January 6, 2017
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
 Senate Republicans and Democrats Announce Committee Members for the
115th Congress
 Senate to Begin Cabinet Confirmation Hearings Next Week
 Last Call to Respond to a Brief Inquiry about Your Region’s CEDS
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Senate Republicans and Democrats Announce Committee Members for 115th Congress
The 115th Congress convened on January 3. Senate Republicans and Democrats have announced
committee memberships for the new congress. Click here to view the Senate Republican committee
memberships and here for the Democratic assignments.
Senate to Begin Cabinet Confirmation Hearings Next Week
President-elect Trump’s nominees for cabinet positions will begin appearing before Senate committees
next week for confirmation hearings. Among those scheduled are Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney
General before the Senate Judiciary Committee; Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee; Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education before the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; Elaine Chao for Secretary of Transportation before
the Senate Commerce Committee; and Andrew Puzder for Secretary of Labor before the Senate HELP
Committee.
Senate Advances FY2017 Budget Resolution
This week, the Senate approved by a vote of 51 to 48 a measure to proceed with a stripped down fiscal
year (FY) 2017 budget resolution, the first step in dismantling the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The budget
resolution sets up a fast-track procedure known as budget reconciliation to consider repealing the health
care bill. The reconciliation process allows the Senate to approve legislation by a simple majority vote,
instead of the 60-vote threshold normally required under Senate rules. Reconciliation instructions
included in the measure require four congressional committees, two from each chamber, to deliver their
portions of legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act by January 27.
Representative Paul Ryan Re-Elected as Speaker of the House
House Republicans overwhelmingly re-elected Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) as Speaker of the House
earlier this week. This will be Ryan’s first full term as speaker as he was first elected in October 2015
following the resignation of John Boehner of Ohio. Ryan will lead a House with 241 Republicans and
194 Democrats.
NADO NEWS AND NOTES
Last Call to Respond to a Brief Inquiry about Your Region's CEDS
Thank you to the over 80 organizations that have already sent us information about the strengths and
areas for improvement in their CEDS planning process as we design new programming and training in the
upcoming year. The NADO Research Foundation (NADO RF) was recently awarded a three-year
technical assistance grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support "Stronger
CEDS, Stronger Regions: A Capacity Building Program for Economic Development Districts." This
program will enhance and expand current NADO RF resources available on the CEDS, provide
customized trainings and technical assistance to EDDs and other regional partners, and amplify EDA’s
message about the tremendous value and potential of the CEDS to support broader regional economic and
community development goals.
We have designed an inquiry to collect a snapshot of where economic development districts and others
are with their CEDS development, outreach, and implementation goals. The information gathered will be
used to help inform our future programming, resources, and training curriculum. We are very grateful for
your time and thoughtfulness in responding to these questions. The questions should take 10 – 15
minutes to finish. The deadline to complete the inquiry is today, January 6, though we welcome your
comments and input anytime. You can access the questions here. Contact NADO RF Program Manager
Brett Schwartz at [email protected].
Save the Date: 2017 Washington Policy Conference is March 20 – 22
Registration will open soon for the 2017 Washington Policy Conference: NADO on the Hill. The
conference is scheduled for March 20 – 22 at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, VA. Click here
to view a preliminary agenda and here to reserve hotel rooms.
Save the Date! National Regional Transportation Conference
Plan now to join your peers from around the country at the National Regional Transportation
Conference. The conference will be held June 28 – 30, 2017 in Denver, CO.
This year, the conference will feature training and best practice workshops on transportation and
economic resilience, working with partners, rural transit, freight, bicycle and pedestrian, and many more
topics. This conference is attended each year by regional rural and small metropolitan transportation
planners and other professionals, state DOT partners, and more. A draft agenda and registration
information will be shared in 2017. Details will be posted to the conference website.
FEDERAL NEWS AND NOTES
EDA Releases FY2017 Economic Development Assistance Programs Federal Funding
Opportunity
The U.S. Economic Development Administration recently published its fiscal year (FY) 2017 funding
availability notice for the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs. Grants and
cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage regional assets and support
creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities. Click here for more
details.
Funding Opportunities from the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is providing two funding opportunities for communitybased projects. Art Works serves projects which enhance public engagement with art. Typically, awards
are funded from $10,000 to $100,000. Challenge America funds projects connecting arts to underserved
populations. Matching grants are awarded at $10,000. To learn more about the Art Works program, click
here. Details on the Challenge America program can be found here.
