The Council continues to provide grant assistance outreach to local governments and the private sector through the various Economic Development Administration (EDA) Programs and other federal and state agencies to encourage communities with creative and viable development projects to apply for available program assistance. These projects will provide jobs and economic stability in the South Florida Economic Development District (EDD).
The South Florida Regional Planning Council was designated an Economic Development District (EDD) by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) in May 1994. The functions of the EDD include, but are not limited to, preparing and maintaining a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), assisting in the implementation strategies identified in the CEDS, and providing technical assistance to Economic Development Organizations throughout the Region.
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for South Florida is a roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy of Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. The regional CEDS will guide federal and state investment priorities and funding sources and delineate lead organizations’ responsibilities for execution of the CEDS, while bringing together public and private sectors leaders and decision-makers. This is not a plan for the Council; rather, it is a strategy for the communities and businesses of South Florida.
The 2012 update of the CEDS presented a unique opportunity to align and bring together several important state, regional and local economic development initiatives through an integrated, synergistic and results-oriented approach to economic development planning and implementation. It adopts the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Six-Pillars of Florida’s Future Economy™ as its organizing foundation. These pillars are Talent Supply and Education, Innovation and Economic Development, Infrastructure and Growth Leadership, Business Climate and Competitiveness, Civic and Governance Systems, and Quality of Life and Quality Places. The State of Florida used the Six-Pillars to develop its Five-Year Statewide Strategic Plan, and the other 10 Regional Planning Councils prepared their similarly-focused CEDS using the same Six-Pillars framework. At the local level, this CEDS integrates the recently updated Miami-Dade County One Community One Goal vision, the Broward County Six-Pillars Strategic Plan, and Monroe County’s Evaluation and Appraisal Report of its Comprehensive Plan.
While the South Florida CEDS is focused on Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, the South Florida Region is part of the larger seven-county Southeast Florida region, which includes Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties (the Treasure Coast Region). The two regional CEDS will be integrated into the Seven50: Southeast Florida Prosperity Plan (http://seven50.org) and (http://seven50report.org)
Economic Development Portfolio
South Florida is comprised of 71 municipalities in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. The area has grown into a vibrant multi-cultural community, with an emerging role in the international economy. One of the most pressing issues facing the South Florida region is the consistency of the high poverty and unemployment rates. The Council coordinates the following economic development programs to create financial and social wealth in the region.
- Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative
- The South Florida Regional Planning Council Revolving Loan Fund Program (SFRPC-RLF)
- Citi Community Development Indicator Project / Open Indicators Consortium
- REMI Modeling
Please direct questions about EDA grants and the CEDS to:
sfadmin@sfrpc.com