There is widespread recognition that local economic development must now operate in a new context; there is an enhanced focus on information, technology, and innovation. Community and economic development needs to be entrepreneurial, community-driven, and anchored in local and regional assets. Practitioners and policy makers alike call for holistic approaches that simultaneously value and invest in economic opportunity, family and human capital, community vitality, social and physical infrastructure, and environmental stewardship.
This ongoing initiative builds the capacity of regional networks comprised of community leaders and elected and appointed officials, representing village, town, and county units, to respond to the present community and economic development challenges.

New York state residents are living through a period of remarkable change. They face challenges and new opportunities few could have predicted even a decade ago. New domestic and global markets, transportation and residential patterns, and communication technologies have wide-ranging effects on upstate communities. Environmental interests and concerns are influencing policy directions. Demographic shifts are creating an increasingly diverse population, and migration patterns are contributing to decline or stagnation in some communities and rapid growth in others. Rural, suburban, and urban areas need to consider cooperative approaches that are more effective than acting alone as isolated localities.
Communities need a vision, informed citizens, educated leaders and officials, and the capacity to develop and implement strategies. With these needs satisfied communities can fully take advantage of state and federal resources and opportunities. Increased training on research-based strategies can help communities face rapid and profound social change. Leaders that understand their community’s role in a regional context are better positioned to build from strengths and assets.

CaRDI and Cornell Cooperative Extension, in response to the new context, are working to build the capacity of a network of community leaders and officials, representing village, town, and county units, to respond to the present community and economic development challenges. This capacity is being developed through workshops, trainings, regional initiatives, and a conscious attempt to foster networks of community leaders that will offer peer-to-peer learning and the exchange of best practices.
Concrete initiatives include the North Country Regional Foods Initiative, the Pipeline 4 Progress Regional Alliance, and the Rural Learning Network of Western and Central New York.
The goals of the North Country Regional Foods Initiative, which includes six North Country Cornell Cooperative Extension associations, are to: measure the economic and community impacts of local food initiatives in the North Country; link Cooperative Extension, nongovernmental organizations and farmer-based groups working on direct marketing approaches to farm sales and identify the strengths and barriers they face in their work; and develop joint plans and implement strategies for expanding and enhancing local food efforts and impacts.
The Pipeline 4 Progress Regional Alliance covers 13 counties and is developing a regional sustainable strategy, which will be implemented by adapting a comprehensive marketplace approach.
The goals of the Rural Learning Network of Central and Western New York are to: enhance the quality of public and private decision making with evidence-based information; enhance community development, economic opportunity, and the quality of life of citizens of rural Central and Western New York; and enhance inter-local cooperation among rural communities in the region.

Applied research that examines community capacity and the competencies is helping local leaders frame the interrelationships between issues such as economic development, workforce development, human services, food and agriculture, landscape management, transportation, and housing.
We are both enhancing existing partnerships and establishing new relationships with a broad set of New York state stakeholder partners, including the Department of State, the Comptroller’s Office, Association of Counties, Association of Towns, Conference of Mayors, and the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources.
Impacts include: Local leaders are developing a deeper awareness of the importance of relationships between communities. Networking is building communication mechanisms across jurisdictions, agencies, and localities fostering community-to-community learning. Regional coordination and cooperation is enhanced. University-driven research and data is providing a foundation for developing regional community and economic development strategies in line with assets and opportunities Regional trainings are providing opportunities to bring together a diverse set of stakeholders—including local government, the public, nonprofit and private sector decision makers—to discuss and take action on complex issues.

regional commnity and economic development