Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Unique Economic Data Set Available for Coastal Communities


Zac Hart, Coastal Management Specialist, NOAA Coastal Services Center

Everybody knows that the oceans, Great Lakes, and their associated coastlines serve as economic engines. We play on the beaches, ship cargo on the surface of the water, catch fish from the oceans and Great Lakes, and extract oil, gas, sand, and gravel from beneath their surfaces. The economic activity stemming from these resources can serve as main sources of economic development in a community.

Historically, data and information specifically on the economic contributions of the oceans and Great Lakes have been difficult to find because they’ve been buried in much larger, national data sets. The Coastal Services Center, an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has tackled this problem by creating the free Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW) data set.

ENOW features 2005-2010 data on the “ocean and Great Lakes economy,” which is made up of six economic sectors that depend on the oceans and Great Lakes. The following graphic summarizes the ocean and Great Lakes economy detailed in ENOW.


ENOW uses common economic indicators, such as employment and gross domestic product, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data are available for coastal counties, states, regions, and the entire coastal United States. Best of all, the data are available in a wide variety of formats:
  • Coastal County Snapshots, easy-to-understand stories about each coastal county, complete with charts and graphs
  • The ENOW Explorer, a tool that allows users to see economic changes from place to place and over time
  • The ENOW Data Wizard, a tool that allows users to download or copy subsets of the data that interest them most

Economic development professionals and other officials can visit the ENOW website to find out more about the importance of coastal, Great Lakes, and ocean resources in their areas. The Center provides additional economic data sets, including data from the U.S. Census Bureau on self-employed people, and offers support to help properly apply ENOW data and economic methods to individual communities.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

DONALD E. HUNTER EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AWARD


APA Economic Development Division

The annual Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award from the APA Economic Development Division is awarded to a community that shows innovation and success with an economic development plan or project.

Award winners receive a plaque as well as recognition at the annual Division business meeting and reception at the 2013 APA National Planning Conference (in Chicago). In addition, the award winner will be featured in the Division’s newsletter, News & Views, and announcements will be disseminated through social media, email, and other digital outlets. In the past, Honorable Mentions have been selected and recognized in a similar manner.

Application/Nomination Deadline for 2013 Award: Friday, February 15, 2013

Eligibility
·         Any economic development plan implemented in the United States or Canada within the last 10 years is eligible.
·         Any member of the American Planning Association may make a nomination. At least one individual who is nominating or submitting an application must be a member of the Economic Development Division. (Click here to join the Division http://www.planning.org/divisions/join/)
·         Members of the Economic Development Division Executive Committee and Awards Committee, APA Board Members, and AICP Commissioners are ineligible to make a nomination or submit for an award.

Submission Information
Deadline: Friday, February 15, 2013

Please submit to the Chair of the Award Committee:
Julie Herlands, AICP
TischlerBise
4701 Sangamore Road, Suite S240
Bethesda, MD 20816
Phone: 301-320-6900 x15

Applications should be submitted by email (or FTP site):
·         Email to:  julie@tischlerbise.com. Please indicate in the subject line:  “[Your Jurisdiction] Economic Development Division Award Application”

Application Requirements
There is no formal application form.  Please follow these guidelines:

I.                    Overview: Narrative Description of the Plan or Project
Provide description (up to 250 words) of the plan or project and describe how the project fits one or both of the following definitions:
·         Economic Development:  The creation of new employment and wealth-generating activities through the mobilization of human, financial, physical, and natural resources.
·         Economic Development Planning:  A series of deliberate activities leading to initiatives that enhance the jurisdiction’s economic opportunities and quality of life.

II.                  Attachment A: Nominee's Fulfillment of Award Criteria
For each of the following criteria, provide up to a 50- to 100-word description of the project.  The entire attachment (all six criteria) should be no more than two pages (500 words).
1.                   Originality: Unique concept or appreciable refinement of existing techniques or procedures.
2.                   Transferability: Potential application to other areas or projects.
3.                   Quality: Excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and professional character of the presentation.
4.                   Implementation and Results: Effectiveness of work proposals that have been carried out or show the promise of being carried out. (If applicable, quantify results.)
5.                   Comprehensiveness:  Submittal demonstrates a thorough and in-depth approach.
6.                   Contribution to Community:  Demonstrates application to community needs and desires.

III.                Attachment B (Optional): Supporting Materials
Applicants may provide relevant supporting material such as news clippings, brochures, slides, videos, etc. Please be judicious with supporting materials and only include documentation that clearly supports the application.


Past Award Winners