With historic amounts of federal funds being allocated to support pandemic recovery, state economic development offices and regional Economic Development Districts need to work well together now more than ever. This session will explore strategies and best practices for how states and EDDs can better coordinate their efforts to achieve better outcomes and meet local, regional, and statewide goals. Presenters will share regional and state-level perspectives as well as recent research emerging from a current capacity building project to support better regional-state partnerships.
2. Today’s session is co-sponsored by: With funding support from:
“Enhancing State and Local EDD Engagement to Support COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency” is prepared by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC)
using Federal funds under award ED21HDQ3070060 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings,
conclusions, and recommendations are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Economic Development Administration or the U.S.
Department of Commerce.
Enhancing State and Local EDD Engagement
to Support COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency
4. Our Panel
Brett Schwartz, Associate Director
NADO Research Foundation (DC)
Ryan Smith, EDA Data Evolution Lead, Policy Advisor for the Office of Regional Affairs
U.S. Economic Development Administration (DC)
Mereb Hagos, Program Manager
Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (VA)
Mark Goodman, Community Resiliency Specialist
East Arkansas Planning & Development District
Raymond Mondragon, Governmental Specialist Eastern
Plains Council of Governments (NM)
Vincent Soule, Deputy Director
Eastern Plains Council of Governments (NM)
5. Ryan Smith
EDA Data Evolution Lead, Policy Advisor for the Office of
Affairs
U.S. Economic Development Administration
8. What?
• A 24-month project funded by EDA for CREC and
partners to promote alignment across state and
regional economic development organizations
9. Why?
• State and local economic development strategies
and investments are often poorly aligned and not
very well coordinated
• States tend to operate independently of EDA
supported initiatives, including those identified in
regional CEDS
10. How?
• Through applied research, education, and technical
assistance, this project will enable state and local
leaders to create jobs and achieve economic
recovery through better:
Coordination of investments
Alignment of efforts to grow key industry clusters
Leverage common tools
12. Task 1: Research
• Develop matrix of current states’ economic development
strategies and initiatives mapped against CEDS plans
• Prepare best practice guide to inform efforts to increase
alignment, collaboration, and co-investment between states
and local EDDs
• Research and add new content for USACompetes.com
website
13. Task 2: Education
• Engage state leaders through a state-EDA working group to amplify EDA’s priority
tools and resources and create interaction opportunities
• Develop self-paced and instructor-led educational content for priority interests
• Develop self-paced and peer-led virtual curriculum for new state economic
development leaders
• Deliver relevant educational content at least twice per year to key constituencies
from SEDE, NADO/DDAA, SIDO, AMCC, ARC/DRA, etc.
• Deliver 15 webinars on topics targeted to state economic development leaders
14. Task 3: Technical Assistance
• Conduct a hands-on technical assistance engagement with 5-7 states through a
‘Policy Academy cohort’ process aimed at refining state economic recovery and
development strategies and integrating outcomes with local CEDS
• Deliver additional on-site and virtual technical assistance
efforts through partner conferences or peer exchanges
• Conduct outreach and technical assistance to incorporate international
engagement strategies into local CEDS
• Deliver bi-annual meetings of state economic development agency leaders
15. State Economic
Development
Executives (SEDE)
network
NADO (economic
development
district
leaders)
SIDO (state
international
trade
leaders)
AMCC (American
Manufacturing
Communities
Collaborative)
CREC is engaging several
national networks to reach
key stakeholders…
…to participate in organizing the applied research,
developing and deploying educational materials, and
providing technical assistance to states and regions.
