Best Practices/Toolkits

Looking for ideas of where to start your CEDS planning process or developing projects for future federal applications? Explore these resources to learn what other communities have done and how to structure your planning and implementation activities.

Predevelopment Toolkit

EDA provides this collection of tools, examples and more resources to assist economic development practitioners with the development or update of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for their community. The guidelines have been updated to incorporate strong principles of equity and resilience, and with new information to address workforce development and climate resilience, including through environmentally sustainable land use.

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Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Content Guidelines

EDA provides this collection of tools, examples and more resources to assist economic development practitioners with the development or update of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for their community. The guidelines have been updated to incorporate strong principles of equity and resilience, and with new information to address workforce development and climate resilience, including through environmentally sustainable land use.

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Economic Development Districts In Action

This case study series highlights the work of practitioners in the Economic Development District (EDD) Community of Practice. These stories demonstrate the wide breadth of programs, projects, and initiatives that EDA-designated EDDs support and implement to improve their regions, making them more resilient, prosperous, and better prepared for the future.

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Inclusive Recovery Toolkit

The Inclusive Recovery Toolkit is intended to support regional economic development leaders in elevating equity within their organization, planning and comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) development, and strategy and implementation as they approach recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Community Economic Diversification Roadmap

Many energy communities have faced economic uncertainty, closures, energy transitions, and other challenges stemming from hosting energy-generating infrastructure. This roadmap has compiled step by step resources, case studies, and strategies to help communities meet the challenges and opportunities associated with plant closure, energy transition, and economic diversification.

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