SBEDF Wins International Economic Development Council Awards
SBEDF Takes Home Two ‘Excellence in Economic Development’ Awards from the International Economic Development Council
Sold on St. Bernard (Gold) and Startup St. Bernard (Bronze) both receive international acclaim
ST. BERNARD PARISH, LA — The St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is proud to announce it has won two major industry awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC): a Gold Award for Neighborhood & Retail Development for our partnership with St. Bernard Parish Government on Sold on St. Bernard and a Bronze Award for Entrepreneurship for our work with the Meraux Foundation in creating and hosting Startup St. Bernard. The awards ceremony, which took place at Music City Center in Nashville on October 5th, included an international audience of hundreds of economic developers and practitioners.
IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. 25 award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from countries across the globe. “The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day,” said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara, President, and CEO Tom Kucharski. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life.”
“These awards exhibit the amount of collaboration and determination that has gone into revitalizing St. Bernard Parish,” said Meaghan McCormack, Executive Director of SBEDF. “Because of programs like Sold on St. Bernard and Startup St. Bernard, we have high-quality homes and community growth, a bursting entrepreneurial ecosystem and new job opportunities being created everyday. It is no secret why St. Bernard is experiencing such positive, impactful momentum.”
Sold on St. Bernard was formed post-Katrina to rebuild the parish’s residential areas, provide affordable homeownership opportunities, improve local living standards, and market the amazing quality of life the parish has to offer. Managed by Parish Government’s Office of Community Development, the program offers bundled lots (Builder Bundles) to residential developers of single-family homes at a discount to spur construction resulting in streets full of newly constructed homes throughout St. Bernard. It also offers lots for residents to either build the home of their dreams (Buy & Build) or add to their already owned property (Lot Next Door). The program is responsible for a notable chunk of the population (3.5% of residents live on a Sold on St. Bernard property), yielding increased property taxes, sales taxes, property value, and community development funds.
Startup St. Bernard, presented by the Meraux Foundation and SBEDF, is an annual startup business challenge. Entrepreneurs are invited to apply for a chance to pitch their business to a panel of judges in St. Bernard Parish for over $100,000 in prizes, on the condition they will bring their business operations to the local community. The competition serves to not only equip a local business to expand their operations in or to St. Bernard but also improves the entrepreneurial ecosystem and markets the parish as the place to start a business in Greater New Orleans.
“These awards are incredibly positive reinforcement for the work we’re doing every day in the parish,” said Ross Berlin, Special Projects & Programming Lead at SBEDF. “With these titles added to the esteem of our organization, we’re better equipped to continue ensuring the local community is one residents and business owners alike are proud of.”
— End —
About the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation
St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, sbedf.org.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members engage in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org.