
About the Course
The practice of economic development has never been more critical, as communities reel from and react to the economic devastation wrought by the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The New Mexico Basic Economic Development Course is an introduction to the theory and practice of economic development for practitioners and community leaders committed to building healthy and resilient economies at the local and regional levels.
The “Basic Course” emphasizes subjects essential for organizing, planning and managing your economic-growth initiatives. Also, this course is the first step toward earning the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential. Your experience will include practical application of concepts through simulated case studies involving real-life challenges in real-life communities.
Topics Covered
Tools for planning your economy and how to use them.
Marketing your community.
Business retention and expansion.
Researching your prospects and building a community data profile.
Financing economic development projects and using incentives.
Managing real estate inventory.
Developing your workforce to be aligned with your goals.
Managing an economic development program.


Who Should Attend
Economic development practitioners.
Chamber executives.
Municipal and county managers and department directors.
Elected local-government officials.
State legislators.
Congressional aides.
Public-utilities managers.
Financial-institution officers.
Tribal leaders.
Community planners and developers.
Real-estate professionals.
Workforce-development specialists.
Poverty-reduction advocates.
Others interested in community job creation.