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1. Why is economic development important?

Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. When we succeed, our businesses create high-quality jobs and develop vibrant communities, our workforce is employed, our citizens enjoy an excellent quality of life and our community is a place where people want to live, work and visit.

2. What is the purpose of an economic development strategic plan?

An economic development strategic plan is a focused plan that guides and measures the actions of a state, county or city, in partnership with businesses and the community, to achieve goals for an economically secure, innovative, efficient and vibrant community.

3. What is the International Economic Development Council?

IEDC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, it is the largest organization of its kind. From public to private, rural to urban and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. IEDC provides services that position members for success in the U.S. and around the world. From training courses and webinars to cutting-edge publications, consultation services and conferences, IEDC is the top resource for economic development organizations.

4. Who was consulted in the preparation of this strategic plan?

The IEDC team consisted seven certified economic development professionals. In addition to the 20 members of the Economic Development Advisory Commission, the Board of County Commissioners, Calvert County Government Department Heads and Department of Economic Development staff, a number of key community stakeholders were invited to provide input, feedback and suggestions for crafting and editing the document during preparation by the IEDC team.

5. Why does it only span three years?

While traditional strategic plans span five years, because the current, national economy remains somewhat unstable and volatile, we crafted a plan that would take us only three years into the future. If conditions change or major enhancements are required to the plan due to additional or sudden economic changes, we may revise the plan sooner.

6. Is the document permanent or will it change?

By nature, a strategic plan is a fluid document, changing as new challenges or opportunities present themselves. However, the core aspects of the plan will be retained to ensure we are able to gauge progress and measure our success. 

7. Will the department provide updates on progress?

Yes, we will provide regular updates on our progress using a variety of resources which may include our e-newsletter, via in-person meetings or posts on our website, LinkedIn or the county’s Facebook page.

8. How can I provide feedback or comments?

As always, we welcome your feedback on our Strategic Pivot Plan or any other topics at info@ecalvert.com.