Community Economic Development Month 2024

Current as of:
Image of two people working in a bakery overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week One.'

Celebrating Community Economic Development Month

The Office of Community Services (OCS) is celebrating Community Economic Development (CED) Month during October by releasing new stories about how CED is revitalizing communities and highlighting CED grant recipients, both old and new. 

CED Month is an annual celebration highlighting how communities come together to drive local economic development. Community-driven economic development supports entrepreneurs, expands businesses, creates jobs, and provides needed products and services to local residents. The Community Economic Development (CED) program supports these efforts by providing funds for business development and the creation of new, high-quality jobs with wraparound services for individuals with low incomes.

On This Page

Image of a young women helping a male child overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week One.'

Week One | CED Then and Now | October 1, 2024

 

To kick off CED Month, watch a video that reflects on the origins of the CED program, the needs it sought to address, and the impactful work CED grant recipients continue to do in their communities.

Scroll to the video section above to watch this newly released video!

Image of a woman flipping the sign of a business to 'open' overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week Two.'

Week Two | Social Enterprise | October 7, 2024

 

For the second week of CED Month, dive into a spotlight featuring Northwest Side Community Development Corporation, a successful CED grant recipient that developed a social enterprise model to support business development and growth, while also addressing the unique societal needs within communities in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Refer to the video section above to watch this newly released video!

Image of a community market overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week One.'

Week Three | FY 2024 CED Grants | October 14, 2024

 

To celebrate the third week of CED Month, learn about all the exciting transformations that the newest FY 2024 CED grant recipients will be making within their communities during the next few years. Additionally, watch a new video depicting the impact of the CED program by the numbers.

Learn about the new CED grant recipients by exploring these resources and webpages:

Scroll to the video section above to watch the newly released video!

 

Image of a produce section in a grocery store overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week One.'

Week Four | Entrepreneurship | October 21, 2024

 

To celebrate Week Four of CED Month, learn how Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC), a CED grant recipient, has been intentional about reserving shelf space within a local grocery store, expanded with CED funds, to showcase products made by locally owned and operated businesses. Among them is Ayanmo Juicery & Cookhouse, a Black and women-owned business selling artisan juice and lemonade and Baby Sis Salsa, a Black and women-owned business selling homemade salsa.

Scroll to the video section above or click on the links below to watch the videos and learn how Merlon, the brains behind Ayanmo Juicery & Cookhouse , turned her pandemic hobby into a thriving local business, and how Latrice, the CEO of Baby Sis Salsa , went from selling salsa out of her car to featuring it on grocery store shelves—both with a little help from CBKC.

Image of a group of meeting talking in a circle overlayed with the CED logo and the words 'Week 5.'

Week Five | CED Topic Toolkits | October 28, 2024

 

To conclude CED Month, read the practice guides to learn more about implementing community economic development in your neighborhood. Explore the practice guides by clicking the links below: