Northeast Florida Regional Council Receives National Association of Development Organizations 2021 Impact Award

Media Release
October 28, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC), based in Jacksonville, Florida, has received a 2021 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for the Northeast Florida COVID-19 Support, Recovery & Economic Resilience Planning.

The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) responded to impacts caused by COVID-19 through a multi-layered approach to economic resilience and emergency preparedness which included developing a small business resource guide; producing REMI economic forecast reports; supporting more than 700 healthcare members across 18 counties; providing 460 hours of assistance to local emergency management departments; establishing the Northeast Florida Economic Resilience Task Force; and publishing a Northeast Florida COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.

The NEFRC was directly responsible for the conceptualization, planning, coordination, and implementation of each of the individual activities included in this multi-layered process. Through dedicated staff roles, established regional programs, and successful regional partnerships, the NEFRC carried out each activity in its entirety. The NEFRC, which also serves as the designated Economic Development District (EDD) for Northeast Florida, was uniquely positioned to carry out the economic activities because of its access to Federal funding made available through the CARES Act. By leveraging this funding to further bolster existing programs and efforts, the NEFRC identified opportunities throughout the pandemic to enhance regional coordination, bring stakeholders from a wide array of backgrounds together, and develop actionable strategies to assist the region on the economic recovery journey that lies ahead.

NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promote programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Impact Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and their partners for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities.

Award-winning projects were recognized during NADO’s 2021 Annual Training Conference, held in Portland, OR on October 16-19. The 2021 class of award recipients consists of 102 projects from 70 organizations spanning 24 states. These projects are presented in an interactive “Story Map” developed by NADO that includes project summaries, partners, and images. The Story Map is available online at: https://www.nado.org/2021_impactawards/.

“During the past 20 months, regional development organizations across the country have shown just how valuable they are in supporting the local communities they serve,” said 2019-2021 NADO President Kevin Byrd, executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission, located in Radford, VA. “From COVID-19 response and recovery initiatives, to workforce and economic development projects, to social services programs and much more, the 2021 NADO Impact Awardees highlight the many ways our members work on the ground every day to improve quality of life in their regions.”

The NADO Impact Awards are presented in honor of the late Aliceann Wohlbruck who was NADO’s first executive director and served 24 years as a tireless champion for regional approaches to economic development in rural communities.

For more information about this award-winning project, contact Kate Haigh at khaigh@nefrc.org or 904-279-0880.

The NEFRC is an independent, regional government agency serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, Nassau and St. Johns counties. It provides a regional perspective toward growth management, economic development, emergency preparedness, resiliency, and community development to enhance the quality of life of Northeast Florida residents. For more information about the Northeast Florida Regional Council, visit www.nefrc.org.

​Since 1967 the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) has provided advocacy, education, networking, and research for the national network of 540 regional development organizations. NADO members provide professional, programmatic, and technical assistance to over 2,300 counties and 15,000 municipalities.