Eastern Maine Development Corporation receives National Association of Development Organizations 2021 Impact Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Eastern Maine Development Corporation, based in Bangor, has received a 2021 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations for the 2021-2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.

EMDC’s CEDS, released on July 1, represents a multi-month effort led by over 75 regional stakeholders to develop a roadmap for regional economic development in eastern Maine. With support from municipalities, business owners, counties, state departments, and congressional and federal partners, the report identifies regional goals and strategies related to broadband, transportation, climate resilience, and workforce and education.

“The strength of this endeavor comes from the participation of key stakeholders in our region. Led by EMDC’s Planner Anna Stockman and aligned with the Maine Economic Development Strategy 2020-2029, the CEDS plan leads to a promising path forward. The next step is to turn the ideas of the CEDS report into actions,” said EMDC’s President and CEO Lee Umphrey.

NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promote programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Impact Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and their partners for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. 

Award-winning projects were recognized during NADO’s 2021 Annual Training Conference, held in Portland, Oregon on Oct. 16-19. The 2021 class of award recipients consists of 102 projects from 70 organizations spanning 24 states. These projects are presented in an interactive “Story Map” developed by NADO that includes project summaries, partners, and images. The Story Map is available online at  https://www.nado.org/2021_impactawards/.

“During the past 20 months, regional development organizations across the country have shown just how valuable they are in supporting the local communities they serve,” said 2019-21 NADO President Kevin Byrd, executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission, located in Radford, Virginia. “From COVID-19 response and recovery initiatives, to workforce and economic development projects, to social services programs and much more, the 2021 NADO Impact Awardees highlight the many ways our members work on the ground every day to improve quality of life in their regions.”

The NADO Impact Awards are presented in honor of the late Aliceann Wohlbruck who was NADO’s first executive director and served 24 years as a tireless champion for regional approaches to economic development in rural communities.

For more information about this award-winning project, contact Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@emdc.org or 207-974-3230.