EDRP Leader Series: Responding to COVID-19
EDRP Leader Series: Responding to COVID-19
Once COVID-19 made it to U.S. shores, it wasn’t long before the economy, and much of daily life, essentially shut down. Since then – about three months – U.S. economic developers have found themselves facing the challenge of a lifetime.
They are working long hours to help businesses survive, while also constantly providing information and connections, continuing to work projects, cheerleading for their staff and communities, keeping their own organizations functioning effectively, and envisioning what the post-COVID future will require, amid a real-time experiment in remote work.
How are they meeting these challenges? A new series of briefs features responses based on interviews with more than two dozen members of IEDC's Economic Development Research Partners (EDRP) program. The series shares these economic developers’ experiences by theme, on subjects that include reopening (published May 18), EDO management, business assistance, and future focus/strategy.
Reopening
After two months of social distancing and varying state restrictions on the economy and public life, “reopening” is the topic of the moment. This brief addresses “reopening” in three ways:
- Reopening or restarting a community’s economy;
- Reopening community businesses;
- Reopening EDO offices.
The Economic Development Research Partners Program is an exclusive membership level of IEDC that supports practice-oriented research. The publications developed under EDRP's guidance and sponsorship are designed to increase the knowledge base of the economic development profession and help practitioners navigate today's rapidly changing economy.