Funding Available for Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting proposals to fund programs for
recruitment, training, and placement of unemployed and underemployed persons in environmental-related
jobs. The Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program is aiding skill-building and
employment by awarding approximately $3 million through an expected 15 to 16 cooperative
agreements. Applicants may apply for up to $200,000. Webinars providing guidance on the application
process are being held January 10 at 12:30 p.m. ET and January 12 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Applications are
due February 24. For further details on the program, click here. Information on the grant can be found
here. To access the webinars, click here at the scheduled time.
BroadbandUSA Hosting Webinar on Broadband Opportunity Council
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) continues its BroadbandUSA
monthly webinar series on January 18 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The session will engage participants on the
Broadband Opportunity Council’s (BOC) past successes and outlook. Started in March 2015, BOC has
united federal agencies to increase broadband access throughout the nation. To register for the webinar,
click here. More information on the BOC can be found here.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The Environmental Finance Center Network to Host Webinar on Small Water Systems
On January 12 from 2 – 3 p.m. ET, the Environmental Finance Center Network is hosting a free
webinar “Ask the Expert: Advice on Water System Partnerships.” This online forum will provide an
opportunity to learn the ins and outs of water system partnerships and ask questions of experts. The
webinar will feature Jeff Hughes and Glenn Barnes from the Environmental Finance Center at The
University of North Carolina who have extensive experience helping water systems with partnerships and
regionalization. Click here to register.
Two Community Webinars Announced
The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-supported
center at Michigan State University, has announced two upcoming webinars on aspects of community
development.
On January 19 at 2 p.m. ET, the webinar “Stakeholder Centered Community Marketing” will be
presented by Kristin Runge, Community Development Specialist at the University of WisconsinMadison. The goal of community marketing is to make villages, towns or cities competitive and enable
their stakeholders to thrive. The webinar will discuss a cooperative framework model for community
marketing in which stakeholders take a central role in crafting a unique market position and a clear
“brand” for their community.
On January 24 at 2 p.m. ET, the webinar “Community Supported Enterprises: Lessons Learned and
Opportunities to Preserve or Enhance Social Capital” will occur. Rural areas often find that essential
businesses such as grocery stores, restaurants, and coffee shops are threatened by market declines. Some
communities have turned to community-supported enterprise approaches where groups of residents invest
in these establishments through nonprofits, LLCs, or cooperatives in efforts to restart or retain businesses.
This webinar examines lessons learned by rural communities in Illinois, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
There is no registration or fee to attend the webinars. To join the webinars, go to
http://ncrcrd.adobeconnect.com/ncrcrd shortly before the webinar time. The selection “enter as a guest”
is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room.” The
webinar will be recorded and archived at http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/chronological_archive. Contact
[email protected] with questions or to receive future webinar notices directly.
Orton Family Foundation Conference Call to Cover Community Engagement Strategies
Deep community engagement gives local leaders courage to take risks that lead to positive change. The
Orton Family Foundation pioneered the community development method Community Heart & Soul based
on that premise. On a conference call on January 26 from 3 – 4 p.m. ET, three community leaders from
Maine, Colorado, and Washington will share how they went beyond a "check the box" approach to
engagement, working with residents to create ambitious plans that have led to dramatic and lasting results
in their towns. Click here for more information and to register.
Antioch University New England to Host Webinar on Regional Climate Resilience
Strategies
On January 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET, Antioch University will host the webinar “Weathering Change: Local
Solutions for Strong Communities.” Participants in this webinar will learn how communities can
collaborate at the regional level to successfully advance climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Cross-jurisdictional collaboration among municipal, county, and regional administrators, emergency
managers, planners, public works personnel, leaders of business, community-based, health, education, and
philanthropic institutions, and other stakeholders can successfully strengthen resilience and avoid
maladaptive responses. In this webinar, participants will learn specific models for regional collaboration
and examples of how regional collaboratives can advance climate resilience; how to establish a regional
network of key local decision-makers; and how to identify clear first steps for regional resilience
planning/implementation. Click here to register.
NADO CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2017 NADO Washington Policy Conference
March 20 – 22, 2017
Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, VA
2017 National Regional Transportation Conference
June 28 – 30, 2017
Grand Hyatt Denver, Denver, CO
2017 NADO Annual Training Conference | NADO’s 50th Anniversary
September 9 – 12, 2017
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage, AK
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by other organizations or outside publications referenced
in NADO News do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the National Association of
Development Organizations or its members.
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