NADO

08/20/2026

The 2026 NADO Member Photo Contest is now accepting submissions! 📸 For more than a decade, the NADO Member Photo Contest has served as an opportunity for NADO member organizations to tell the story of their regions through photos that capture the people and places that make their communities interesting places to live, work, and play. This year's contest will accept photos from now until Friday, September 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Learn more about the photo contest rules and find the submission form on our website: https://www.nado.org/photocontest/

08/17/2026

Earlier this month, NADO staff Carrie Kissel and Haley Schultheis traveled to Wisconsin where they partnered with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Menominee County, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC), and Ayres Consulting (Ayres Associates) to deliver small community technical assistance through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant program. Menominee Tribe and County stakeholders participated in ECWRPC’s Strategic Planning and Revitalization for Communities (SPARC) program where they worked with landscape architects on plans for site specific redevelopment.

Additional information about the SPARC program can be found online: https://www.nado.org/strategic-planning-and-revitalization-for-communities/

While on site, NADO staff also delivered a regional Active Transportation workshop provided through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program and a Wealth Creation training session.

08/13/2026

Want to see economic development in action? Join us at our 2026 NADO Annual Training Conference for mobile workshops that will take attendees beyond the meeting room to explore Reno-area success stories in downtown revitalization, placemaking, tourism, infrastructure, renewable energy, and regional collaboration. Spots are limited, so don't wait to register!

Mobile workshops can be added on to your conference registration during the check out process. If you have already registered for the ATC and would like to add on a workshop, contact us.

Learn more about this year’s mobile tour offerings: https://www.nado.org/nado-events/2026-annual-training-conference/?tab=5

🏘️✨ From Wagon Ruts to Main Street Wins: A Visit to Gardnerville
Learn how Main Street Gardnerville is revitalizing its historic downtown through strategic investments, grant funding, and strong community partnerships.

🏛️⛏️ Virginia City Bonanza: Bringing the Past to the Future
Discover how Virginia City, NV has leveraged historic preservation and heritage tourism to create new economic opportunities beyond its mining legacy.

🏗️🌆 Downtown Reno Revitalization: From Brownfields to Economic Engines
See how Reno is transforming vacant and underutilized properties into vibrant economic assets through redevelopment partnerships, public investments, and brownfield programs.

🚗🏛️ Engines of Change: Reno's National Automobile Museum
Explore one of the nation's premier automobile museums while learning how cultural attractions can contribute to downtown revitalization and economic development.

♻️💧 From Waste to Worth: Inside Wastewater Reuse at Reno-Stead Water Reclamation Facility
Tour Reno's award-winning water reclamation facility to learn how innovative water reuse and regional collaboration support long-term economic sustainability.

🌎⚡ Inside Energy: Geothermal Energy at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino (Two tour offerings!)
Get an inside look at the Peppermill's geothermal energy system and learn how communities can harness renewable energy resources for economic and environmental benefits.

🎨🚶 MidTown Reno on Foot: Placemaking, Small Business, and the Creative Economy
Discover how placemaking, public art, and locally owned businesses have transformed MidTown Reno into a thriving cultural and economic district.

🏭🚀 Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center: A Visit to the World's Largest Industrial Park
Visit the world's largest industrial park to explore how strategic infrastructure, major employers, and emerging technologies are shaping regional growth.

🌊🥾 Truckee River Walking Tour
Explore how outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and natural amenities contribute to tourism and local economic development along the Truckee River.

October 19-22, 2026 Reno, NV

08/12/2026

Please help us welcome Athena Garcia to the NADO team as our newest Research Fellow! 👏 Athena has experience in policy research and communications at organizations including Green Jobs Board, HigherBar Leadership LLC, and Seeking Equality, Employment, and Community (SEEC). She has conducted policy research on a variety of topics, including climate change, affordable housing, energy, and disability policy.

08/06/2026

Are you and your colleagues registered for our 2026 Annual Training Conference (ATC) yet?

