The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments serves to provide a forum for the distribution of economic development information and ideas within the five-county region, which has been designated as an Economic Development District by the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. The Council's staff, in cooperation with the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee, has developed a plan, or "strategy," to guide the Region's development. This strategy is reviewed periodically to track what goals have been met and to add to or revise any of the recommended actions of the strategy. Some of the goals included in the strategy are to promote greater regionalism as a means to market the Region more effectively, and promoting positive aspects of the area; develop affordable housing; improve transportation structures; enhance quality of life; increase employment opportunities; develop necessary infrastructure for economic growth; and develop a regional finance pool to foster economic development.

Our current activities include:

•  Serve as regional coordinator for economic development discussion

•  Updating the Northwest Missouri Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)

•  Provide developers with information on member entities, including availability of land and/or buildings; state and/or local incentive packages; financing options; job training; demographic and labor market information

For more information about economic development, contact the Arnie Kreek, Economic Development Planner for the Regional Council at (660) 582-5121 or email him at arnie@nwmorcog.org.