NRDP-EDA Partnerships
Here are some of the successful partnerships that State Councils have had with the Economic Development Agency. For more information, contact Office of Community Development Desk Officer Ella Ennis.
The Inland Northwest Economic Adjustment Strategy, currently in Phase 2 (as of 2001), is an attempt by Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana to secure federal funding support to help natural resource-dependent communities implement economic diversification strategies for continued economic sustainability. Idaho Rural Partnership catalyzed Idaho's participation in this regional project, negotiated terms of participation to focus on socioeconomic issues and not natural resource policies directly, recruited the Idaho team, provided seed funding, helped design and manage the project and select a consultant, and provided numerous external project briefings to the Washington Office of Community, Trade, and Economic Development. The Office of Governor Dirk Kempthorne sanctioned Idaho's participation in this regional effort, approved an advisory committee delegation from Idaho, and offered matching support for a grant provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
The Idaho Rural Partnership oversaw a feasibility study to examine development of a bio-control center to be administered by the Nez Perce Tribe. Under this concept, a facility would be established to provide consulting services and to collect and distribute beneficial insects used to control noxious weeds. The study showed that with relatively modest start-up grant funding, a center could be profitable from the start. The Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee approved the project, hiring an executive director in February 1999 to head the Nez Perce Bio-control Center. Sales in 1999 reached $23,000, and a three-person staff has been fully employed in 2000. The Center, recognized as the central bio-control coordinating point in Idaho by the state weed coordinating committee, has been approved for a $400,000 EDA grant to build its first facility and is completing an environmental assessment to select its first insect-rearing site on tribal land. This enterprise eventually will be self-supporting on a fee-for-service basis and will promote sustainable development and tribal employment.
To meet its goal of increasing and assisting entrepreneurial efforts in the state, the Iowa Rural Development Council sponsored a workshop series for existing and potential home-based businesses from January to March 2001. The eight-site series provided content designed to educate potential entrepreneurs on the importance of home-based, technology-driven businesses and help those already operating home-based businesses become more profitable. The series allowed 121 home-based business owners to learn about the Iowa Enterprise Network (IEN), the state's home-based business association, and its resources and benefits. EDA provided a $7,500 grant that helped initiate the IEN, and continues to serve actively on its Advisory Board. In addition to developing promotional materials (printed with the assistance of USDA-RD, another active participant in this project), IRDC organized the meetings, provided administrative assistance, and helped secure sponsorship for the series. SBA provided extensive technical assistance to the Council and IEN and helped identify sites and individuals at each location who would organize the sessions. The Small Business Development Centers in each community hosted the events, recruited panels of area home-based businesses, and provided promotional assistance.
Iowa Rural Development Council and its partnering organizations established the Mandates Management Initiative as a pilot program in 1998. Patterned after Nebraska's highly successful Mandates Management Program, the initiative is designed to help small communities and rural governments cope with and understand public health and environmental laws, regulations, and issues. The initiative proposes use of a service-provider team of resource agencies to work directly with rural community leaders to identify and prioritize environmental non-compliance projects and necessary improvements. The teams take a holistic approach to community development and assist with housing, workforce development, transportation, and other community and economic development opportunities identified by local leaders. Federal agencies partnering with IRDC on this effort include USDA-Rural Development, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The FORVM for Rural Maryland was integral in establishing two EDA-eligible regional planning and development councils on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In late 2000, the Governor's Task Force on Eastern Shore Economic Development called for the creation of the councils to coordinate development policy. The FORVM, working with state legislators, spearheaded the effort to bring state and local officials together to draft appropriate legislation and move it through the legislative process. As a result, bills were passed that created the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Mid-Shore Regional Council. Each Council will receive $200,000 in state funds. Also as a by-product of this effort, another regional council (the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland) was able to see its state funding increased from $42,000 to $200,000 annually. The FORVM served on the organizing committees of both new regional councils, which drafted bylaws, filed appropriate legal documents, and established criteria for the firing of the new executive directors. The new EDs started their work in January 2002.
