EVANSVILLE, Ind. (October 28, 2023) – The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) was recently awarded a $60,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), a federal agency of the Department of Commerce, to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick, and Gibson counties. Assistance for the project comes from the EDA’s $30.7 million budget for Partnership Planning awards, designed to build capacity and guide economic prosperity and resiliency in an area or region.
“We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with the EDA,†said Tara Barney, CEO of E-REP. “This CEDS will be a key enabler for our region; serving as a guide toward becoming more resilient, equitable and regionally competitive, and allowing us to continue to build on our recent success in regional collaboration. The CEDS and our strengthened relationship with the EDA allows us greater access to tools and funding through the EDA as well as other federal agencies.†In addition to the federal planning support, E-REP is contributing an additional $60,000 through in-kind services via staff time.
Next steps include releasing a request for proposals and selecting an experienced consultant while forming a regional strategy committee to guide the plan and implement recommendations. The regional strategy committee will be comprised of individuals throughout the four-county region representing a variety of economic development interests, employer sectors, and units of government.
“The roughly year-long effort to draft the CEDS will be followed by an opportunity for public comment,†said Josh Armstrong, Senior Vice President for Economic Development for E-REP. “Expect our submission of the CEDS plan in late 2024.†Submission of an application to be designated an Economic Development District (EDD) will follow the EDA’s approval of the CEDS. Upon this designation, a governing board will guide the efforts of the EDD, and support efforts by specific communities to seek federal funds from the EDA.
About the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership
The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) leads economic development efforts for the Evansville, Indiana region and elevates the overall quality of life through transformational projects, planning, advocacy, and business engagement. Additionally, E-REP supports the attraction, startup, and growth of regional businesses. For more information, visit evansvilleregion.com
