Overview
What is Community Economic Development?
CED includes:
- Diversification of the local economic environment;
- Reduction of economic vulnerability;
- Reduction of out migration of youth by stimulating job creation in the community;
- Enhancement of the investment and entrepreneurial environment; and,
- Building capacity within the community by developing people and organizations capable of managing change.
What are the Key Components of Successful Community Economic Development?
- Business-like attitudes — Recognize the importance of market-driven enterprises, profitability, and long-term viability.
- Commitment from government — Rather than being regulators and deliverers of programs and services, encourage government officials and agencies to play a developmental and supportive role in community-based initiatives.
- Enable transformations to a knowledge-based economy — To remain viable in the new economies, industries must become knowledge-based and innovative.
- Entrepreneurial attitudes — Comfort with risk and a will to innovate are essential.
- Global outlook — "think globally and act locally".
- Human resource development — Education and training must be consistent with the strategic economic plan of the community.
- Modern telecommunications — Modern communications tools (including access to the internet) enable people to become more knowledgeable and better informed about new economic activities.
- Partnerships — Key are partnerships among communities, agencies, government, and business.
- Recognition of the key role of volunteers in many of the organizations.
- Strategic planning — A guide for development efforts.
- Sustainability and stewardship — Sound resource management and environmental protection.
Community Futures is a non-profit organization guided by a volunteer board of directors and staffed with business and CED professionals, who together are actively engaged in helping to develop and implement community economic development strategies.
Community Futures South Fraser is also:
- The southern Fraser Valley's only One Stop BC Business kiosk and a user-friendly business development centre that controls and manages investment funds from which fully repayable loans of up to a maximum of $125,000 are extended to community members and community-based organizations who are interested in starting or expanding their businesses or social enterprises;
- Home to the BC Centre for Social Enterprise, a nationally recognized provider of quality social enterprise technical assistance and policy champion;
- A welcoming entrepreneurial development centre that provides one-on-one business advice and group training to assist those who are interested in self-employment or in expanding their businesses; and,
- A proactive, progressive thinking, community-oriented organization dedicated to strengthening the community's entrepreneurs and economy as a whole.
Community Futures South Fraser can also assist with:
- Feasibility studies
- Business plans
- Strategic planning