In May 2001, Montana Rural Development Partners coordinated three forums for the Inland Northwest Economic Adjustment Strategy project. These meetings drew over 160 participants. Sponsors and partners included the Montana Department of Commerce, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)-Montana, Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation, and local Chambers of Commerce. Western and part of central Montana lie within what is known as the Inland Northwest Region, an area encompassing 97 counties in Oregon, eastern Washington, western Montana, and Idaho that share similar economic difficulties. Distressed economic conditions in this region have resulted from the marked decline in the timber industry, reduced export demand for farm and forest products, and stiff competition from foreign producers. Concerned citizens and officials of the four states have formed a partnership to help bring assistance to these communities, with each state holding public forums to gather input from citizens of affected communities. This information is being incorporated into a plan that will build support for needed resources and support at the state and federal level. In supporting this project, MT RDP developed a mailing list of potential participants, provided publicity, coordinated logistics, and served as facilitator for each Montana forum. MT RDP also prepared summary reports of each session. The Montana Department of Commerce provided grant funding and representation at each meeting.
Duluth, Minnesota was host to the Joint International Summit on Community and Rural Development in July 2001. Over 1,200 community and rural leaders from Minnesota, 47 states, and 15 countries gathered to discuss development activities to strengthen their communities. Minnesota Rural Partners led and coordinated this event, which combined MRP's Minnesota Rural Summit, the annual meeting of the International Community Development Society, and the annual leadership conference of the National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP). The summit offered over 60 concurrent sessions, 7 mobile workshops, 9 professional development sessions, 80 learning stations, presentations by Governor Jesse Ventura, a poverty panel of national experts, and a policy discussion that included representation from the European Union, the State of Minnesota, and the National Association of Counties. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson concluded the summit with the announcement of HHS's major Rural Initiative, which is evaluating the rural aspects of every program within HHS. The Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development, the University of Minnesota, and the Northwest Area Foundation -- the summit's major sponsors -- provided financial and programmatic support and representation from state, education, and foundation communities. USDA-RD, EDA, and HUD employees were heavily involved in the conception, planning and implementation of the summit. Each of these agencies also provided money to reduce registration fees and provide scholarships for some participants.
Minnesota Rural Partners is continuing its efforts by facilitating expanded discussions on bio-mass energy with the potential to develop a new industry, and a more environmentally-friendly energy source. The economic potential for this new industry has made the Economic Development Administration a key partner. MRP's Executive Director served on the MN River Citizens Committee that gives oversight to a variety of projects occurring in the MN River Watershed. In this effort, the MRP is raising awareness and promoting good conservation processes and practices, assisting development of a tree growing industry in Minnesota, and supporting the work of the RC&D councils.
The North Dakota Rural Development Council assisted the coordination of a joint effort between, the (Bismarck-based) United Tribes Technical College Board of Directors, EDA, USDA-RD, and the Lewis and Clark Regional Planning Council resulting in the packaging of the necessary funds allowing for the complete upgrading of the (early-1900 era), underground water and sewage collection systems on their 105 acre campus. UTTC is the only tribally-owned and controlled American Indian family vocational training facility in the United States.
To help support existing businesses and develop new enterprises, the Oregon Rural Development Council hosted an Enterprise Facilitation meeting in 2000. Enterprise Facilitation gives communities a focused approach to fund a board of 20-25 people, whose sole purpose is to introduce one person (the enterprise facilitator) to three friends every month. These introductions often generate viable business ideas and create critical linkages to pursue these ideas. As one of the featured speakers at the meeting, the city manager of Baker City shared the Enterprise Facilitation proposal to ORDC members and representatives of the U.S. Economic Development Administration, USDA/Rural Development, and the Oregon Economic Community Development Department. Since this meeting, all three sources have provided funding and technical assistance to establish Enterprise Facilitation boards in two eastern Oregon communities. As of June 2001, 13 new companies have been founded, creating 51 new jobs, and an additional 10 companies are poised to open.
The South Carolina Influential Sectors Program was established in January 2001 to assess the causes of persistent poverty in the South Carolina 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts. The State Committee and Congressional District committees on poverty are tasked with collecting data and presenting a report to the Governor and Legislature in early 2002. The goal of the initiative is to identify state laws or regulations that may be contributors to pervasive poverty in rural areas and recommend changes in legislation that will help alleviate the problems. With the assistance of the South Carolina Rural Development Council, the committees co-hosted a series of outreach sessions in communities within the two Congressional districts. The Council provided technical assistance, data, speakers, and funding resources for each of these meetings. EDA is also providing technical assistance to the project, as well as some funds. These meetings enabled the committees to meet face-to-face with community leaders, agencies, and organizations with interests in economic development in rural areas. Data collected will be used to compile the report to the Governor and the state legislature. As the project continues, the Council will continue to be a value-added resource to provide logistics and data support to the committees.
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