| Helping Communities Meet Their Potential |
Community Development
In April of 2001, the Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC) was
officially designated as an Economic Development District by the
United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development
Administration for the six western Illinois counties of Fulton, Hancock,
Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren. In order to qualify for
Economic Development District status, WIRC staff, with assistance
from area elected officials and economic development professionals,
prepared a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).
The CEDS process is designed to guide the economic growth of the
region and serves as a mechanism to coordinate the efforts of
individuals, organizations, local governments and private industry
relative to local and regional economic development activities. The
purpose of the CEDS and the WIRC’s economic development district is to help create jobs, foster more stable and diversified local economies, and to ultimately improve the overall living conditions of the region’s population. Click here for CEDS document.
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Acting on behalf of a local government, the WIRC can ensure that funding opportunities for local improvements are made known to local representatives. The WIRC staff can help a community and its local government to formulate a comprehensive plan unique to its own specific community development needs. These services, plus the assistance in the implementation of projects once funded, puts the WIRC Community Development staff in a full service capacity to communities.
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