The Centralina Regional
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
“No Boundaries Report”
What is a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)?
A CEDS is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen regional economies. The CEDS analyzes the regional economy and serve as a guide for establishing regional goals and objectives, developing and implementing a regional plan of action, and identifying investment priorities and funding sources. A CEDS integrates a region’s human and physical capital planning in the service of economic development.
Integrated economic development planning provides the flexibility to adapt to global economic conditions and fully utilize the region’s unique advantages to maximize economic opportunity for its residents by attracting the private investment that creates jobs for the region’s residents. The CEDS is a continuing economic development planning process developed with broad-based and diverse public and private sector participation, which sets forth the goals and objectives necessary to solve the economic development problems of the region and clearly define the metrics of success. Finally, a CEDS provides a useful benchmark by which a regional economy can evaluate opportunities with other regions in the national economy.
What areas does our CEDS region encompass?
It includes the counties of Anson, Cabarrus, Gastonia, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Stanly, Rowan and Union.
The Centralina Regional CEDS:
The Centralina Regional CEDS, entitled “No Boundaries”, was completed in 2007 and identified several key regional priorities for the 2007-2012 five year plan:
Incorporating Advanced Manufacturing in all business sector that can adopt it
- Expand research and development by focusing on bio-technology, motorsports, optoelectronics, and energy related industries
- Improve the region’s workforce through preparedness through literacy and skill development programs
- Enhance the distribution network for the region
- Develop a culture that promotes entrepreneurship
To learn more about the background and the development of the No Boundaries report follow the links below:
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Background Report
- This background report provides an overview of our region’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improving the economy.
No Boundaries: Final Recommendations
- The second part of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, this report outlines a plan for stakeholders to bring about sustainable economic prosperity in the region. The report includes key findings of the Community Assessment Report, identifies Regional Priority Projects and Target Industries, and lists Implementation Strategies and Recommendations.
No Boundaries: Community Assessment
- This is the first of two reports that comprise the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The Community Assessment provides an overview of the region’s strengths and challenges, and it outlines opportunities that the region should seize for economic growth.