The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is a locally-based, regionally-driven economic development planning process and document that creates the space for your region to identify its strengths and weaknesses and
brings together a diverse set of partners to generate good jobs, diversify the economy, and spur economic growth. An effective CEDS allows a region to maximize its economic development potential, as well as engage with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and other federal partners. During this 101 training, you’ll learn more about the “what and why” of the CEDS, CEDS planning fundamentals, best practices, and latest trends.
1. CEDS 101 & Best Practices
NADO Annual Training Conference
October 17, 2022
2.
3. Session Presenters
Brett Schwartz, Associate Director
NADO Research Foundation (DC)
David Ives, Deputy Director, Performance, Research and National
Technical Assistance Division (PRNTAD)
U.S. Economic Development Administration (DC)
Jessica Metta, Executive Director
Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (OR/WA)
4. The CEDS is Your Regional Road Map for Economic Development
Francesco Paggiaro
5. The CEDS is a Conduit for Resources to Your Region
7. CEDS Content Guidelines: Make it Your Best Friend!
www.eda.gov/CEDS
Provides guidance on the
required sections of the
CEDS
Summary Background
SWOT
Strategic Direction/Action Plan
Evaluation Framework
Economic Resilience
Best practices, case studies,
and links
10. Resilience: The ability of a region or community
to anticipate, withstand, and bounce back from
shocks, disruptions, and stresses including:
Weather-related disasters or hazards / Impacts of climate change
The closure of a large employer or military base
The decline of an important industry
Changes in workforce / effects of automation
COVID-19 response & recovery
Much more…
11. “Another way of looking at resilience is the ability not only to bounce
back but also to “bounce forward”- to recover and at the same
time to enhance the capacities of the community or organization to
better withstand future stresses.”
- Urban Land Institute – After Sandy
Not Just Bouncing Back…Bouncing Forward
16. CEDS 101 & Best
Practices:
An Update from EDA
10/17/22
17. Is it a plan or a process?
A Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is a strategy-driven plan for
regional economic development, but it’s ALSO. . .
. . .a collaborative planning process that incorporates a broad array of perspectives -- it
brings together firms, institutions, and local governments to better understand, position
and leverage regional assets to enhance economic prosperity.
What is a CEDS?
18. EDA believes that good economic development starts with good
economic development planning. . .
Capacity building. . .and planning to build that capacity
Inherent value in the collaborative planning process
Conduit for resources to your region
Why is the CEDS important?
20. What makes a strong CEDS?
https://www.eda.gov/CEDS
Provides guidance on the required sections of
the CEDS
Summary Background
SWOT
Strategic Direction/Action Plan
Evaluation Framework
Economic Resilience
Best practices, case studies, and links
Collection of suggestions and
recommendations. . .not a list of additional
requirements.
21. What makes a strong CEDS?
Formatting Recommendations
1. Keep your audience in mind
• Target page length
• Executive summary
• Use appendices
2. Communicate creatively
• Appealing look-and-feel
• Alternate formats
Consider the stakeholders. . .and embrace the flexibility!
CEDS circa 2001 (left)
22. What makes a strong CEDS?
Content Recommendations
1. Linking the sections to improve CEDS focus and measurable impact
2. Including key elements such as workforce, broadband, energy, etc.
3. Emphasizing measurable goals/strategies rather than a stand-alone list
of projects
4. Integrating/leveraging other planning efforts and resources (cross-
pollinate)
5. Infusing economic resilience into the CEDS – broad definition
23. What are some key CEDS tools/resources?
1. CEDS Content Guidelines (https://eda.gov/ceds/)
2. CEDS Central (https://www.cedscentral.com/)
3. CEDS Resource Library (https://www.statsamerica.org/ceds)
4. National Economic Resilience Data Explorer (NERDE) (https://www.anl.gov/national-economic-resilience-data-
explorer-nerde)
5. CEDS/Hazard Mitigation Plan Alignment Resource Guide (https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/comprehensive-
economic-development-strategy-and-hazard-mitigation-plan-alignment-guide)
6. EDA USDA Rural Development Resources Joint Planning Guide
(https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/508F_RD_EDA_JointPlanningResourceGuide.pdf) and
