Volume 1; Issue 2

Nominations for EDA ́s 2008 Excellence Awards Now Open

EDA's 2008 Economic Development Award nominations are now open. These

awards recognize exemplary economic development accomplishments in your

communities. Nomination information, such as categories, eligibility and selection

criteria, etc., is available at:

http://www.eda.gov/PDF/EDAawardsbrochure2008.pdf

EDA is accepting nominations through April 16, 2008.

For more information on EDA Excellence in Economic Development Awards 2008,

please contact Barbara Earman in EDA ́s Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

Division at 202-482-4521 or at awards@eda.doc.gov. 

EDA Broadcast Series returns in April

EDA ́s broadcast series will focus on “Connecting Regional Economies with the

Worldwide Marketplace.” The show will air on April 9, 2008.

Panelists will discuss how U.S. economic regions can capitalize on the expanding

opportunities offered by international markets and will discuss regional strategies

for growing exports, with a special focus on how businesses can take advantage of

Free Trade Agreements and attract foreign capital investment.

To learn how economic developers can respond to the changing dynamics of the

economy, check EDA.gov for updates.

EDA Federal Funding Opportunities

Funding Opportunities focused on regional curriculum implementation and 

economic development research 

EDA has published notification of the agency’s regional curriculum implementation

and economic development research funding opportunities. The regional

curriculum implementation opportunity seeks the nationwide dissemination of a

learning curriculum based on regionalism through workshops and other

communication methods. EDA’s research opportunities seek academic research to

advance understanding of the following three economic development topics:

Regional Innovation Systems – Throughout the United States, some

regions excel at finding and implementing innovative techniques to drive

growth, while others are less successful. EDA seeks to identify the reasons

for these divergent levels of success, including the role of key demographic,

socioeconomic, environmental, technological, and institutional factors in

explaining the performance of cities and their associated regions.

Urban Economic Development Policy - EDA is interested in research

proposals to explore the impact of the regional economic perspective on

distressed urban areas that have been unable to leverage growing 

metropolitan economies.

Global Economic Development Strategy – Local U.S. economies face an

ongoing challenge with the globalization of markets. EDA seeks rigorous

research that would ultimately assist in crafting improved versions of the

primary planning tool used by EDA recipients, the Comprehensive Economic

Development Strategy (CEDS), to include the worldwide marketplace.

These opportunities are posted on EDA’s Website at

www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml or search for EDA’s current funding

opportunities on the Grants.gov Website at www.grants.gov.

EDA Investment Takes Flight: The Duluth Aviation Business Incubator

While Duluth, Minnesota is well known as a major industrial shipping port on the

western shore of Lake Superior, it was the city’s international airport that drew

attention from the U.S. Economic Development Administration as a regional asset

for tapping into global markets. In 2001, EDA’s Chicago Regional Office invested

nearly $3.5 million with the City of Duluth to build the Duluth Aviation Business

Incubator within the airport. The City of Duluth matched that investment with

over $2.3 million to ensure growth in its local aviation market and increase

employment opportunities. 

Since its creation, the incubator has been leased and managed by the Cirrus

Design Corporation, which produces the best selling general aviation aircraft in

world. Founded in 1984, Cirrus is at the center of an aviation cluster that has

spurred employment growth in and around Duluth and as far away as Grand

Forks, North Dakota, where Cirrus also has fabrication facility. 

With both the majority of its manufacturing and all of its assembly done in Duluth,

Cirrus Design has become the city's largest manufacturer and a dominant firm in

its industry, now employing more than 950 people. In 2007, Cirrus exported 82

aircraft – an almost 30-fold increase since their first exports –continuing its

upward trend in the market and advancing the aviation cluster in the Duluth

region.

