Community Economic Development: First Principles

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Community Economic Development First Principles

• Alan Gumbel
• Youthbuild USA
• October 11, 2007

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BASIC DEFINITION

• Community Economic Development (CED) is the
  process by which local people build organizations
  and partnerships that interconnect profitable
  businesses with other interests and values.

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GOALS OF CED

• To empower the community to handle its own
  destiny.
• To focus on building the capacity to handle
  economic and social change for local benefit.

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FIRST PRINCIPLES (EXPLAINED)
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PRINCIPLE ONE

• ACADEMIA SAYSa multi-functional, comprehensive
  strategy of ongoing activities, in contrast to
  individual economic development projects or other
  isolated attempts at community betterment

• PEOPLE SAY bringing all parts of the community
  together to work together.

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PRINCIPLE TWO

• ACADEMIA SAYS an integration or merging of
  economic and social goals to bring about more
  far-reaching community revitalization

• PEOPLE SAY developing a shared community vision
  of itself.

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PRINCIPLE THREE

• ACADEMIA SAYS a base of operating principles
  that empower the broad range of residents for the
  governance of development organizations and their
  community as a whole.

• PEOPLE SAY the community is not just seated at
  the decision making table, but owns the decision
  making table.

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PRINCIPLE FOUR

• ACADEMIA SAYS a process guided by strategic
  planning and analysis, in contrast to
  opportunistic and unsystematic tactics.

• PEOPLE SAY developing a long term vision for the
  community based on facts and knowing where the
  community wants to go.

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PRINCIPLE FIVE

• ACADEMIA SAYS a business-like financial
  management approach that builds both ownership of
  assets and a diverse range of financial and other
  partners and supporters.

• PEOPLE SAY building wealth or capacity to
  generate and distribute income across the
  community.

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PRINCIPLE SIX

• ACADEMIA SAYS an organizational format that is
  nonprofit, independent, and non-governmental,
  even though for-profit or governmental entities
  are closely linked to its work.

• PEOPLE SAY works on behalf of the public good
  (public trust).

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SOME INEVITABLE QUESTIONS

• How do we start the conversation in our
  community?
• How many people/organizations do we need to
  engage for the process to work? Who do we
  engage?
• How do we get people/organizations to see beyond
  their own need or self interest?
• How do we fund the initial gathering and ongoing
  work?
• Our community is so different, how do we know it
  will work?

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SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?