research

IEDC is a thought and action leader in the field of economic resilience and recovery. Recent research projects include:  

Leadership in Times of Crisis: A Toolkit for Economic Recovery and Resilience

IEDC first released the Leadership in a Time of Crisis toolkit in 2015; the 2022 edition has been updated and includes information about pandemic response and resilience. The Toolkit was developed by IEDC with nationwide input and funded by a grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration.

  DOWNLOAD THE TOOLKIT

Leadership in Times of Crisis provides strategies and tactics for community leaders to focus on economic recovery and preserving jobs, incorporating useful information for convening private and public stakeholders to identify key economic recovery strategies, tips on how to navigate federal resources for response and recovery, and implementation of recovery initiatives. 

A summary of each chapter, along with additional resources, can be found in the accompanying Workbook.

What We’ve Learned from Covid-19
IEDC’s new white paper, What We’ve Learned from Covid-19, is the culmination of an 18-month research project tracking the pandemic responses of eight communities. In addition to an analysis of the communities, and a profile of each, the paper includes the nine best and most promising practices that economic development organizations can implement to become more resilient, especially to pandemics. 

 Download Here

RestoreYourEconomy.org 

RestoreYourEconomy.org includes information on disaster preparedness, post-disaster economic recovery, disaster resiliency resources, tools, and event announcements. This site also gives communities opportunities to connect with peers through social media groups. The website explains how economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, local business and trade organizations, and other economic recovery stakeholders can take a lead role in economic recovery before and after a major disaster.

Volunteer

There are many ways to volunteer with IEDC. Participate on a technical assistance panel, advise a community on a topic, instruct at a workshop, assist a community with implementing a new program, or facilitate meetings. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the form here! 

Submit volunteer interest form