Principles of Community Economic Development

CED is driven by the people who live in the community.

1.) CED is development of the community, by the community, for the community. "Experts" from outside don't take charge. The community takes the lead right from the beginning.

2.) CED is a process. If a community is to do CED, the people have to get together, organize themselves and develop a plan. Often they do this by identifying their strengths and assets and deciding how these can be used to help the community become stronger, socially and economically. Communities may turn to a CED practitioner, a person who helps the community figure out what it wants to do. But the goals that are set and the things that need to be done are decided upon and carried out by the people who live in the community.

3.) CED is long-term. CED doesn't happen overnight. Successful CED means that people stay involved, that they get organized and that they keep reaching for their goals.

4.) CED is a holistic approach to development. CED includes both social and economic development. It's sensitive to the local culture and the natural environment. According to the Nova Scotia Women's CED Network, "Money is not the only 'bottom line.' In CED, there is more than one 'bottom line'...people, their community, their culture and the environment are all important."

5.) CED is inclusive. Every community is made up of people with different interests and needs. Having a CED plan that meets the needs of the whole community, means consulting and involving all members of the community. As an American guide to community development says, "it is not enough for a nine-member Board of Directors or a group of 20 residents to set neighborhood priorities and hope that everyone else will show up to help out. If you want people to be involved, ask them first what their goals are."

6.) CED is the development of people. Key to the success of CED are committed leaders and participation by a broad range of community members. Sometimes in order to participate and to be effective, people need to learn how to organize themselves, how to work together and how to co-operate. They may also need training programs and education to help them achieve their goals. "People development" helps the community take control of its future.

7.) CED is founded upon sustainability: When a community is deciding what they want to do, they have to ask questions about sustainability. For example, does our future well-being depend on conserving our natural resources? Does our project build on the strengths of our community? Do many people in our community support the same vision for the community? Are the people likely to support the work over a long period of time? Can the initiative be sustained economically?

8.) CED is innovative. The CED process requires participants to ask not only "what is . .?" and "why?", but also "what if. . ?" and "why not?" This means finding new ways to use both our human, natural and material resources to create new opportunities.

9.) CED aims for diversification. Diversification means creating economic opportunities in a variety of different, smaller sectors, rather than relying on one single industry. This allows communities to ride out the boom and bust cycles so common when a town or region has only one major industry or employer.

10.) CED is collaborative. In order to accomplish their goals, communities often build partnerships with other communities, with educational organizations, government, and regional development agencies. Partnerships like these give people access to knowledge and resources that might not be available in their own community.