Economic Development Course: Business Investment and Attraction

Attracting investment is about far more than marketing. Communities that successfully attract and retain investment understand that investors are looking for more than available land, incentives, or promotional materials. They are looking for communities that are prepared, responsive, competitive, and ready to support long-term business success.

Business Investment & Attraction is a course designed for economic development practitioners and decision-makers responsible for attracting new business investment, supporting business expansion, and strengthening community investment readiness. The course provides a practical framework for understanding what investors and site selectors look for, how investment decisions are made, and how communities can position themselves to compete effectively in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Participants will learn how to:

• assess Community Investment Readiness (CIR)

• identify and target investment opportunities

• develop compelling value propositions

• build investor-focused marketing strategies

• navigate site selection processes, and

• manage investment opportunities through the full investment lifecycle.

The course also explores emerging trends influencing investment decisions, including workforce availability, reshoring and nearshoring, ESG considerations, Indigenous economic participation, resilience, and the growing role of technology and data in investment attraction.

Delivered by: the EDA Institute

A coffee break, morning snacks and lunch will be provided.

CAEP Member Organizations: Free registration for up to 2 individuals

Non-CAEP Members: $350