Performance Measurement in Economic Development (PM)

Measuring What Matters and Demonstrating Results

Economic development practitioners are increasingly expected to demonstrate results, justify investments, and show how their work contributes to community priorities. Effective performance measurement helps organizations move beyond reporting activities to understanding outcomes, improving decision-making, and demonstrating impact.

Performance Measurement in Economic Development (PM) is an optional course designed for practitioners responsible for tracking results, reporting to Council, boards, funders, and stakeholders, and using evidence to improve economic development programs over time. The course introduces practical tools and approaches for building a measurement framework that is realistic, meaningful, and aligned with community capacity.

Participants will learn how to apply EDA’s SOME Framework (Strategy, Outcomes, Metrics, Evaluating & Reporting), develop SMARTER outcomes, use Logic Models, select meaningful performance metrics, and create reporting systems that support accountability and continuous improvement. The course also explores leading, coincident, and lagging indicators, data collection, dashboard development, equity measurement, and effective reporting practices.

Whether you are measuring the success of BR&E initiatives, investment attraction efforts, workforce programs, tourism development, resilience initiatives, or broader economic development strategies, PM provides practical tools to help you measure what matters, communicate results effectively, and make better decisions over time.

This is an optional course within the Community Economic Development Certificate Program.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES