MACDC's Economic Development Program

CDCs are increasingly important actors in the economic development arena. CDCs across the state have steadily increased their capacity and their impact in such areas as small business development, commercial real estate development, workforce development and individual development accounts. At least two-thirds of our members operate active economic development programs. MACDC's GOALs campaign, Growing Opportunities, Assets and Leaders across the Commonwealth set ambitious and specific targets for CDCs in six areas of community development, including economic development. After two years, MACDC has reported on the progress of this work and along with our members, we have set new GOALS to work toward. We are proud to report that in the first two years of the GOALS campaign, CDCs created or preserved 4,572 job opportunities, helped to grow or start 2,214 locally owned businesses and attracted $431 million in public and private investment to our communities.

MACDC supports these efforts by facilitating training and the sharing of best practices, building stronger linkages between CDCs and the private sector, advocating for supportive public policies, and building the capacity of our member CDCs to operate successful economic development programs.

In 2006, MACDC will work toward the following accomplishments in the area of economic development:

1.       Supporting entrepreneurship in low income and minority communities through our work on the Massachusetts Small Business Assistance Advisory Council, our small business peer group, our advocacy efforts and our work creating partnerships with the public and private sector. To read in more detail about our work in the area of small business development, please select that section from the left hand column.

2.       Supporting the work of CDCs in the area of non-residential and mixed use commercial projects by focusing on funding for through Brownfields Development Fund, promoting sound zoning policy reforms, facilitating a peer group of MACDC members and promoting transit oriented development.  To read in more detail about our work in the area of commercial development, please select that section from the left hand column.

3.       Supporting the work of CDCs in the area of workforce development by advocating for policies that expand and improve services for low wage, low skilled individuals and building CDC capacity in the field. To read in more detail about our work in the area of workforce development, please select that section from the left hand column.

4.       Supporting CDCs that operate or seek to operate Individual Development Accounts by advocating for a state matching program and the creation of a statewide asset development commission.