Hello and Happy Fall. The Vandals are winning! And it’s the start of CEDA’s new fiscal year. We had a great 2022 with a lot of momentum in community development, regional planning, and workforce development activities that you can read in this newsletter.

Our most exciting accomplishment, I believe, is selling our commercial building to Northwest River Supplies. This deal is a win for Moscow/Latah County with the expansion of a popular and successful local company. And most importantly it will be a win for the Region. We will use the proceeds from the sale to invest in projects in north central Idaho that benefit, and are consistent with, the community economic development goals of the association. We anticipate implementing this later in 2023.

If you are an existing member of CEDA you received a letter from Board Chair Cari Miller and me asking for your continued support for FY23. The investment of your membership dollars supports our mission to assist business and communities by acting as a conduit of resources. Local dues serve an important need in our organization. These funds provide membership services, meet federal planning grant matching fund requirements, and leverage other funding opportunities such as business technical assistance and rural community development programs that benefits our region.

Finally, at CEDA we have many opportunities for you to be involved. We have advisory council openings serving our business finance program, workforce development and community/economic development programs. Feel free to reach out to me or staff. As always, CEDA staff are available to attend your governing board meetings if you have questions or have needs for projects.

Let’s Keep Things in Motion for the Region

Dodd Snodgrass

CEDA, in partnership with the Northwest Intermountain Manufacturing Association, with funding support from USDA Rural Development, hosted a workshop on automation and robotics on September 29th at the Clearwater Casino Events Center. Titled “Manufacturing Technology – Work Smarter, Not Harder” the event featured Dr. John Shovic of the U of I Industrial Robotics Program, Regional Economist Lisa Grigg, technology vendors, and area manufacturer panelists that have adopted technology to improve productivity, workforce retention and added value with higher skill/higher pay jobs. Over 50 people participated including manufacturers, students, and educators.

CEDA has accepted a subaward from the Idaho Workforce Development Council (WDC) to implement a Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) framework to establish employer collaboratives in north central Idaho to assist regional industries identify in-demand positions along with requisite skills, competencies, and credentials. CEDA will work with employers and education and training suppliers to modify existing and/or new curriculum to meet the needs of the collaborative of employers.

A Healthcare Cohort comprised of hospitals from north central Idaho and southeast Washington began meeting in late March of this year. Members of the cohort completed a confidential survey to identify future staffing needs, necessary skills and education required, number of positions needed currently, next year, in three years - five years, and preferred education/talent suppliers. Education and training representatives have joined the Cohort and are now working collectively to address short-term solutions and address collaborative long-term solutions. The Healthcare Cohort has seated two working groups that are respectively concentrating on credentialing and certification processes and development of a regional public-private healthcare partnership. The Cohort will meet again in November. CEDA began the same process with area manufacturers in September and will continue seeking industry member that would like to participate.

Contact Deb if you are interested in learning more about the TPM process and outcomes.

Deb Smith, PCED
Regional Economic Development Planner 208-746-0015 x 103
[email protected]

In response to the growing interest in consumption of locally produced foods, CEDA is prepared to apply for and implement the USDA Rural Development Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP) that was announced in the summer of 2022. This USDA Rural Development program is intended to create a more resilient, diverse, and secure U.S. food supply chain. The program at CEDA will serve an eight-county area of NC Idaho and SE Washington with loans at favorable interest rates and terms.

The MPILP offers considerable flexibility and local decision making. Eligible borrowers include both custom cut and USDA certified shops engaged in the processing of locally produced meat and poultry for human consumption. Eligible uses of the loan funds include nearly anything associated with starting or expanding the business including real estate, facilities, equipment, and working capital.

CEDA has 24 years of intermediary lender experience under USDA Rural Development programs so is uniquely positioned in this region to administer the MPILP once awarded. The potential for receiving the award as well as the amount allocated to this region is impacted by the level of interest from local meat and poultry processors. Those potentially interested in obtaining funding for a meat and / or poultry processing facility and those that would like to help ensure the program is set up to best meet local needs should contact John Lane at the CEDA office to explore this program further and determine how best get involved.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

The Clearwater Basin Youth Conservation Corps has wrapped up their eight-week season and has a lot of accomplishments to celebrate. In 2022 the program operated five crews stationed in Grangeville, Kooskia x2 , Pierce, and Orofino. This summer we also hired one Wilderness Trail Crew position in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness were, providing an opportunity for a local youth to gain experience on a Forest Service Trail Crew.

Each crew works on a variety of projects benefitting the natural resources of our region. The CBYCC also emphasizes local career opportunities and pathways for natural resource careers. We aim to provide a jumpstart to a great career for local youth as well as providing critical work support for federal, state and local natural resource agencies.

For more information or questions on the CBYCC, contact Angie Edwards-Kuski.
Facebook: Clearwater Basin Youth Conservation Corps
Instagram: @IdahoCBYCC

Angie Edwards-Kuskie
Community Programs Manager
208-746-0015 x 102
[email protected]

CEDA and NRS representatives, and NRS’ newly acquired building from CEDA: Kathie LaFortune (Latah County Commissioner and CEDA board Vice Chair), Julia Parker (Moscow City Council and CEDA board member), Dodd Snodgrass (CEDA Executive Director), Mark Deming (NRS Chief Marketing Officer), Tony Mangini (NRS Chief Financial Officer) and David Blue (Chief Operations Officer). Photo credit: Neal Wassmuth, NRS.

The Dream It Do It Planning Committee has already begun working on details for the 7th Annual Dream It Do It HERE Conference which will be held Tuesday, May 16 on the University of Idaho campus. The committee began planning earlier than in prior years due to a record-breaking attendance of over 500 high school students for this year’s event. This event has become recognized by educators and industries as a pipeline connecting students with potential employers in north central Idaho and southeast Washington.

The DIDI Conference Planning Committee would like to recognize the Nez Perce Tribe for the $5,500 Local Education Program Fund contribution to support the 2023 conference.

Please contact Deb if you are interested in being a presenter, sponsor, or a member of our great planning committee.

Deb Smith, PCED
Regional Economic Development Planner 208-746-0015 x 103
[email protected]

CEDA has been awarded a three-year planning partnership grant by the Economic Development Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The investment will be used to support long-term economic development planning efforts in north central Idaho. The grant scope includes implementation and annual updates of CEDA’s comprehensive economic development strategies (CEDS), coordinating economic planning and implementation with partners, and providing technical assistance to members, municipalities, and businesses and industry.

The CEDS is a strategy-driven plan for regional economic development and is the result of a regionally owned planning process designed to guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of a region. It provides a coordinating mechanism for individuals, organizations, local governments, and private industry to engage in a meaningful conversation and debate about the economic direction of their region.

CEDA will begin the CEDS updating process later this year and will hold planning workshops in each of the five north central Idaho counties. Contact CEDA if you would like more information or would like to be a part of the 2023 CEDS updating process.