The Washington State Economic Development Commission was created by the Legislature in 2003.  Its mission and focus were updated by the Legislature in 2007, through SB 5995, to:

 

"provide planning, coordination, evaluation, monitoring, and policy analysis and development for the state economic development system as a whole, and advice to the governor and legislature concerning the state economic development system."

 

In providing a revised focus for the Commission, the Legislature clearly intended to build on and strengthen the existing network of economic development organizations in the state and foster better coordination among those organizations and the many other organizations and institutions that help drive the state’s economy.  The Commission’s strategic plan is meant to provide a statewide framework for local economic development plans.

 

The Legislature specifically directed the Commission to build on the work of two recent statewide economic development reports:

 

The Next Washington was released by the Governor’s Office in January, 2007.  Written at a time when Washington’s economy was operating at its peak, the report “is a response to the remarkable times we live in and the incredible opportunities that life before us.”  Following is a summary or the report’s recommendations:

 

 

 

Global Competitiveness Council.  The Council, a high profile 35-member panel, released its final report in March, 2006.  As its name implies, the Council concentrated on Washington’s position in the global economy and the steps necessary to secure that position over time.  The Council’s recommendations, as summarized in the Next Washington report covered:

 

Infrastructure.  Improvements to telecommunications, water, freight, energy and air transportation.

 

Marketing.  Proposes a Global Business Attraction and Promotion Campaign, an inventory and expansion of marketing resources, and efforts to leverage additional activities.

 

Political Environment.  Address the context for decision-making in the state to reduce political conflict.

 

Research and Innovation.  Increase support for research and innovation; improved commercialization and technology transfer; broader distribution of technical knowledge; and better preparation and engagement of the workforce.

 

Skills.  Improve seamlessness in the education system, raise the bar on performance, increase investment and prepare the workforce.

 

The findings and recommendations in these reports in many ways mirror the findings and recommendations in this report.  The unique role of the Commission, however, is to work with communities around the state to create a more coordinated, collaborative environment for capturing economic opportunity.  The Commission’s work aims at the grass roots of economic development in Washington, integrating the latest thinking on innovation and competitiveness into local plans and helping communities realize the advantages of collaboration.

 

While the legislation that guides the Commission’s work discusses the “state economic development system,” it is not clear that the various components currently operate as a “system.”  In many ways we have a collection of parts that have not been fully assembled.  The Commission’s mandate is to get these parts working together in ways that bring high level results at the local and regional level.  These local results will, in turn, add up to growth and prosperity for the state.

 

Realizing these outcomes in the context of accelerating technology, changing demographics and globalization will require an extraordinary level of public and private collaboration, adaptation and collective insight. The WEDC is uniquely positioned to play a constructive and credible role in moving this vision forward and shaping the innovation ecosystem of the next Washington. The WEDC has organized its strategy development in 4 Working Groups illustrated in the chart below:
The Working Groups are chartered to develop action recommendations for the full Commission's Economic Development Strategy for presentation to the Governor and State Legislature. The Working Groups convene in special meetings.
All meeting notices are sent to interested stakeholders via email prior to each meeting. Parties interested in receiving these notices should send requests to: noreenh@wedc.wa.gov.

 

 

These foundations have become the basis of the working strategy organization of the Washington Economic Development Commission.  Working Groups investigate, conduct research, prepare recommendations present them through the Strategy & Collaboration Group.  Once accepted by the Strategy Group, recommendations are presented to the full commission for discussion and final acceptance.