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All people living and working in the seven counties of northeastern Minnesota are invited to participate in community engagement sessions related to the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The seven counties include: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis.
Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC), Arrowhead Growth Alliance (AGA) and other regional partners host the sessions.
The sessions are designed to:
Seek a unified economic development vision, and create more prosperous, resilient, diversified and inclusive economies and communities.
Completion of an updated CEDS every five years is critical for the region’s ability to secure federal funding through agencies such as the Economic Development Administration and provides a comprehensive vision for regional cooperation on a variety of initiatives. Recent regional efforts include recovery strategies after mass layoffs in Koochiching and Itasca Counties, an infrastructure grant on the Grand Portage Reservation, funding for an incubator building in Cohasset, and numerous applications in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) are encouraged to attend. Hearing from all people living and working in the region will strengthen the process and result in a stronger strategy. The engagement process will take place now through March 2021, and Northspan President & CEO Elissa Hansen will lead the sessions.
People must register in advance to attend. Registration is open now at www.surveymonkey.com/r/CEDSRegistration. Registrants will receive a brief pre-session survey that will help the facilitators frame the discussion by gathering ideas on how to move the region toward its vision.
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