MACOG is designated as an Economic Development District by the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA). An Economic Development District brings together the private and public sectors in a partnership provide a coordinated strategy and economic development technical assistance. The designation has served as a foundation for regional collaboration and cooperative economic planning.
As a District, MACOG utilizes the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) as a guide for economic development values and project evaluation. The CEDS helps the region maintain its designation as an Economic Development District, which allows the region’s communities to be eligible for funding opportunities through the EDA.
The CEDS is a plan to guide regional economic development over the next five years. The plan identifies assets and challenges, introduces a vision for the region, and explains strategies to achieve regional goals. Performance reports detail progress made on the five-year CEDS.
The CEDS develops a strategy to be recognized for world-class higher education and community partnerships, access and connectivity, and high-performing communities.
The 2025-2029 CEDS was adopted by the MACOG Policy Board on April 9, 2025.
Final 2024-2029 CEDS Learn MoreThe Regional Housing Study is intended to offer a regional perspective to complement local planning and policymaking as communities across the three-county area (Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties) confront and manage housing challenges and opportunities. MACOG’s goals for this study are to support the range of actions and strategies needed to address today’s and tomorrow’s key housing challenges across the region. The Lilly Endowment Inc. funded this study through a Giving Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) VIII grant in cooperation with the Community Foundations in Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties and with support from the South Bend Elkhart Regional Partnership (SBERP).
Learn More 2024 Implementation Plan Regional Housing CollaborativeMACOG is pursuing a variety of programs and resources to help our local governments and economic partners recover from the impacts of the pandemic as well as enhance the region’s economic resilience and competitiveness. Several initiatives include the collaborative process and relationship between the MACOG led regional resiliency plan, “Collaborating for Regional Resilience and Economic Growth” and the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership administration of the Indiana READI grant award.
Learn More Final PlanIn 2021, MACOG worked with the Purdue Center of Regional Development (PCRD) to conduct a study of the State of Digital Inclusion in the MACOG region. As the COVID-19 pandemic made clear, digital exclusion is a major threat to community and economic development. Access to and utilization of broadband technologies is a must for any community or region.
Learn More Interactive DashboardIn 2019, the U.S. EPA awarded MACOG and the Regional Brownfields Coalition a grant to conduct environmental site assessments on potentially contaminated properties over the next three years. MACOG invites the public to participate by submitting sites of interest and attending public meetings to provide input on cleanup and site reuse.
Learn MoreNational and State Partners
Economic Development AdministrationRegional Partners
Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County