South-West Collaborative Economic Development Region (SW CEDR)

Overview

The current moment holds a unique opportunity to pursue projects that advance economic and community development. New or reinvigorated federal programs are offering funding and resources at a level not seen for some time, a situation that is unlikely to last indefinitely. There is a question, however, of whether rural areas have the capacity to avail themselves of these opportunities. 

The South-West Collaborative Economic Development Region (SW CEDR) aims to build capacity in the the Monadnock Region and Upper Valley to pursue opportunities related to economic and community development. The group is composed of individuals and organizations working across the economic spectrum, including economic development professionals, municipal staff, non-profit leaders, industry groups, and others. It provides a channel of communication to state agency staff, in particular the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs (NH BEA), who launched the CEDR initiative as a way to better support and connect with regional economic development stakeholders across the state. The SW CEDR is one of four CEDRs established across the state.

The SW CEDR brings together stakeholders who have preexisting partnerships as well as those who may have never worked together before. It aims to build relationships and open opportunity for collaboration between the Monadnock Region and the Upper Valley, which share many common characteristics, but who have historically pursued economic development activities independent from one another. Currently, the work of the SW CEDR is being facilitated by Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission and Southwest Region Planning Commission, in partnership with NH BEA.

Connecting Projects with Funding and Technical Assistance

Currently, the SW CEDR’s primary focus is connecting economic and community development projects with grant writing services and related technical assistance. In order to connect projects with resources of this kind, the SW CEDR is compiling a list of projects planned or underway in the Monadnock Region and/or Upper Valley. The CEDR is collecting projects through a variety of avenues, including a project nomination form, which is open to the public.

The SW CEDR can help connect projects with grant writing services through several mechanisms. NH BEA has contracted with a consulting firm to provide technical assistance to communities and organizations seeking funding opportunities. The SW CEDR is also looking to invest a limited amount of funding to provide grant writing services to several high-priority projects. While the SW CEDR can exercise flexibility in the types of projects it prioritizes, it has developed a list of criteria to help guide that process:

  1. Geographic impact. Would the project impact the Monadnock Region, the Upper Valley, or both? If the project focuses on a subsection of the SW CEDR region, would it be scalable or replicable in the future? Does the project benefit a smaller community with less capacity for grant writing and project development activities? 
  2. Readiness. Is the project a rough concept or a well-defined idea with a scope, budget, identified partners, etc. 
  3. Capacity to participate in project development/grant-writing activities. Would the project’s lead entity be able to engage fully with a grant writer or other technical assistance provider if selected to receive assistance through the SW CEDR? 
  4. Opportunity for multi-stakeholder collaboration. Is the project specific to a single organization, or would it help strengthen relationships among different stakeholder groups? 
  5. Focus on implementation. Does the project concentrate on planning or would it result in some form of implementation, e.g. launch of a new program, installation of needed infrastructure, creation of a new business? 
  6. Availability of funding sources. Does a pathway exist for the project to secure the necessary financial resources? 
  7. Non-duplication. Does the project address a gap within the region or is it redundant with work already underway? 
  8. Relates to key economic development constraint, e.g., housing, childcare, workforce development, infrastructure, brownfields, transportation. 
  9. Linkage with past economic development planning, for example a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) or the state’s Economic Recovery & Expansion Strategy (ERES). 

Past Meetings

  • 01/18/231:00 PM

    SW CEDR Meeting

    A meeting of the South-West Collaborative Economic Development Region (SW CEDR), a group that aims to connect economic development stakeholders…

    Wednesday, January 18, 2023
    1:00 PM

    A meeting of the South-West Collaborative Economic Development Region (SW CEDR), a group that aims to connect economic development stakeholders in the Monadnock Region and the Upper Valley with technical assistance and funding resources.

    Add to CalendarWednesday, January 18, 2023 1:00 PMWednesday, January 18, 2023 12:00 AMESTSW CEDR MeetingA meeting of the South-West Collaborative Economic Development Region (SW CEDR), a group that aims to connect economic development stakeholders in the Monadnock Region and the Upper Valley with technical assistance and funding resources.

    For more information, contact:

    Todd Horner

    [email protected]

    603-357-0557


SW CEDR Facilitators

Facilitation of the SW CEDR is a joint effort of SWRPC, UVLSRPC, and NH BEA.


Resources & Helpful Links

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