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| Oregon Economic & Community Development Department | |
|---|---|
| Name | Oregon Economic & Community Development Department |
| Formed | 1950s |
| Preceding1 | Oregon Department of Commerce |
| Jurisdiction | State of Oregon |
| Headquarters | Salem, Oregon |
| Chief1 position | Director |
| Parent agency | State of Oregon |
Oregon Economic & Community Development Department is a state-level agency in Salem, Oregon charged with coordinating economic development and community development programs across Oregon. It operates at the intersection of state policy implemented through relationships with entities such as the Oregon Business Development Department, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, and local Chambers of Commerce in cities including Portland, Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, and Bend, Oregon. The department engages with federal actors such as the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, and Small Business Administration while interacting with regional institutions like the Port of Portland and academic partners including Oregon State University, University of Oregon, and Portland State University.
The agency traces origins to mid-20th century state efforts responding to postwar shifts in Timber industry (United States), Manufacturing in the United States, and the rise of technology clusters in the Silicon Forest. Early statutory frameworks mirrored programs from the New Deal era and borrowed models used by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Bonneville Power Administration. Over decades the department adapted to landmark events such as the decline of the Willamette Valley timber economy, the emergence of firms like Nike, Inc. and Tektronix, the globalization trends exemplified by the North American Free Trade Agreement, and statewide initiatives tied to the Oregon Bottle Bill and Measure 91 (Oregon) debates. Administrative reforms occurred during gubernatorial administrations including Tom McCall, Victor Atiyeh, Barbara Roberts, John Kitzhaber, Ted Kulongoski, John A. Kitzhaber, Kate Brown, and Tina Kotek, with legislative action in the Oregon Legislative Assembly shaping statutory authority and funding.
The department is organized into divisions that mirror practices in agencies like the U.S. Economic Development Administration and state counterparts such as the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. Leadership is accountable to elected officials in the Oregon Governor's Office and interacts with committees in the Oregon State Senate and Oregon House of Representatives. Executive directors collaborate with boards and advisory councils similar to the Port of Portland Commission, State Board of Education (Oregon), and the Oregon Investment Board. Internal units coordinate policy, research, outreach, workforce initiatives, and infrastructure planning, liaising with entities such as WorkSource Oregon, Oregon Workforce Board, Oregon Employment Department, Oregon Department of Transportation, and utilities like Bonneville Power Administration.
The department administers business assistance, site selection help, workforce development programs, and incentive administration akin to programs in Washington State Department of Commerce, Idaho Department of Commerce, and Montana Department of Commerce. Services support small business owners who work with Small Business Development Center networks, entrepreneurs accessing funds similar to those from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and programs modeled after the SBA 7(a) loan program. Sector-focused assistance includes support for advanced manufacturing, clean energy projects connected to Oregon Department of Energy, and technology startups that may partner with Oregon Technology Business Center and incubators at Oregon Health & Science University. The department also provides technical assistance for localities pursuing projects with entities such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and coordinates disaster recovery funding in the wake of events like the Tillamook Burn and major wildfires.
Initiatives emphasize attraction, retention, and expansion strategies influenced by models from the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County, Greater Portland Inc., and regional development corporations such as the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments. Priority sectors often include high-tech clusters linked to Intel Corporation, athletic and apparel linked to Nike, Inc. and Columbia Sportswear, precision manufacturing associated with Thermo Fisher Scientific, and agribusiness connected to the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Programs also promote trade facilitation through the Port of Portland and export assistance, workforce pipelines in partnership with Community Colleges and Workforce Development institutions like Lane Community College and Portland Community College, and investment attraction efforts comparable to initiatives in Seattle, Washington and San Francisco, California.
The department targets rural recovery and community resilience, coordinating with entities such as the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Programs support infrastructure investments, housing initiatives tied to Oregon Housing and Community Services, main street revitalization resembling National Main Street Center models, and transit-oriented development linked to agencies like TriMet and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Rural broadband efforts align with federal programs from the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
Funding streams include state appropriations passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, bond proceeds authorized by statewide measures, and federal grants from the Economic Development Administration, Community Development Block Grant programs, and the USDA Rural Development. The department administers loan and grant programs similar to model schemes in the Arizona Commerce Authority and New York Empire State Development, manages tax incentives comparable to credits used in Washington State and California, and oversees capital financing tools in coordination with the Oregon Business Development Department and public finance partners such as the State Treasurer of Oregon.
Collaboration spans private-sector partners including Chambers of Commerce in Beaverton, Oregon, Salem, Oregon, and Medford, Oregon; regional economic development organizations like Economic Development Districts; labor groups including AFL–CIO affiliates; academic partners such as Oregon State University and University of Oregon; and philanthropic funders including the Raisbeck Aviation High School donors and regional foundations modeled after the Meyer Memorial Trust and Oregon Community Foundation. The department participates in national networks like the International Economic Development Council and coordinates with federal policymakers in the United States Congress to align state initiatives with federal programs.