16. Deeper Dive on Selected
Tasks/Deliverables:
Update and
upgrade of
USACompetes.com
website
Course for
new state
economic
development
leaders
Alignment
Matrix
Discussion
sessions on
emerging
topics and
Webinars
Policy
Academy
for 6
states
17. Project Update
• Alignment Matrix – states and EDDs
30 states completed
Fuel Best Practices Guide
• Webinars
Strengthening Connections Between States and Economic Development Districts
Identifying Priorities from Treasury Relief Spending
International Trade as a Component of a State’s Economic Strategy
DEI and Manufacturing (March 30)
Remote Worker Attraction (April 5)
Recordings and registration available at: https://www.stateeconomicdevelopment.org
18. Project Update
• Educating Stakeholders and Receiving Feedback
NADO’s Fall Conference
DDAA/NADO Spring Policy Conference
SIDO Forum
AMCC Calls
• State Leader Meeting
Preparing meeting at SelectUSA Summit in June
• Exploring Options for Policy Academy
19. Project Update
USACompetes.com – toolkit for attracting FDI and promoting exports
Updated format and content
New emphasis on state-local collaboration on international engagement
Regional Leadership Discussions
Bringing together EDA and states in each region
State ED Leadership Curriculum
Identified participants and beginning work on topics
20. Preliminary Findings
Research
• CEDS are frequently aligning with states on strategies focused on:
Workforce development
Industry cluster development
Administration and governance
• CEDS are not often aligning with states on technology-based economic
development, transportation infrastructure, and business development and
assistance strategies.
• 18% of CEDS collected had at least one strategy on international trade and
investment
21. Preliminary Findings
Polling and Discussions
• About two-thirds of EDDs surveyed reported fair or poor 1) collaboration with
state or 2) alignment with state ED strategy
• State plans often don’t cover all factors present in CEDS – e.g., housing and
workforce
• Key reported barriers to collaboration included resource constraints, poor
communication, and lack of respect for EDDs.
24. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships
25. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships
26. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and
practice) of economic
development
1) Its “Regional”
• Regional Labor and Retail Markets
• Regional Promotion
• Regional Economics
27. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and
practice) of economic
development
2) Its about “Quality of Living” too...
• Attracting & Retaining Business
• Attracting & Retaining Talent
28. Quality of Living Factors
• Economic environment
• Housing
• Medical / health
• Natural environment
• Political / social environment
• Public services
• Recreation
• Retail goods and services
• Schools
Source: Mercer’s Quality of Living Factors
29. What Matters Most?
Area Development
Corporation’s survey of
corporate executives
(Top 20)
http://www.areadevelopment.com/corpSurveyResults/
Site Selection
Factors
2018
1 Availability of Skilled Labor
2 Labor Costs
3 Highway Accessibility
4 Corporate Tax Rates
5 Tax Exemptions
6 Quality of Life
7 State and Local Incentives
8 Energy Availability and Cost
9 Available Buildings
10 Occupancy/Construction Costs
11 Available Land
12 Low Union Profile
13 Proximity to Suppliers
14 Proximity to Major Markets
15 Right-to-Work State
16 Training Programs/Tech Colleges
16t Environmental Regulations
18 Inbound/Outbound Shipping Costs
19 Expedited Permitting
20 Accessibility to Major Airport
2021: “Labor
Costs,
Taxes/Incentives,
Quality of Life
Taking Priority”
30. Community Response
The focus is shifting from business attraction /
retention to talent attraction / retention
This trend existed pre-pandemic, and has
further taken off
31. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships
32. State & Districts
• Institutional “Unawareness”
What, exactly, do you do?
Defining economic
development
Organization alignment
33. Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships
34. Strategies
1) Engage them where they are...
(ID needs, communicate value proposition)
2) Leverage traditional support structures
3) Create venues to promote our “Value”
35. 1) Engage them where they are...
