NIRPC CEDS Update Community Engagement Sessions

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) is launching the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) update process with the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD). During this important period, PCRD is conducting four 2-hour community engagement sessions. Three in-person sessions are scheduled. One session in each county (Lake, LaPorte, Porter) and one virtual session as an alternative method. In collaboration with NIRPC, invitations were sent out to the diverse community stakeholders requesting pre-registration due to the limited capacity of each venue.  

CEDS is a strategic planning tool for regional economic development and an outcome of inclusive discourse among local governments, public sector, private sector, community organizations, and individuals in the community. CEDS is a prerequisite for Economic Development District (EDD) designation by EDA and the CEDS update is a requirement for a region to be qualified for EDA assistance. 

CEDS requires a SWOT analysis, an in-depth analysis identifying strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. During each community engagement session, the moderator will go over the general regional economic topics and the attendees will participate in SWOT analysis which will serve as the crucial elements for building future visions and vibrant economy of the region for the next five years. The emphasis will be focused on resiliency, infrastructure, industry cluster, workforce, and beyond.

In collaboration with NIRPC, PCRD will collect and review relevant regional economic data, conduct a series of community engagement sessions, and prepare a draft CEDS. Once the draft is ready, it will be presented to NIRPC Economy and Place Committee. There will be a 30-day public comment period. The project period started in October 2024 and will run through March 2025.