About Us

Mission

The mission of the Economic Development Administration University Center (EDAUC) is to link University of Oregon resources with communities for the purpose of enhancing regional sustainable economic development. The primary emphasis of our program is providing technical assistance to distressed communities throughout the state of Oregon.

Background

The program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), the University of Oregon, state and local government, and private industry. The EDAUC is a program of the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) in the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.

The EDAUC provides the link between transdisciplinary academic research, resources, and expertise and economically distressed Oregon communities. Through the support of the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the EDAUC is a catalyst for sustainable economic development throughout the state. The focus of the program is to create sustainable local economies through capacity building, applied research, and partnerships.

Building local capacity is the foundation of our approach. Many Oregon communities have the desire to pursue a local sustainable economic development agenda but lack technical expertise or staffing capacity. Our goal is to build capacity in communities to set strong, forward-looking policies, develop collaborative networks, and mobilize new investment resources. We focus on creating long-term partnerships that extend beyond the typical initial stages of community needs assessment or strategic planning. In short, we help communities focus on implementation and outcomes.

While our program provides a broad range of technical assistance and resources, key focal areas are on local job creation and entrepreneurship in the following areas: (1) agriculture and local food systems; (2) renewable and distributed energy systems; (3) and sustainable infrastructure (water, wastewater, transportation, and other public services). We do not limit our technical assistance and outreach activities to these areas and can provide assistance in a variety of other areas. The EDAUC focuses on three key audiences: local government, Oregon tribes, and private business.