About Us

The Sonoran Institute prepared Sweetgrass Development’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in 2006.  This is a living document that will be updated each year.  Click Here to View the CEDS Document

THE CEDS GOALS AND PROCESS

Production of a CEDS document is an EDA requirement to attain recognition as an Economic
Development District. The CEDS document is the result of a local planning process designed to guide
the economic growth of an area.

Goals

This Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is a resource for Sweetgrass
Development to accomplish the following goals:

1. Create higher skill, higher wage jobs
2. Raise income levels
3. Diversify the economy
4. Improve quality of life while protecting the environment

Process

This CEDS document was developed by the Sonoran Institute, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote community-based decisions that respect and benefit the land and people of the West (www.sonoran.org). Staff and board of Sweetgrass Development were closely involved in the identification of community opportunities and challenges and the development of an action plan. The process for developing the CEDS consisted of:

1. An analysis of regional and local economic conditions;
2. A series of focus groups, or listening sessions, with community leaders in each of the five
    counties;
3. A review of existing county planning documents;
4. Identification of strengths and weakness, both economic and social;
5. Development of Goals and Objectives for addressing opportunities and challenges;
6. Development of an action plan.

The focus groups and economic analysis were conducted during the summer and fall of 2005. A draft of the CEDS document was circulated for review by the Board of Directors, staff, and community leaders in December of 2005. A final draft was completed by January of 2006. For guidance in the development of this document the authors made use of:

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Guidelines. 2002.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Washington DC
(OMB Approval No. 0610-0093) www.doc.gov/eda

Our Board of Directors:

Government Representatives (51-65%)

Non Government Members (35-49%)

Private Sector

Stakeholder Organization Representatives

At-Large Representative

Our Strategy Committee:

Private Sector (51%) :

Representatives of Other Economic Interests (49%) :