Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award

Deadline: February 12, 2010

We invite you to submit an application for the annual Excellence in Economic Development Planning award from the APA Economic Development Division (EDD). This is a $1,000 award to a community that shows innovation and success with an economic development plan or project.

The formal presentation will be at the annual APA conference in New Orleans, late afternoon Monday, April 12th at the EDD Business Meeting. The Division will also help with preparing a press release for the winning community and for Planning magazine, and will announce the winner in the News & Views Division newsletter that is sent out to some 1,000 organizations throughout North America. If submitting hard copies, please send three copies of everything for distribution to the committee. 

Applications can be submitted by e-mail to the Chair of the Award Committee:

Robert M. Lewis, AICP
Development Strategies, Inc.
10 South Broadway, Suite 1500
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-421-2800 ext 18
blewis@development-strategies.com

There is no formal application form. Please, however, follow these guidelines.

Narrative Description of the Plan or Project 

Description (up to 250 words) of the plan or project showing that the project fits the following definitions:

• Economic Development: The creation of new employment and wealth-generating activities through the mobilization of human, financial, physical, and natural resources.
• Economic Development Planning: A series of deliberate activities leading to initiatives that enhance a locality's, state's, or region's economic opportunities and quality of life.

Attachment I: Nominee's Fulfillment of Award Criteria 

For each of the following criteria, provide up to a 50 to 100-word description of the project.  The entire attachment (all six criteria) should be no more than two pages (500 words).

• Originality: Unique concept or appreciable refinement of existing techniques or procedures.
• Transferability: Potential application to other areas or projects.
• Quality: Excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and professional character of the presentation.
• Implementation & Results: Effectiveness of work proposals that have been carried out or show the promise of being carried out.
• Comprehensiveness: Submittal demonstrates a thorough and in-depth approach.
• Contribution to Community: Demonstrates application to community needs and desires.

Attachment II (Optional): Supporting Materials

Applicants may provide news clippings, brochures, slides, videos, etc. If items need to be returned, please clearly mark them as such. 

Previous Winners

Past winners of this award