Paying It Forward

 “Start something that matters.” –Blake Mycoskie, TOMS Shoe Company.

We believe it…

We started this company to impact more than a bottom line – we wanted to impact communities and our profession. We have a commitment to pay our success forward, and we do that by giving our time, money, and talent to communities and economic developers.

The Creative Give Back

In 2014, we started a program to give away one consulting project a year, up to $25,000 worth of our services, through a competitive proposal process. Crazy, right? Some told us so. We did it and loved it. Winners have included Cabarrus County, Wayne County Development Alliance , the City of Graham in North Carolina, the Blacksburg Partnership, and Waynesboro, VA. Projects have ranged from raising awareness of nontraditional career pathways for girls and women to strategies to promote the hiring of military spouses to downtown revitalization. Working with Lancaster County, SC, on a redevelopment project. We look forward to continuing The Creative Give Back. Send us your bright ideas.

Women’s Economic Development Network

Creative EDC sponsored the first Women’s Leadership Forum in February 2016 and through that program we have provided professional development to around 500 people. We invite economic developers to come together to LEARN and return to the office prepared to LEAD. The program provides leadership development, career development, professional networking, and leading-edge topics in economic development. Read more

Creative Resource Library

The Creative Resource Library offers free research for economic developers.  Check back often for white papers, free research, and how-tos.

Economic Development Mentor Network

We would not be working at the level we are today without the support of mentors along the way. They opened doors, guided us through minefields, and provided much needed on-the-job training. As our profession ages, along with the rest of America’s baby boomers, we saw a need for a way to match newbies with gurus. In 2015 we launched the NCEDAMentorNetwork.com, a free website service to match mentors and mentees in our home state of North Carolina.

Creative Economic Development Consulting