The ATC is a prominent opportunity to connect with Regional Development Organization (RDO) leaders and staff, elected officials, and policymakers from across the country for four days of learning, inspiration, and collaboration!

Join your peers October 19-22, 2026, in Reno, Nevada, for a mix of plenaries, hands-on training sessions, peer-led best practice presentations, small-group conversation cafés, and networking events. Register by September 12 to receive early bird discounted rates.

The Peppermill Resort room rate is $152 + tax per night. This rate is guaranteed until September 12, 2026. After this date, rooms and rates are subject to availability. Additionally, this rate applies only until NADO’s reserved room block is full, which could happen prior to September 12. We recommend making your reservation as soon as possible to secure this rate!

💻 Register now: https://www.nado.org/nado-events/2026-annual-training-conference/?tab=2

🛌 Book your room: https://book.passkey.com/event/51125028/owner/7268/home

07/28/2026

The inaugural cohort of the Training Program for Emerging Leaders (TPEL) for the EDA Atlanta Region convened for the first time at the Economic Development Training for the EDA Atlanta Region held last week.

Before and after the training, the cohort completed site visits to East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission and Northwest Georgia Regional Commission where the Emerging Leaders learned from other Economic Development District (EDD) staff and saw project development up-close. The group’s learning journey highlighted projects and discussions on workforce development and innovation, outdoor recreation, housing, downtown revitalization, community engagement, and navigating complex funding sources.

Congratulations to our inaugural EDA Atlanta Region TPEL cohort:

🔹 Greg Boike, Director of Planning & Public Administration, Middle Georgia Regional Commission (GA)

🔹 Amy Frogue, MBA, MPA, Director of Community & Economic Development, Pennyrile Area Development District (KY)

🔹 Timothy Hendrick, Deputy Director, East Tennessee Development District (TN)

🔹 Lindsay Privette, Economic Development Director, P*e Dee Regional Council of Governments (SC)

🔹 Beka Shiver, Economic Development Planner, Southwest Georgia Regional Commission (GA)

🔹 Caroline Smith, Director, Economic & Community Development, Apalachee Regional Planning Council (FL)

🔹 Eric Wright, Director of Planning & Development, East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (AL)

🔹 Leslie Wright, Economic Development Specialist, Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (AL)

The cohort’s curriculum the rest of the year will include site visits to five more EDDs, virtual training sessions, and attending the NADO Annual Training Conference in Reno, NV, this October.

Thank you to the U.S. Economic Development Administration Atlanta Regional Office for supporting this leadership development initiative and to the host EDDs in facilitating the site visits! 🎉

07/27/2026

07/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming our newest Fellow, Camryn Banks, to the NADO team!

Camryn joins us as a Research and Writing Fellow, supporting our Economic Development District Community of Practice program. A graduate of the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, she brings experience in community engagement, business improvement, and neighborhood revitalization, with a passion for building healthier, safer, and more sustainable communities. Camryn will soon earn her Master’s in Environment and Sustainability Management from Georgetown University.

We’re excited to have her expertise and energy on the team. Welcome, Camryn!

07/23/2026

Many thanks to QTS Data Centers for sponsoring the 2026 Economic Development Training for the EDA Atlanta Region, hosting attendees for a mobile workshop at the QTS Atlanta 1 data center campus, and speaking during breakout sessions this week. We’re grateful for their support and knowledge as attendees learned more about how communities are balancing rapid growth, community needs and benefits, and long-term competitiveness, as demand for data infrastructure continues to expand.

07/22/2026

Yesterday, the 2026 Economic Development Training for the EDA Atlanta Region began at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead. More than two hundred federal, state, regional, and local partners have gathered for timely conversations on economic resilience, regional collaboration, and strategies to strengthen communities within the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Atlanta Region. Attendees will gain practical insights from expert speakers, engage in meaningful peer discussions, and explore innovative approaches to advancing economic development in the southeast region this week.