UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Stacey Bryan, CAE
866-557-0007
Who We Are:
Partners working together to
provide
with the community development
programs and tools
needed to ensure their long term
success
ACE is a 501 (c)(3) organization
with partners including:
Alabama Association of Regional
Councils l
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Alabama Department of Agriculture
and Industries
l
AU Economic Development Institute
l
AU Truman Pierce Institute
Chamber of Commerce Association of
Alabama l
Regions Bank
USDA Rural Development
What We Do:
Providing
technical assistance to select communities in order to
strengthen their long-term
economic success
ACE’s comprehensive three-phase
approach targets communities
with populations ranging from 2,000
to 12,000. Communities are selected
based on
the level
of local commitment to the ACE program and the community’s capacity to
support
the ACE program.
Phase I: Assessment
Includes application process,
selection process and detailed community assessment
by ACE team members. A
comprehensive “report card” detailing community assets,
weaknesses and recommended strategy
and actions is prepared.
Phase II: Leadership Development
and Strategic Planning
Includes creation of ongoing
Leadership Development Program and development of strategic plan.
Phase III: Implementation and
Comprehensive Planning
Addresses comprehensive planning,
commercial business development, education enhancement,
infrastructure, health and human
services, retiree attraction, tourism, economic development,
and quality of life/recreation
issues.
Graduation
Upon completion of all three phases,
communities are designated
an “Alabama Community of Excellence”
and receive a grant for further
community/economic development
efforts.
ACE 2003 Class (Pilot Year):
In March 2003, application forms were sent to mayors of all state
municipalities
with
populations between 2,000 and 12,000.
Of
the 114 municipalities with the qualifying population, 26 returned
applications
asking to
be considered for the program.
Eight
communities were selected to participate:
Brewton
Demopolis
Guin
Guntersville
Haleyville
Wetumpka
Valley
Four of
these communities (Demopolis, Guin, Haleyville and
all three
phases of the ACE program and were designated to be Alabama Communities
of Excellence.
A
graduation ceremony was held on May 23rd as part of the Alabama League
of Municipalities Annual Convention in
each received a $5,000 grant from
ACE to be used in funding a priority economic and
community development project.
Wetumpka
has withdrawn from the program. The remaining communities are
continuing to complete the various phases of the program.
ACE 2005 Class:
Six communities were selected to
participate in the 2005 Class:
Atmore
Fayette
Heflin
Millbrook
Assessment visits have been
conducted in all five of these communities with all six communities
continuing to complete the various
phases of the program.
ACE Board of
Directors:
Lewis
Burks, Regions Financial
Corp.
Evelyn
Crayton,
Anne
Grady,
Bob
Howard, Alabama Power Company
Nexton
Arturo
“Artie” Menefee,
Nisa
Miranda, University of
Steve
Pelham, USDA – Rural Development
Phil
Scharre,
Mary
Shell,
Mickey
Simmons, Alabama Electric
Cooperative, Inc.
Lamar
Smith, Alagasco
Ralph
Stacy, Chamber of Commerce
Association of
Joe
Sumners,
Larry
Watts, Regional Planning Commission of Greater
Copyright © 2005 The University of Alabama | Box
870138 | Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0138
Tel: (205) 348-7058 | Fax: (205) 348-6974 | Toll Free in the US: (800)
747-2482
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Contact: maigen@aitc.ua.edu