Windham Region: Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) has announced the projects submitted for inclusion in the 2015 CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies) along with the list of 14 projects ranked at Vital Projects at a Press event held at the New England Center for Circus Arts at the Cotton Mill Hill studio. Vital Projects are the top ranked projects in terms of alignment and potential to advance the goals and objectives of the CEDS.
NECCA’s expansion and building project is one of the 14 projects included in the Vital Projects. Other top Vital Projects include the Retreat Farm revitalization project and the Green Building and Services Cluster Analysis for the Greater Windham Region, which received Federal funding from the Economic Development Administration as well as the Windham County Economic Development Fund from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. All CEDS Projects have been reviewed annually for inclusion in the Windham Region CEDS. Every project submitted is included in the CEDS. CEDS projects not ranked as Vital Projects are listed alphabetically in SeVEDS publications.
CEDS Projects are submitted as significant activities which are happening around the region that can help implement the CEDS. Projects are given priority based on their regionality, impact on raising wage parity and/or creating or sustaining jobs in the region, growing and/or retaining new businesses or products, ability to leverage regional assets, contribute to and/or sustain the quality of place in our region. Examples of projects can include activities which promote economic development and opportunity, foster effective transportation access, enhance and protect the environment, maximize effective development and use of the workforce consistent with any applicable State or local workforce investment strategy or promote the use of technology in economic development, including access to high-speed telecommunications.
The Windham region S.M.A.R.T CEDS is the five year federally recognized regional economic development plan which the public and private sectors collaborated to create in 2013. A CEDS must be the result of an ongoing economic development planning process, developed with broad-based and diverse public and private sector participation, and must include a section listing all suggested projects. A CEDS also contains a section identifying and prioritizing vital projects, programs and activities that address the region’s greatest needs or that will best enhance the region’s competitiveness. Progress on all of the goals and projects is updated annually.
For a complete list of the 2015 CEDS Projects, please go to: http://www.brattleborodevelopment.com/_files/docs/full2015cedsprojectslisteditedfinal.pdf
Contact: Kristin Mehalick
SeVEDS Projects Manager
Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies
kmehalick@brattleborodevelopment.com
802-257-7731
