Five-Year Plan Immediately Boosts Region’s Competitiveness for Federal Funding, and Positions for Federal Designation
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (March 20, 2025) – The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) announced today the adoption of the 2025-2029 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), a federally recognized roadmap to strengthen economic resilience, expand workforce opportunities, and secure access to U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding.
The Evansville Region’s CEDS was developed by Fourth Economy, in partnership with E-REP and with the support of an EDA grant. The planning process was guided through a 25-member strategy committee and also included 40 stakeholder interviews, 65 participants in 16 workshops, and nearly 200 public comments. The CEDS incorporated existing plans from the region and supports the goals of Talent EVV. It also positions the Evansville Region – encompassing Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties – to pursue federal designation as an Economic Development District (EDD).
The CEDS is built upon four goals, each of which have underlying strategies and recommended actions: 1) Develop Key Regional Infrastructure, 2) Strengthen Key Industries, 3) Attract, Retain, and Develop a Talented Workforce, 4) Leverage Signature Developments.
The full CEDS document can be accessed at evansvilleregion.com/ceds.
Leadership Perspectives
“The CEDS will be an important tool and funding enabler for the Evansville Region,” said Josh Armstrong, Chief Economic Development Officer of E-REP. “Fourth Economy did a great job of listening to what was said and aligning it with our broader Talent EVV strategy. We’re excited to present this CEDS to the region so it can be leveraged in state and federal funding applications.”
“We enjoyed working with the Evansville Region on the development of this CEDS.” said Rich Overmoyer, CEO of Fourth Economy. “We were glad to hear the aspirations of leaders and residents for what can make the community even more successful. We know that the strategies within the CEDS will lead to activity and investment to improve the quality of place and economic opportunities for years to come.”
Next Steps
E-REP will now work to implement the strategies outlined in the CEDS, collaborating with partners across the region to achieve its goals. The CEDS is a living document that will be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it remains relevant and effective.
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ABOUT THE EVANSVILLE REGIONAL ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) cultivates a thriving and growing talent-rich Evansville Region through advocacy and collaboration between our communities, businesses, and civic leaders. Our vision is to transform the Evansville Region, through thought and action, into a growing and healthy population with high-quality jobs filled by a skilled workforce who enjoy unparalleled quality of place