CED Principles
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability refers to environmental, social, cultural, financial continuity and community well-being.
CED involves analysis and planning to implement policies and practices that will make communities resilient for the long-term.
COMMUNITY-BASED
Community-based in CED means an enterprise or community-wide planning process that is focused on the common interests of the broader community as well as the individual participants.
CED facilitates community control utilizing a grass-roots, bottom-up process.
PARTICIPATION
Participation in CED is by a broad and diverse range of community/project members in terms of class, age, culture, gender and ability.
CED invites and ensures active and inclusive participation in planning and implementation of strategies.
ASSET-BASED
In CED, the resources, talents and abilities of the community form the foundation for planning and developing projects.
CED builds on local community resources and assets as well as meeting needs.
SELF-RELIANCE
Self-reliance counteracts export economies and dependency.
CED establishes community strength by analyzing the flow of wealth in, out and within the community, identifying how leaks can be plugged and establishing trade links that benefit all partners.
Community Futures a non-profit organization guided by a volunteer board of directors and staffed with business professionals, who together are actively engaged in helping to develop and implement community-based economic development strategies.
