GEDI Kicks Off 10th Year of Leadership Institute

The Government and Economic Development Institute (GEDI) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its GEDI-EDAA Leadership Institute, a program developed in 2015 through a partnership with the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA). The program was designed to educate and empower elected officials, economic developers and community leaders around the state and to improve local economies by strengthening our community leaders.

To earn a GEDI-EDAA Leadership Institute certificate, participants must complete the core course, Essentials of Economic Development, three additional course offerings and attend one EDAA conference. After earning the certificate, participants must take two Leadership Institute courses every 2 years to maintain their certification. This year in addition to the “Essentials” program, courses will cover critical aspects of economic development including retail, placemaking, marketing and branding, and financing strategies.

The GEDI-EDAA Leadership Institute has been well received. Courses are continually updated and added as economic development trends, strategies and challenges change frequently. Since the program began, 1,298 individuals have attended 68 course offerings. Of that number, 116 went on to complete all the program requirements and obtain their Leadership Institute certificates. Currently 345 community leaders from across the state are working toward certification, and a number of them will complete the program this year.

For more information on the GEDI-EDAA Leadership Institute, to see the 2025 schedule or sign up for classes, visit https://aub.ie/gedi-edaali.