Grand Valley organizations have earned recognition for their efforts to promote resources to help create jobs.
The Economic Development Partners — specifically the Business Incubator Center, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and Grand Junction Economic Partnership — received two awards from the International Economic Development Council during its annual conference in Cleveland.
The awards honored the efforts of the Economic Development Partners during Economic Development Week in May.
The groups received an Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award for the Economic Development Week Campaign for an area with a population between 25,000 and 200,000.
The groups received a second Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award recipient for regionalism and cross-border efforts.
The International Economic Development Council, a non-profit, membership organization, serves economic developers. With more than 4,500 members, the IEDC is the largest organization of its kind.
Economic Development Week was celebrated nationwide as a way to recognize the various economic development activities undertaken by organizations and individuals and encourage companies to use the services available to assist them with job creation and expansion.
Several activities were held in Grand Junction, including a video produced for Economic Development Week.
Under the terms of a memorandum among members of the Economic Development Partners, GJEP leads efforts to bring new businesses to Mesa County. The chamber manages business retention and expansion efforts. The Business Incubator Center leads business creation efforts while also providing resources to new and existing businesses. GJEP, the chamber and center also provide various support services to the other organizations involved in economic development.
The City of Grand Junction and Mesa County as well as Colorado Mesa University, the Downtown Development Authority, Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau, Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission, Mesa County Workforce Center, Outdoor Recreation Coalition and Western Colorado Community College also play roles and offer various resources and services under the agreement.