Member Benefits
There are a variety of benefits available as a member of the East Central Illinois Economic Development District. Arguably the most important of these is your participation in a federally recognized Economic Development District. Participation in an EDD guarantees that your agency's economic development projects can be included in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which is a prerequisite for receiving almost any federal or state funding for economic development projects. The EDD also creates a regional advantage that supports any economic development initiative in our area.
During any ECIEDD fiscal year (October 1 – September 30), CCRPC staff will provide up to 60 hours of labor in the following categories to each of the six counties. Staff time requested for any given project that exceeds 60 hours would be charged at a rate of $60 per hour. Municipalities may request use of the hours allocated to their county by contacting their County Board chairperson.
The following products and services are available upon request to our member agencies:
1. Grant application assistance
A 2008 EDA conference highlighted the fact that 90% of our region's Economic Development Districts have not applied for EDA project funding. If your agency believes they have a project that might qualify for EDA funding, CCRPC staff can complete the application and facilitate its submission to the appropriate office. We will work with you to ensure that your application is as competitive as possible and help you look for possible local match funding.
2. EDD Resource Guide
This booklet identifies resources related to Economic Development in the ECIEDD. CCRPC staff will update this booklet on a periodic basis and distribute it within the six county region as funding allows.
3. Economic/Fiscal Impact Analysis Modeling
4. Regional Fact Sheets
5. Mapping/Geographic Information Systems
6. Survey Creation
7. Population and Employment Projections
8. Data Collection and Analysis
9. Research
10. Meeting coordination and facilitation
Please contact Susan Chavarria, ECIEDD Executive Director, at schavarr@ccrpc.org
or (217) 328-3313 to request member benefits or for more information.