ECIDC - Fostering Regional Economic Development through Collaboration, Networking, and Education
ECIDC unifies the community leadership, resources, and organizations concerned with economic development to enhance and promote east central Illinois. ECIDC is a growing organization with many new initiatives underway to meet the changing needs of our rural communities. The ECIDC New Member Referral Program sponsored by Midland States Bank and Midland Financial Strategies has helped ECIDC increase its membership by over 15 percent in the past year. If you are a current ECIDC member, time is running out to enter this year's contest for a chance to win a $500 Series EE U.S. Savings Bond which will be awarded at the ECIDC Annual Celebration & Recognition Awards Ceremony on May 19, 2011 (ECIDC New Member Referral Program). If you are not already a member of ECIDC, please consider joining to support economic development in east central Illinois. JOIN ECIDC
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ECIDC and Lake Land College Partner to Develop Maps of East Central Illinois Wineries
Toasting to Tourism (Source: Full Circle Magazine, Lake Land College, Summer 2011 Edition)
The summer months are perfect for leisurely drives through the rolling Illinois prairie, enjoying a sunny picnic and, perhaps, touring the region's beautiful wineries. This year, thanks in part to an interesting partnership, local wineries are being put on the map - literally! For several years, a group of local winery owners worked together to create a regional map that would help them promote their business and provide customers with detailed information of other places of interest in the area. But after many meetings, winery owners were about to give up because of the lack of available resources to create such a map. Please click the "Read More" button below for the complete article.
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Please Join Us for the 2011 Annual Celebration & Recognition Awards Ceremony - RSVP Requested by May 5, 2011
The 27th Annual ECIDC Banquet and Recognition Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Thelma Keller Convention Center, Effingham. It will begin with a Silent Auction and Cocktail Hour followed by the dinner and program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Butch Lockley, final four "Survivor" contestant. He will share his "Top 10 Survivor Strategies". His informational and humorous message will include topics on relationships, goal setting, teamwork, and basic strategies for success. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this session. You will not be voted out! Please RSVP by contacting the ECIDC office at (217) 540-3517, email jgrunloh@lakeland.cc.il.us, or visit www.ecidc.com for on-line reservations by Thursday, May 5, 2011. Admission: $35 per person. Please make checks payable to ECIDC, 1204 Network Centre, Effingham, IL 62401. Spouses and public welcome.
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BESI & Recognition Award Recipients Announced
ECIDC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011 Recognition Awards which honor some of the area's most ethical and socially responsible businesses, most influential community and economic development leaders, and most committed volunteers. As in the past, ECIDC has partnered with Lake Land College and Eastern Illinois University to award the Business Ethics and Social Involvement (BESI) Award. This year the award goes to James "Jim" Yoder of Arthur and Ryan, Bennett, & Radloff Law Firm of Mattoon. ECIDC is also pleased to award Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDCO) with the Outstanding Leadership in Community and Economic Development Award and Thomas Niebrugge of Dieterich with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Please click the "Read More" button below for additional information on each award recipient.
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Area Resources for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
ECIDC's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Team have partnered with several organizations to create a consolidated listing of many area resources available in east central Illinois to support entrepreneurs and business owners. This listing may be found at the Resource Center of the ECIDC website, www.ecidc.com. <Area Resources for Entrepreneurs and Businesses>
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ECIDC Welcomes Four New Members
ECIDC is pleased to announce four new members who add their support and expertise to our regional development efforts. New members include: Farnsworth Group, Norris Electric Cooperative, The Upchurch Group, and Forsythe Land Company. Please click the "Read More" button below for highlights of each new member.
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ECIDC Hosts Community Development Symposium
On April 4 2011, ECIDC hosted an East Central Illinois Community Development Symposium at the Education Center of Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System, Mattoon. Over 70 community leaders attended this event and learned of the many resources available to support rural community growth. To provide this event, ECIDC partnered with seven organizations including: Lake Land College, Eastern Illinois University, Business Solutions Center of Eastern Illinois University, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Local Workforce Investment Area 23, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Rural Partners, and the Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission. Please click the "Read More" button below for additional information.
