Economic Development Partnerships
TLGV’s Economic Development Work
In addition to extensive tourism promotion and product development, The Last Green Valley, Inc. works in partnership with many other entities to promote thoughtful economic development in our 35 towns. For a list of TLGV’s specific economic development goals for the next decade, please refer to page 11 of Vision 2020 The Next Ten Years.
TLGV believes in regional partnerships. Two current regional economic development partnerships are listed below.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
The strategy is a plan developed by the Windham Regional Council of Governments and the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and representatives from other agencies and nonprofits acting as the Northeast Connecticut Economic Partnership (NEEP). The group’s mission is: “The Northeastern Connecticut Economic Partnership will foster a vibrant and sustainable economy that provides a skilled workforce through outstanding educational and training opportunities, preserves a healthy natural environment and the rural character of our communities, expands economic opportunity, and improves the quality of life for all residents.” The CEDS plan was developed according to U.S. Economic Development Administration guidelines. The plan is updated annually and there are quarterly meetings in the interim to keep partners informed and bring new information to the table.
The Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development has accepted the CEDS plan and designated the 21-town region an official Economic Development District under CT Public ACT 10-168.
In the NEEP partnership, TLGV represents the interests of tourism (nature-based recreation, agritourism and the small town New England experience), natural resource protection and the support and enhancement of agriculture.
Eastern Connecticut Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Consortium
A consortium of the Windham Regional Council of Governments, the Northeast Connecticut Council of Governments, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and 27 other agencies, nonprofits and communities have come together to apply to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a grant entitled “Sustainable Communities Regional Planning.” On behalf of 41 communities and two tribal nations, the purpose of the grant is to integrate multi-regional plans which address workforce development, transportation, housing, economic development, infrastructure, and land use into an integrated multifaceted regional plan for all of Eastern Connecticut. It will focus on identifying adverse impacts as a result of the absence of a fully integrated plan, identify current and future challenges, and look at systems issues contributing to the mismatch between current plans.
The consortium was notified that it was one of only 45 grants funded nation-wide and work is underway to complete the project ahead of schedule, by fall of 2012. The grant, project process and visioning, and other materials are available on the consortium’s website: http://www.sustaineasternct.org/. TLGV participates in the process and continues to represents the interests of tourism (nature-based recreation, agritourism and the small town New England experience), natural resource protection and the support and enhancement of agriculture.
