Economic Development Now

A Message to Economic Development Stakeholders from President and CEO Jeff Finkle, CEcD
An IEDC member requested a follow-up to the Nov. 3 ED Now feature, You Can’t Cut Your Way to Prosperity: Why in Tight Budget Times, Funding for Economic Development Is More Important Than Ever. Several key messages from that article are presented in a letter from IEDC’s Jeff Finkle that speaks to boards of directors and elected officials.

Attracting and Engaging Next-Generation Workers in Akron
The Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce worked with Next Generation Consulting’s Rebecca Ryan to leverage its assets and retool its messages to connect with young professionals.

IEDC News

January Web Seminar: Building Resilient Manufacturing Economies

Manufacturing has been a dominant industry for many communities for decades. As the economy has experienced shifts, a number of manufacturing firms have closed, downsized or moved factories overseas or closer to customers. Explore the changes in manufacturing and what they mean for the competiveness of communities with IEDC's Building Resilient Manufacturing Economies, January 15, 2:30 - 4:00 pm EST.

IEDC’s 2009 Annual Conference: Request for Session Proposals

IEDC will present its 2009 Annual Conference – “Renewable Communities: Leveraging Your Competitive Resources” – in Reno, Nevada, on October 1-4. This is an opportunity to highlight success stories and lessons learned, share cutting-edge ideas and engage your colleagues at the premier educational and networking event for economic developers. IEDC is seeking session proposals that address a range of attendees’ needs and interests; the deadline is January 16. Download the form (83 Kb Word doc). The conference will feature four tracks: Renewability, Resiliency, Revitalization, and Resourcefulness.

Presidential Election Results: Economic Development Implications and Priorities

IEDC recognizes that many of our members will be fielding calls from the press, board members, and elected officials trying to understand the implications of the election for the economy and what communities will need to do to address our economic challenges. To help, we have put together: 1) a snapshot of what the election results may mean for economic development; and 2) the priority areas for government action that will stimulate our economy. Download the PDF.

Bring IEDC Expertise to Your Community

IEDC can assemble a team of staff and member experts to visit your community to address your challenges and opportunities. IEDC Advisory Services solve tough economic development problems by drawing on case studies, our research library, and the knowledge and experience of our staff and members.

Primer on Globalization

IEDC’s newest membership category, the Economic Development Research Partners, is a think-tank environment which supports practice-oriented research. The Partnership’s first product is the Primer on Globalization (994 Kb PDF), a guide to the transformational forces shaping the economic development needs of US communities. The Primer delineates the opportunities and challenges presented to economic developers by our rapidly globalizing economy.

IEDC Publications

Summer 2008 Economic Development Journal Available for Download

Download the latest issue of Economic Development Journal, the premier publication of our profession. Case studies in this issue focus on leveraging private industry intellectual property assets, ways communities are shaping their broadband future, sustainable economic development practices, social capital, and more!

Free Download: Economic Development and Smart Growth

Economic development success and smart growth can go hand-in-hand. IEDC’s newest publication, Economic Development and Smart Growth, presents eight case studies on communities that incorporated smart growth principles in their development projects and have experienced economic development improvements. Download the PDF for free!

Free Download: "Forty Years of Urban Economic Development: A Retrospective"

In October of 2007, IEDC hosted a reunion of the leading professionals whose careers encapsulate the past forty years of urban economic development. They were tasked with using their experience to reflect upon the past and to look ahead to the challenges facing economic developers today and in the coming decades. Forty Years of Urban Economic Development: A Retrospective (PDF) captures the lessons learned and creates a living history of the participants' experiences to inform the next steps within urban economic development.