7. EDA Economic Development Integration (EDI) (https://eda.gov/integration/funding-resources/)
24. What’s new with the CEDS?
New/updated sections of the CEDS Content Guidelines:
• Climate Resilience
• Equity
• Workforce Development
• Broadband
Goal = more economic development implementation projects focused on
bolstering these key areas
As usual: heavy on “recommended resources”. . .and no “one-size-fits-all”
approach
Planned release = Late-fall 2022
25. Questions?
David R. Ives, AICP (He/Him/His)
Deputy Director, Performance, Research and National Technical Assistance Division (PRNTAD)
Economic Development Administration
US Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
202.384.6469
dives@eda.gov
27. Regional Overview
Three Oregon and Two Washington
Counties
Population around 88k, largest city
around 14k
7289 square miles
About an hour from Portland Metro
Area
Columbia River Gorge National
Scenic Area
28.
29. • Washington State Extension
• Business (high tech) in Hood River County
• Business (restaurant, hospitality) in Sherman County
• Klickitat County Economic Development Department
• Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
• The Next Door Inc.
• Business (hospitality, real estate) in Hood River and Wasco Counties
• Wasco County Economic Development Commission/ Sherman County
Economic Development
• Port of Hood River and One Gorge
• Klickitat Valley Health
• Skamania Economic Development Council
Our Steering Committee
30. • Five County Commissioners
• Five Reps from the Cities of Each County
• Rep each from Oregon and Washington Ports
• Rep each from Oregon and Washington Chambers
• Seven (now eight) private sector reps from key industries,
Higher Ed, and Workforce
Also Our Board
31. • Local Governments: Counties, Cities
• Tribal Governments
• Regional Partners
• Ports, Utilities, Chambers of Commerce
• Industry Alliances, Business Leaders
• Legislators
• Federal/State Agency Partners and Funders
• General Public and Press
Regional Strategy Invited Participants
32. • March 31, 2021: COVID-19 Impacts and Resiliency
• April 28, 2021: Demographics and Data
• May 26, 2021: Sector Focus Areas
• June 30, 2021: Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats
• July 28, 2021: Vision and Goals
• September 1, 2021: Strategies
• October 6, 2021: Measuring Success, and Implementation
Public Sessions in the Regional Strategy Process
34. • Public Surveys
• Focus Groups held by
Trusted Partner: Two each
for Latino/a/Hispanic and
Native American
communities
Additional Outreach
35. Adoption Process
November 5, 2021: Annual Gorge Economic
Symposium, Draft Presentation.
December: Released for public comment.
Emailed to all partners mentioned.
January-March:
Annual process to collect county
priority projects and prioritize them
regionally.
Design work to improve usability.
Translation of summary into Spanish.
March 17, 2022: Adoption by MCEDD Board.
Submission to EDA for approval.
38. Vision
A bi-state Mid-Columbia region
with a resilient, thriving,
sustainable, rural economy
that supports equitable access
to diverse business
opportunities that act in
harmony with the area’s
unique qualities, values,
cultural and natural
resources.
39. Strengths/ Assets
• Scenic Beauty, Recreation,
Brand and Tourism Industry
• Central Location
• Availability of Transportation
Systems/ Modes
• Natural Resources
• Culture & History
• Diverse Industry Sectors
• Growing Business Sectors
• Human Capital
• Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Infrastructure
SWOT Analysis & Asset Mapping
Weaknesses
• Insufficient Housing Stock
• Education and Skilled Workforce
• Transportation
• Regulatory Environment
• Infrastructure
• Disparities Between States
• Preparedness
• Lack of Business Expansion
Space
• High Poverty Rate/ Economic
Disparity
40. Opportunities
• Growth of Value-Added Ag and
Ag Tech Businesses
• Expanding Tourism/ Arts/
Culture
• Synergy Across State Lines
• Quality of Life
• Leverage Natural Assets
• Connectivity
• Workforce Development
• Public Transportation
• Businesses/ Talent Attraction
SWOT Analysis & Asset Mapping
Threats
• Housing Shortage Impacts
• Education and Workforce
• Regulations
• Impacts of Population Growth
• Hazards/ Climate Change/
Resilience
• Water Access, Regulations
• Infrastructure Limitations
• Industry Diversification
42. Strong Businesses
Goal Statement: Enhance business innovation, retention
and expansion, and entrepreneurship through equitable
access to support services and capital, diversifying our
industry mix, and enhanced coordination to address
barriers to growth and sustainability.
