Economic Development Certified Community Program

Criteria• Organization• Updated, consistent web presence• Comprehensive Community Assessment• Strategic Plan• Active Business & Retention Program• Local “Target” Identification• Building/Site availability – “controlled”• Infrastructure• Local financing/business assistance

Organization

• Lead agency?– By-laws or charter?– Staffing?– Local development entities’ coordination?

• Local government support & cooperation?– Village or city– County– Regional entity such as multi-county economic

development entity and/or economic development district

Comprehensive Assessment

• Assessment process within community?

• Economic development strategic plan– May be part of larger community plan, but

must have section with

Economic Development focus

or clearly defined economic

development goals

Business and Retention Program• Also known as “BR & E”

Business Climate-level of risk for leaving-satisfaction where doing business

WorkforceExpansion & Investment Plans

-growth potential

Business Assistance Programs• How do you actively communicate and work with

existing businesses?

“Target” Identification

• What is existing industry section?

• What are you trying to attract to your community?

• How did you arrive at those “targets”?

• Marketing plan to address targets?

*Timelines, responsible parties?

Training….• Any trainings conducted by DED or partners such as NPPD or

other utility providers •  Spring or Fall NEDA Conferences• DED Briefings held around state 2-3 times yearly• NPPD Briefings• “Winning Projects”, August of “08•  Any training conducted by site selectors or consultants such

as Wadley-Donovan or McCallum Sweeney• Heartland training•  EDI training (Economic Development Institute)•  MAEDC or IEDC training (Mid America Economic Development

Council & International Economic Development Council)

Mock Prospect Visit

• PROSPECT PROPOSAL

• PROJECT RESPONSE TEAM

• ON-SITE CLIENT VISITS

• MOCK PROSPECT VISIT

“Controlled” building or site

• Must be entered on LocationOne Information System (LOIS) and Nebraska Economic Development Information (NEDI)

• Title has no liens against it?

Infrastructure

• For controlled site..– Phase I environmental assessment complete?– Utility placement/redundancy?– Permit process/timelines?– Zoning?– Flood plain, wetlands, endangered species?

How do these items “fit” with targets?

Local FinancingBusiness Assistance

• Summarize local and/or regional financing options– Revolving loans?– LB 840?– CDBG reuse funds?– Private investment clubs?

• Incentives (financial and non-financial)• Business and Entrepreneurial

assistance?

Benefits of becoming an EDCC

• Better positioned for economic development opportunities

• Properly identified and documented as ready for economic development

• Marketed to business and industry• Publicly recognized as economic development leaders• ED CDBG points on scoring• Eligible to apply for “Downtown Revitalization”• Eligible to apply for “New Neighborhoods”• NIFA tax credit points

Recertification

• Long-Range – community strategic plan with economic

development component– funding plan

• Economic development evaluation from prior 3 years

• Local point of contact

Every three years, a community with EDCC designation must submit a recertification application…

Certified CommunitiesFebruary, 2010

For more information, contact: Linda Black linda.black@nebraska.gov(308) 991-2986