Community Development is a comprehensive approach to Economic Development. The process involves managing community change by involving citizens in a dialogue on issues to decide what must be done (their shared Vision of the future), and then, involves them in doing it.
Often when communities fail it is because their citizens do not organize and
work toward common goals. Our President, Jack Vincent, was moved by this sign
he found in a small Oklahoma town in which he was performing an economic development
assessment. It shows how good people making valiant efforts fail because they
try to do it alone. Immediately below the business owner's sign was a copy of
an article clipped from a publication, "Ode To A Dying Town". Citizens can increase
their chances of success by using a comprehensive approach to development, Community
Development.
Activities Performed By Certified Community and Economic Developers Include:
- Community Economic Development Assessments
- Organizational Development
- Identifying stakeholders
- Organizing groups
- Working with volunteers
- Leadership Development
- Recruiting leaders
- Creating training and development activities
- Delivering training and development activities
- Economic Development
- Business recruitment
- Expansion and retention of existing businesses
- Brownfield Restoration
- Entrepreneur training/business incubation
- Fostering technology transfer to help existing business regain and retain their competitiveness.
- Public and Private Financing
- EDA and governmental grant writing
- Foundations and business grant writing
- Venture capital application writing
- Bank and financial institution loan application writing
- Community Land Use Planning and Research
- Industrial parks, commercial developments and residential developments
- Utilities
- Roads
- Ports and airports
- Parks and recreational centers
- Residential developments and redevelopment