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Community Strategic Plan Guidebook
A community strategic plan can be an excellent tool for pointing communities in the direction they want to go. This APA award-winning publication, Developing a Community Strategic Plan, is a straightforward guide designed to lead local officials, planners and citizens through a strategic planning process. The publication highlights clear examples of plan concepts and includes plan "worksheets" which provide local officials with hands-on-tools to develop a community strategic plan. ECIDC and the Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission have copies of this publication. Please contact ECIDC at (217) 540-3517 or the Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission at (217) 348-0521 if you would like a copy of the publication or have questions on the community strategic planning process. The publication can also be downloaded from the Illinois Association of Regional Councils Web Site which is: www.ilarconline.org/
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The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America
(Source: Rural Partners - Partnership News, April 15, 2011)
The Atlas of Rural and Small-town America, developed by USDA's Economic Research Service, provides county-level mapping of over 60 statistical indicators depicting conditions and trends across different types of non-metro regions. This web-based product assembles the latest county-level statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, USDA, and other Federal sources. Of particular note, the Atlas incorporates data from the first full set of county-level data in the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Data from the various agencies are combined in four broad categories that users can select: people, jobs, agriculture and county typologies. Click here for Atlas!
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East Central Region - Broadband Planning Update
Because of ECIDC's prior broadband planning work, a new statewide organization, Broadband Illinois, has chosen to partner with ECIDC and assist in broadband planning for the region. The new Broadband Illinois East Central Region is comprised of the 11 ECIDC counties and 3 additional counties of Clay, Richland, and Lawrence. Broadband Illinois has hired a regional coordinator to lead the efforts in the region. The organization will also provide technical assistance, a web site, and research for the project. Broadband Illinois is focusing on data collection for demand aggregation, community planning to assist in improving internet access, and the promotion of internet use. Lakeland College has offered office space and a variety of technical assistance for the regional project. If you would like to join in the region's broadband planning project, or to report problems with internet speed in your community, please email Barbara Webster, East Central Regional Coordinator, at barbara.webster@broadbandillinois.org . Look for more news to come as ECIDC and Broadband Illinois partner to develop community awareness and outreach for this important initiative.
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USDA Rural Development Invites Applications for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
(Source: www.usda.gov)
Washington D.C., April 14, 2011 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack invited agricultural producers and rural small businesses to apply for loans and grants to implement renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. USDA is providing funding for up to $61 million in guaranteed loans and $42 million in grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Funds are available to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses develop renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and conduct studies to determine the feasibility of renewable energy systems.
The USDA issued a rule to clarify that the definition of renewable energy systems in REAP includes flexible fuel pumps, sometimes referred to as "blender pumps." This clarification is intended to provide fuel station owners with incentives to install flexible fuel pumps that will offer Americans more renewable energy options. The Obama administration has set a goal of installing 10,000 flexible fuel pumps nationwide within 5 years.
Please click the "Read More" button below for additional information on this program.
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USDA Community Connect Grant Program
(Source: www.usda.gov)
The Community-Oriented Connectivity Broadband Grant Program (Community Connect Grant Program) is designed to provide financial assistance to furnish broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where such service does not currently exist. Grant funds may be utilized to: (1) deploy broadband transmission service to critical community facilities, rural residents, and rural businesses, (2) construct, acquire, or expand a community center, and (3) equip and operate a community center that provides free access to broadband services to community residents for at least two years. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to entities serving communities of up to 20,000 inhabitants to ensure rural consumers enjoy the same quality and range of telecommunications service as are available in urban and suburban communities. <Federal Register Community Connect NOSA Announcement>
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The 13th Annual Illinois Leadership Conference: The Power of Collaboration
Doing together what we cannot do apart . . . this is the power of collaboration. Partnerships and collaborations are sparks and catalysts for change and innovation. For communities, change may be an adjustment to problems or a response to opportunities. The advantage of working together to address important issues is that we can develop a well-rounded, long lasting response, but to achieve that, everyone must be at the table, not only to plan the strategy but to take responsibility for action. To learn more about building collaborative solutions in your community or organization, attend the 13th Annual Illinois Leadership Conference at The I-Hotel in Champaign, on June 15. Please click the "Read More" button below for additional details about this conference.
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Share Your Development News
If you wish to share your development news or success stories with over 1,000 community, business, and education leaders in east central Illinois through the ECIDC e-newsletter, please forward your information to the ECIDC office via e-mail at jgrunloh@lakeland.cc.il.us.
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