Success Stories

Montana attracts millions of visitors every year with its vast landscapes, natural beauty, and wildlife. The Big Sky State is one of the country’s largest by area, but is one of the least populated, home to less than 2 million residents and averaging less than seven people for every square mile of land. It is also home to eight federally recognized tribes.

Pennsylvania offers visitors a variety of destinations for travel and tourism. While some are drawn to the history and culture of Philadelphia, others prefer outdoor recreational opportunities, such as those available in the rural Pennsylvania Wilds.

Food Hubs play an important role in ensuring the success of food ecosystems across the country. In Farmington, New Mexico, the Harvest Food Hub & Kitchen at San Juan College provides a crucial link between consumers and the Northwest New Mexico farmers who grow their food.

When Centrepolis Accelerator launched just over five years ago, it only had capacity to help a couple startups bring their products to market.

For entrepreneurs, finding support for their potential business can be a challenge, especially for women, minorities, and those in rural communities. Fueled by a $250,000 Economic Adjustment Assistance (PDF) investment from EDA, a program in New Mexico was focused on improving access to entrepreneurial support by tapping into existing community resources.

Starting a small business can be a struggle, and for many entrepreneurs, knowing where to start can either make or break their potential business. Luckily, small businesses in Colorado Springs, Colorado can turn to an entrepreneurial support program, which will meet owners where they are and offer assistance every step of the way.

Exponential Impact launched in 2017, after Colorado Springs city leaders recognized a need for entrepreneurial support in the community.

Agriculture in California is more than just vineyards and avocado groves. According to data from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, farmers in the Golden State produce more than one-third of the United States’ vegetables, two-thirds of its fruits and nuts, and manage more dairy cows than any other place in the United States. In fact California is the largest food-producing state in the country, and a critical lynchpin in the nation’s agricultural ecosystem. It is also globally competitive, producing 80 percent of the world’s almonds and one-third of the world’s processed tomatoes, while remaining a significant exporter of citrus, sushi rice, and other crops. But issues of workforce, water, and land availability are coalescing to challenge the future of food in California.

With just two employees, the Mid-Shore Regional Council (MSRC) may be among the smallest of EDA’s economic development districts. But by leveraging the strength of its regional partners, the MSRC makes an enormous impact on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Economic Development Districts (EDD) play a vital role in the EDA grant application process. Comprised of multiple jurisdictions that often cross state lines, EDDs leverage the involvement of the public, private, and non-profit sectors to establish a strategic blueprint for economic development.

Whether it’s developing a business incubator, building new broadband infrastructure, or expanding a wastewater management system, economic development is often a heavy-lifting activity. Sometimes, though, no challenge is as great as bridging the divide between academia and practice. At the University of Oregon, the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) is helping Oregon’s economic development community remove the barriers that separate research from action.