Strategic Planning for Economic Development. Moving Beyond the Overall Economic211 Development Program

摘要

This report is the outcome of an extensive collaborative process, and, as such,211u001emany people have helped shape the findings and recommendations. Besides the seven 211u001emembers of the grantee's project team, the study depended upon the crucial input 211u001eof an advisory committee consisting of about three dozen economic development 211u001eprofessionals from throughout EDA and officials from national organizations of 211u001eeconomic development agencies and practitioners. The grantee's objectives were to 211u001ereview, evaluate, and make recommendations on EDA's Overall Economic Development 211u001eProgram (OEDP), in order to increase the benefits of the regional planning 211u001eprocess and to enhance economic development capacity at the local level. After a 211u001eyear of interviews, surveys, focus groups, meetings, and presentations, the 211u001eauthors developed eleven recommendations in three areas; guidelines, 211u001erelationships, and capacity building. As the project concluded, the Economic 211u001eDevelopment Administration Reform Act of 1998 was passed by congress and signed 211u001eby the president. EDA now has a significant opportunity to use this report and 211u001ethe new Act to revitalize its local planning program.