WithersRavenel assisted the Southeastern (NC) Economic Development Commission and its member communities with a variety of consulting assistance, including grant writing, public engagement, and branding & communications services. SEDC serves southeastern North Carolina with job creation, retention, and stimulating economic development in the counties of Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, New Hanover, Pender, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, and Scotland.
The initial work after Hurricane Matthew focused on assisting a select number of communities as nominated by Councils of Government. Activity centered around identifying priority issues within the following sectors, identified in the county resilience plans:
- Housing
- Infrastructure
- Business Development
- Environment/Natural Resources/Agriculture
- Public Health and Well-Being
Following Hurricane Florence, WithersRavenel opened services to any and all communities in the jurisdiction. Much of the focus has been on applications for the EDA Disaster Supplemental funding availability, but the one-on-one work with communities identified other areas to address to enhance recovery and resiliency efforts, including critical water, wastewater, and stormwater needs.
Additionally, WithersRavenel assisted SEDC with branding and communication services, including routine website updates, email automation template creation and content assistance, graphic design services, and preparation of designed exhibits.
