A brochure introducing your state, province, community, region, or area to prospects for industrial, commercial, retail, or general development and investment opportunities. The most effective brochures create a positive image of the area for its quality of life and cultural, educational, or other attributes.
A brochure designed for a specific purpose, such as promoting an industrial park or other specific types of promotions.
A promotional piece (other than a brochure), series of promotional pieces or a promotional campaign including but not limited to a folder, poster, print ad, direct mail campaign or other campaign.
A promotional piece, series of promotional pieces or promotional campaign that contains non-printed elements. This can include videos or mailed promotional items.
A report summarizing an economic development organization's annual activities and/or fiscal highlights.
One or a series of two or more paid black-and-white or color advertisements with a common economic development theme published on the web or in a print medium such as a newspaper or magazine.
A publication that is published regularly which addresses economic development issues or informs readers of the activities of your development organization.
A meeting, seminar, marketing tour, event, or trip designed to develop prospects and promote economic development.
A specialized website designed for a specific purpose such as promoting community data/demographics, sites and buildings, tourism or other specific types of marketing related to economic development. The website must be for a single specific purpose and have a unique URL to demonstrate it is separate from a primary website.
This award recognizes innovation in economic development through the deployment of new media formats. It stresses the innovative use of technology to further economic development initiatives (all types of initiatives are eligible such as marketing, BRE, entrepreneurship development, or talent attraction).
A program, initiative, or creation of business improvement districts, special improvement districts, workforce investment boards, redevelopment agencies, local economic development corporations that fosters economic development. Applicants should be able to demonstrate results over a minimum period of three years of operation in a manner that has been documented.
This award honors economic development initiatives that focus on retaining and growing existing businesses within communities and regions. Applicants should demonstrate extensive cross-community collaboration, and the ability to adapt and respond quickly to unforeseen events. This award recognizes single events in which a community successfully mobilized to retain and/or expand an existing business.
This award honors economic development initiatives that focus on retaining and growing existing businesses within communities and regions. Applicants should demonstrate extensive cross-community collaboration, and the ability to adapt and respond quickly to unforeseen events. This award recognizes effective, innovative BRE programs or initiatives which have been established for a minimum of 3 years.
This award recognizes programs, policies, or initiatives that nurture and support individuals or emerging small businesses to develop their ideas, products, and/or services into viable, competitive businesses. This can include, but is not limited to, providing access to finances, services, experts, networks, mentors, technology transfer, management resources, and fast learning environments.
This award recognizes innovative programs that stimulate economic development on a neighborhood scale. It includes the range of strategies or initiatives that seek to facilitate the revitalization or redevelopment of distressed or devastated neighborhoods including business-oriented, people-oriented, place oriented, and community-building efforts.
This award distinguishes economic development efforts that develop strategic approaches to meet one or more of following objectives: 1) strengthening the skills of the workforce; 2) increasing and developing the pool of knowledge workers, including youth in the pipeline; 3) enhancing the skill sets of low-skilled and other disadvantaged workers; and 4) better integrating and aligning economic and workforce development activities through systematic attempts at building a workforce system; and 5) talent attraction through initiatives such as direct recruitment, relocation guides, and marketing campaigns.
This award recognizes programs dedicated to improving the quality of life within a community through focused, innovative, and inclusive initiatives that incorporate the unique experiences and knowledge of underserved members of the community. These programs promote economic equity and inclusion and/or provide increased access to government and community resources to an underserved populace. The three year program requirement is reduced to one year for this category.
This award recognizes outstanding achievement by a young, emerging leader in the economic development profession. Applicants must self-nominate and should detail their significant career achievements to date and the impact of those achievements on their economic development organization and the community as a whole, and also explain how they see these achievements contribute to the advancement of economic development as a profession. Each self nomination should be accompanied by a minimum of one, and not more than three, letters of endorsement on behalf of the applicant, from their supervisor, board chair, or other significant leader in the community who is actively involved with the applicant's organization (e.g., a mayor or other senior elected official, a key business leader). Nominations must not exceed five typed double spaced pages; letters of endorsement should be no more than two pages and must be submitted in conjunction with the application. Applicants must be no more than 35 years of age on the deadline submission date set by IEDC for that year's awards competition in order to be eligible for this award and must note their date of birth on their application.
This award recognizes an elected official who has served as a committed advocate for economic development for at least 10 years in the public sector. Nominees must have demonstrated sustained and effective efforts to mobilize community groups and industry leaders in the development of programs and projects, played a key role in the planning and designing of new economic development activities, and displayed dedication and commitment to his/her constituency as a leader and advocate for economic development.
This award recognizes a leader of a community institution (university, community college, hospital, local foundation or other community institution) who has made significant contributions to the community in support of economic development through their leadership, financial support, local investments, hiring, training or related activities. Nominees, though not economic developers themselves, should demonstrate a sustained effort in the promotion and support of local economic development program.
(Entry fee waived.) This award recognizes an individual federal program director who has gone above and beyond in administering a federal economic development program.
(Entry fee waived.) This award recognizes a member of Congress who has made significant contributions in the area of economic development. The award is given to a leader for his/her continuous support for economic development, and/or for intense work on a single piece of legislation.
Entry Fee Waived. Nominations will be considered for the following honorary designations for long-standing active IEDC members.
Fellow Member (FM) status is conferred upon active IEDC members who have attained unusual stature in the field of economic development and closely related disciplines. Unusual stature is defined as significant contributions to the profession through service to the Council and/or academic endeavors directly related to the practice of economic development.
Honorary Lifetime Member (HLM) status is conferred upon active or former members of IEDC who have furthered the profession of economic development and have been a teacher or inspiration on the part of the profession to others in many communities. One individual will be recognized for lifelong commitment to excellence in economic development.