Cirrus recognizes that success in the 21st century global marketplace requires a

highly skilled workforce. To attract and retain highly skilled workers, Cirrus

Design relies in part on its above average salaries and highly competitive benefits

packages. Community leaders within Duluth also have kept pace with the growing

Click SUBSCRIBE to Learn 

about other Exciting EDA 

News 

APA ́s Economic Development

Toolbox Part One: First Steps

Welcome to the first installment of

the APA Economic Development 

Toolbox. Each month, we will

highlight strategies and methods that 

serve as a practical guide for 

community leaders planning for 

economic development. March ́s

update focuses on First Steps of the 

standard planning process - the 

identification of goals (values, 

principles, a vision) and actions 

(strategies, policies, investments, 

initiatives) that increase the odds of 

achieving maximum success in an 

affordable and cost-effective way. 

To learn more, visit the APA Website 

EDA’s Greater South Economic

Development Conference

EDA’s 2008 Regional Conference

Sustaining American Prosperity

into the 21st Century will be held

April 16 – 18, 2008, in New Orleans. 

The conference will focus on 

innovative ways to sustain and

improve economic growth in the 

American South in the face of

globalization, technological shifts and 

geopolitical uncertainty. Visit 

www.edaneworleans2008.com for 

more information and to register for

this event.

Coming Soon!

April 13-15, 2008

IEDC ́s Federal Economic

Development Forum, Alexandria, VA 

[Website]

April 16-18, 2008

Greater South Economic

Development Conference, New

Orleans [Website]

April 16-17, 2008

IEDC: Technology-Led Economic

Development (IEDC Professional 

Development Class) Alexandria, VA

[Website]

April 24-25, 2008

IEDC: Managing Economic

Development Organizations, 

Baltimore [Website]

April 27 - May 1, 2008

APA ́s 100th National Planning

Conference, Las Vegas [Website]

May 5-7, 2008 

National Brownfields Conference,

Detroit, (APA co-sponsor) [Website]

May 5-6, 2008

IEDC: Real Estate Development and

Reuse, Billings, MT [Website]

May 12-14, 2008
demand for high quality of life amenities. Employees of Cirrus and other local

companies enjoy high caliber schools, three nearby universities, and first-rate

medical facilities, which help make Duluth a great place to live and grow.

The EDA-supported Duluth Aviation Business Incubator continues to help Cirrus’

succeed as a growing exporter of world-class airplanes that feature

state-of-the-art materials, avionics, and designs. Moreover, the incubator is part

of a long-term strategy for the region that will help the Duluth region succeed in

the 21st century marketplace.

For more information on Cirrus Design, visit www.cirrusdesign.com

[Unsubscribe]

Beyond Innovation: Transforming

Our Regional Economies Through 

Partnerships, Cleveland

May 22, 2008

2008 National Summit on American 

Competitiveness [Website]

ETA’s Workforce Innovations

2008s

The U.S. Department of Labor,

Employment and Training

Administration’s flagship conference,

Workforce Innovations 2008:

Success Decoded, will be held July

l5 – l7, in New Orleans. Meet and

network with thousands of leaders

from workforce development,

economic development, business,

education, community-based

organizations, and philanthropy. 

Visit WorkforceInnovations.org for 

further information and to register. 

NTIA TV Converter Box 

Coupon Program

The National Telecommunications

and Information Administration 

(NTIA) is working to educate 

Americans about the TV Converter 

Box Coupon Program. NTIA would 

like to keep you updated with official 

information, events and materials 

designed to help you get the word 

out to your constituents about the 

upcoming digital TV transition and TV 

Converter Box Coupon Program. If 

you are interested in information 

about this program, please email 

DTV2009@ketchum.com with the 

word yes to subscribe. 

NTIA, part of the U.S. Department of 

Commerce, is playing an active role 

in the transition to digital television. 

NTIA administers and is the official 

source for information about the TV 

Converter Box Coupon Program. If it 

has not already, we hope your 

organization will join the nationwide 

network of nonprofits, government 

agencies and corporations dedicated 

to getting the word out about the 

Coupon Program and the historic 

transition from analog to digital 

television on February 17, 2009.