The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), mandated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the US Department of Commerce, is an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen regional economies – in our case, Maui County.
Conducted every 5 years or so, the purpose of the CEDS is to create a locally-based strategy for economic development and create an environment for economic prosperity and resilience. EDA and other Federal funding for projects, as well as some State and County funding, is informed by the CEDS and uses it as a criterion for decision making.
The CEDS was coordinated by MEDB and funded by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development (OED) and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), under an Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA). A Strategy Committee was formed to develop, guide, and review the CEDS process, composed of representatives from major interests in the community.