Introduction

Northwest Louisiana’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is the result of a planning process designed to guide the economic growth of the region. The purpose of the process is to help create jobs, foster a more stable and diversified economy, and improve living conditions. The CEDS provides a mechanism for coordinating the efforts of individuals, organizations, local governments, and private industry concerned with economic development.

Northwest Louisiana’s CEDS Committee is the Board of Directors of The Coordinating and Development Corporation. Its members represent local governments including the State of Louisiana, the ten parishes of the region and municipalities; business and industry; finance; agriculture; higher education; professionals (such as CPAs, attorneys and others); as well as representatives of minorities and those representing other disadvantaged groups. Its member parishes are the ten parishes of Northwest Louisiana:
Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, and Webster. Additionally, it should be noted that other crossbreed legally constituted Boards of CDC, including its subsidiaries and various divisions, also play a role in the development of the CEDS. These Boards are also  composed of cross sections of the economy and reflect the broadest possible input to area development plans. They include the Workforce Investment Board, and the Boards of CDC’s subsidiary corporations; ARK-LA-TEX Investment and Development Corporation, The Red River Valley BIDCO, and the Tri District Development Corporation.

In addition to the CEDS Committee, there are four advisory committees which do much of the actual work that is required during the planning process. Since 1992, these committees have been established on a functional rather than a geographic basis. Each of the four CEDS advisory committees has a defined area of expertise. These committees are as follows: (1) Natural Resources, Environment, Agriculture, Tourism/Retirement, and Historic Preservation; (2) Education and Training; (3) Business, Industry, Employment, Trade Development, and Finance; and (4) Utilities, Public Facilities and Transportation. These advisory committees provide input and are involved in economic development work.

The process through which the CEDS Committee and its advisory committees operate includes regularly constituted and structured meetings on a regular basis and on-call for particular business and a full agenda of goals establishment, arrangement of strategy formulation and the development of priority projects for programming goals implementation. Each attending and participating member has an equal (one vote) voice on the issues connected with the planning process. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, goals, and objectives, as well as the action plan detailed in this document are based upon the work of the individual committees.

(Top of page)

The Coordinating and Development Corp.
5210 Hollywood Avenue, P. O. Box 37005
Shreveport, LA 71133-7005
Phone: (318) 632-2022
Fax/TDD: (318) 632-2099
E-mail: info@cdconline.org

| Home | Contact Us | Site Map | CDC Executive Committee Members | CDC Divisions |
| CDC Affiliates and Subsidiaries | Business Resource Guide | Renewal Community Initiative |

This Site Created, Hosted and Maintained by Desoto Data Base, LLC