WithersRavenel aided the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments (COG) with updating its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to address resiliency, especially regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The COG requested support to ensure a thorough update.
The primary objective of the update was to provide a sound strategy-driven plan for regional economic development. The CEDS update stems from a collaborative input process designed to build capacity and guide economic prosperity and resiliency throughout Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, and Warren counties.
This process was important for the Kerr-Tar Regional Council to engage key stakeholders. The process also serves as a vehicle for individuals, organizations, local governments, institutions of learning, and private industry to engage in a meaningful conversation to identify capacity-building efforts that would best serve economic development in the region.
The update of the CEDS allows the COG to take a fresh look at its economic development strategies as it seeks to increase opportunities for growth for existing businesses, attract new businesses and develop compelling employment opportunities for the Kerr-Tar region’s workforce. Moreover, the COG played a central role in securing project funds through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) CARES Act. In summary, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council was integral to the success of the CEDS update.