43. Strong Businesses
Action Strategies
Strategy 1: Coordinate marketing efforts to increase awareness of existing business resources,
including spaces, lending, technical assistance, and others.
Strategy 2: Develop and enhance access to business space.
Strategy 3: Build and advocate for a local Business Support Network to support local businesses with
accessible opportunities to develop skills and access resources, particularly around innovation and
retention.
Strategy 4: Identify and address barriers and opportunities at the industry-sector level to support
industry cluster development with specific focus on target industries listed in the plan.
Strategy 5: Attract new businesses.
Strategy 6: Ensure that community services/ infrastructure are able to keep up with business growth.
Recognize the connections to infrastructure and quality of life as key supports for growing a business.
Strategy 7: Increase locally-available access to capital for entrepreneurs.
Strategy 8: Increase the ease of navigating the financial system.
Strategy 9: Increase opportunities for businesses to export products.
44. After Adoption
• Press release
• Distribution of print copies
• Presentations to key partners
• Individual meetings with key partners
• Working on tracking metrics
Kathy Upsprung
45. Many Thank Yous!
All Participants
Steering Committee
MCEDD Board
MCEDD Staff
The Next Door Inc.
Process Sponsors:
47. Questions and Conversation
What are you most looking forward to in developing/implementing your CEDS?
In what ways do you hope to improve upon your current CEDS document and
document?
What are your biggest concerns about the CEDS process?
What additional information/resources do you need to better support your
CEDS process?
How can the new EDD Community of Practice best assist with your CEDS needs?
48. Session Presenters
Brett Schwartz, Associate Director
NADO Research Foundation (DC)
David Ives, Deputy Director, Performance, Research and National
Technical Assistance Division (PRNTAD)
U.S. Economic Development Administration (DC)
Jessica Metta, Executive Director
Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (OR/WA)
Notas del editor
MCEDD case study, explain most recent CEDS experience, outreach and engagement, equity/inclusion, final document design and dissemination, overall best practices
Note where Multnomah Falls is. Talk about how I’ve gone through this process multiple times but never led it. Set it up mostly using past practices with some shifts.
The whole process was overseen by a Steering Committee made up of public and private partners representing a diversity of perspectives across the five-county region. I am grateful for all their time and energy.
Meeting individually with members for MCEDD. Sending out surveys and will link off our website. Building from other plans as well
Nearly 250 individuals on the distribution list
Send to our newsletter with over 1000 emails
Sent press releases
Committee members send through their networks as well
The strategy was developed over seven monthly meeting with more than 100 participants through out the series, plus additional feedback from online surveys and focus groups held with our Latinx and Native American communities. Throughout this process we explored the themes of resiliency and equitable outcomes. TALK ABOUT THEMES MORE
We will also use each session to explore one of our counties in more depth.
All ended up being virtual. Discuss past events in person with local tours. Lack of networking.
The strategy was developed over seven monthly meeting with more than 100 participants through out the series, plus additional feedback from online surveys and focus groups held with our Latinx and Native American communities. Throughout this process we explored the themes of resiliency and equitable outcomes. TALK ABOUT THEMES MORE
We will also use each session to explore one of our counties in more depth.
All ended up being virtual. Discuss past events in person with local tours. Lack of networking.
The vision developed by the group is ….
At the start of the process, the group analyzed strengths and assets, weakness, opportunities and threats. Just to note, different elements of a topic may appear as both strength and weakness, or opportunities and threats. This is a summary of those topics identified. Strengths and Assets included…. Weaknesses included….
Opportunities were…
While threats were…
From the vision and SWOT analysis, the group arrived at four priority goals for broad, regional expectations. Each comes with its own goal statement and supporting strategies, actions and metrics that follow.
In no particular order these are…
Kevin Waters
Kevin Waters
From here we will finalize the draft document and send out a notice when we have it open for public review and comment. I’m excited that this time we will be working with a graphic designer to ensure the finished product is easy to use in hard copy form and online. We have also started our annual process to collect key economic development projects from our five counties to include in the document. All of this will be presented to the MCEDD Board for approval in March 2022 and then sent to the US Economic Development Administration.
This plan and process was thanks to the many meeting participants, our dedicated steering committee and board, almost all of the MCEDD economic development staff, The Next Door for outreach to the Latinx and Native American communities and the sponsors NW Natural and the US Economic Development Administration. I am grateful for all the time and support that made this possible. So with that….
