Board Adopts Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

by Karen Cilurso, Associate Director, Livable Communities

October 1, 2024

On September 26, 2024, the DVRPC Board voted to adopt Growing Greater Philadelphia (2024-2028), the regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

As the Economic Development District (EDD) for the bi-state, nine-county region, DVRPC facilitates the regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Greater Philadelphia. The CEDS acts as a regional framework that will guide U.S. EDA investments over the next five years across Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties in New Jersey. 

In accordance with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) provisions, DVRPC updates the CEDS every five years. The latest version, Growing Greater Philadelphia (2024-2028), is the result of a 24-month process of conducting research, analyzing data, and gathering feedback from economic development partners, members of the public, and all levels of government. On September 26, 2024, the DVRPC Board voted to adopt this updated framework, specifically the vision, goals, and strategies the 2024 CEDS lays out.

Growing Greater Philadelphia

The 2024 CEDS goals and strategies target the economic, environmental, and social intersectionality of sustainability and align with the long-range vision and principles outlined in the DVRPC region’s long-range plan, Connections 2050. They reflect the themes that arose during discussions with economic development partners around prosperity, livability, adaptability, and connectivity. The goals and strategies also respond to findings on the region’s potential economic vulnerabilities, including the impact of digitalization on the region’s highest performing economic sectors, as well as results from other analyses, including population, employment, and economic data trends and an assessment of the region’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.

Economy

Air Quality Partnership
Annual Report
Connections 2050
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
Economic Development District