Regional Economic Development Strategy Approved by EDA

New London:  The Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer) received notice on January 5 that its recently completed Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for southeastern Connecticut was approved by the Economic Development Administration (EDA).  The CEDS will provide a blueprint for the region’s municipalities and organizations in planning for sustainable economic development in the next five years.  EDA requires that regions throughout the country prepare a CEDS every five years, and the agency uses the document in determining federal support for infrastructure projects that contribute to economic development.  The State of Connecticut also requires an EDA approved CEDS in order to support grant making within a region.

The EDA commented in their letter of approval that the CEDS provides “…a wealth of information about the region.  It also illustrates a very proactive process that includes not only stakeholders, but citizens of the region.”

“seCTer’s Board of Directors, acting as the CEDS Strategy Committee, is very pleased to have received this approval from EDA, particularly since the turnaround time from its submission on December 5, 2011 to its approval was a very quick two weeks,” said Mark Oefinger, Chairman of seCTer’s Board.  “The comprehensiveness of our regional CEDS was made possible by the engagement and input of several hundred stakeholders, businesses and citizens of the region, and EDA recognized this as a particular strength in our report.”

The regional CEDS is available for reading and/or downloading on seCTer’s web site: www.secter.org.  For further information please contact Deborah Donovan at 860.437.4659, or at ddonovan@secter.org.