Economic Development

The main goal of economic development is improving the economic well-being of a community through job creation, job retention, and quality of life.

There is no single strategy, policy, or program for achieving successful economic development, as communities differ in their geographic and political strengths and weaknesses. Each community, therefore, will have a unique set of challenges for economic development. Throughout the Regional Community Strategic Planning Process conducted as part of BRADD’s 2022-2027 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, each of BRADD’s 10 counties set goals and objectives to address downtown development needs in their communities. Additionally, BRADD has several regional goals targeting downtown development. A summary of both the regional goals and county goals and objectives can be found in the tabs to the right. 

Economic Development at a Glance

BRADD tracks regional data points across multiple categories, including downtown development. A snapshot of downtown development in the region is displayed here.

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Regional Poverty Rate
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Median Household Income
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Average Wage Gap Between Men and Women with a Bachelor’s Degree or Above
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Average Income Per Person
Local Success

Hart County: Value Added Agriculture Study

Hart County recently undertook a feasibility study to determine the opportunity for value-added agriculture production for local farmers. Continue reading to learn more about this effort.

Additional Resources

For more ideas, tools, and and example projects check out the links below.

US Census

A look at county business p pattern data including the ability to view county profile pages.

Avantage kentucky alliance

KA identifies areas of improvement, streamlines processes, increases competitiveness, and creates new revenue streams for business.

american planning association

Developers might not always have the authority to redirect funding to historically neglected communities, but they can still play a pivotal role in advancing more equitable outcomes. Here are six ways to get started.

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OF KENTUCKY

A business retention and expansion platform for small and mid-sized communties

soar: Shaping Our Appalachian region

Check out several resources for current and aspiring entrepreneurs in Kentucky including a complete guidebook, funding opportunities, and more.

Economic Development authority

EDA provides several resources for economic development practitioners and policymakers to help make informed development decisions.

wealthworks

Connecting community assets to market demand to build lasting livelihoods.

Economic Innovation Group

The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines economic well-being at the zip code level in order to provide a detailed view of the divided landscape of American prosperity.