Fostering Partnerships Between
States and Economic Development Districts
March 15, 2022
James Wheeler

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

An Opportunity to Meet the Moment
Pixabay

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)

Ryan Smith
EDA Data Evolution Lead, Policy Advisor for the Office of
Affairs
U.S. Economic Development Administration

Enhancing State-Local
Economic Development
Planning and Engagement
NADO & DDAA Washington Conference
Tuesday, March 15
Mereb Hagos

What?
Why?
How?
Key
Takeaways
on EDA
Project

What?
• A 24-month project funded by EDA for CREC and
partners to promote alignment across state and
regional economic development organizations

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

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

Task 1: Research
Project
Tasks
Task 2: Education
Task 3: Technical Assistance

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Thank You!
Questions?
Mereb Hagos
mhagos@CREC.net

Fostering Partnerships
Mark S. Goodman, CEcD
East Arkansas Planning & Development District

Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships

Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships

Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and
practice) of economic
development
1) Its “Regional”
• Regional Labor and Retail Markets
• Regional Promotion
• Regional Economics

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

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

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”

Community Response
The focus is shifting from business attraction /
retention to talent attraction / retention
This trend existed pre-pandemic, and has
further taken off

Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships

State & Districts
• Institutional “Unawareness”
What, exactly, do you do?
Defining economic
development
Organization alignment

Fostering Economic Development Partnerships
• The evolving nature (and practice) of economic
development
• Existing Economic Development Support
Infrastructure
• Strategies for Building Relationships

Strategies
1) Engage them where they are...
(ID needs, communicate value proposition)
2) Leverage traditional support structures
3) Create venues to promote our “Value”

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

2) Leverage traditional support structures
A. University centers
B. Federal partners
C. Local elected leaders and their associations
Be Active vs. Passive

3) Seek venues to promote our “Value”
A. State conferences
B. State association boards / committees
C. Local civic network engagements
Be Active vs. Passive

Communities+ Initiative
Data
Analytics
Mapping
Surveys

Analytics for Decision-making
Workforce
Retail Spending
Economic Base
Economic Impact

Mark S Goodman, CEcD
Economic Development & Resilience Specialist
East Arkansas Planning & Development District
mgoodman@eapdd.com
501-205-9192

Eastern Plains Council of Governments
NADO Washington Policy Conference
PARTNERSHIPS & ALLIANCES
Presented by
Raymond Mondragon- Governmental Specialist
Vincent Soule- Deputy Director
www.epcog.org

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.

NewMarc Partners

STATE & FEDERAL PARTNERS

FEDERAL PARTNERS

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.

https://portstoplains.com/about-us/