A. State economic development agencies
B. Other State entities
C. Local EDOs, chambers, utilities
D. State planning conferences
E. State economic development conferences
Be Active vs. Passive
36. 2) Leverage traditional support structures
A. University centers
B. Federal partners
C. Local elected leaders and their associations
Be Active vs. Passive
37. 3) Seek venues to promote our “Value”
A. State conferences
B. State association boards / committees
C. Local civic network engagements
Be Active vs. Passive
40. Mark S Goodman, CEcD
Economic Development & Resilience Specialist
East Arkansas Planning & Development District
mgoodman@eapdd.com
501-205-9192
41. Eastern Plains Council of Governments
NADO Washington Policy Conference
PARTNERSHIPS & ALLIANCES
Presented by
Raymond Mondragon- Governmental Specialist
Vincent Soule- Deputy Director
www.epcog.org
42. An initiative of the New Mexico
Economic Development Department,
FUNDIT is an alliance of 20+ agencies
and public/private organizations
working to increase funding and
leverage finance opportunities for
communities across the state. Our
mission is to catalyze economic
development to benefit New Mexico’s
communities. Council of Governments
are a vital piece of this partnership.
46. PARTNERSHIPS
Future Interstate Highway:
As a result of the Interstate Feasibility Study conducted by the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT), in the 117th Congress, H.R. 1608 was filed in the U.S. House of
Representatives and S. 705 in the U.S. Senate to designate the future interstate in
Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado. Efforts continue to include this
designation in the transportation reauthorization being considered by Congress.
Economic Development:
An estimated $96 billion is being exported between Corridor states, but with a robust
transportation system the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) projects that number could go up
to $195 billion by 2040. Additionally, Corridor communities are able to attract new primary
industries by providing a highway system that allows for the successful and timely transport of
those products to other markets. the Corridor helps fuel $280 billion in trade with Canada and
Mexico, which is more than 25% of all U.S. trade with those countries.
Develop matrix of current states’ ED strategies and initiatives mapped against CEDS plans to highlights gaps in collaboration
Prepared best practices guide to inform efforts aimed at increasing alignment, collaboration and co-investment between states and locals EDDs
Develop guidelines for integrating int’l engagement content into the CEDS process and add to the USACompetes.com website to increase the emphasis on global connections in the state and regional CEDS
NADO:
Support project team with the creation of the state/EDD matrix
Support project team with the development of the Best Practices Guides
Engage state-leaders in state-EDA working group to amplify EDA’s priority tools and resources and create interaction opportunities
Develop education content to inform priority issues – workforce talent development, supply chain, grant writing for persistent underserved communities
Develop peer-led online curriculum to guide new state ED leaders as they align state efforts with the broader EDO ecosystem and enhance working relationship with EDDs and CEDS - onboarding
Deliver educational content in person and virtually to improve understanding of the importance of collaboration and to expand adoption of best practices among key constituencies – SEDE, NADO, CSG, etc.
Deliver 12 webinars on topics targeted to state ED leaders to leverage state resources to support EDA priorities
NADO:
Contribute content and identify/recruit potential speakers on priority issues
Deliver up to 3 training modules as part of peer-led online curriculum
Provide space at NADO conferences for trainings/networking
Deliver up to 3 webinars on relevant topics
Deliver onsite and virtual TA efforts via partner conferences or peer exchanges to increase adoption of collaborative initiatives
Conducts hands-on TA engagement with 6 states through Policy Academy cohort process to refine state economic recovery and development strategies to better integrate outcomes with those in CEDS and promote equity
Conduct outreach and TA to incorporate int’l engagement strategies into local CEDS
Convene bi-annual meetings of state economic development agency leaders to advance effective practice and better align with EDA goals
NADO:
Support project team with delivery of Policy Academy
Support project team by providing space at NADO conferences for training/networking
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EDDs are often used as a resource not a partner
Political environment can make collaborating challenging
EDDs want institutional relationships that go beyond current players
40% reported collaborating with their state on an EDA grant application in 2021
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WE TALK ABOUT FACTORS OF LOCATION... AND MOST HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS...
HERE’S WHAT COMPANIES ARE SAYING ABOUT
Availability of Labor
Labor Costs
6. QOL
Taxes and Incentives – 4,5,7
SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT QOL IS BECOMING WITH WHAT’S BECOMING TODAY’S WORKFORCE
RE-CREATE CHART HERE