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The North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (NCFRPC) received a 2017 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation for the Experience North Florida by Bicycle website project. The 2017 slate of awardees includes 80 projects representing Association members from 21 states.
The Council provides staff services to the Original Florida Tourism Task Force to implement their marketing campaign to promote the north central Florida region for nature-based, heritage-based and cultural-based tourism. The Council, in conjunction with the Task Force, completed the Experience North Florida by Bicycle website project. The website provides turn-by-turn GPS directions for two bicycle trails for each county in north Florida and two multi-county bicycle trails.
The National Association of Development Organizations is a Washington, D.C. based association that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery and comprehensive strategies. The Association’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and partnering organizations for improving the economic and community competitiveness of local communities throughout their region. This year marks the Association's 50-year anniversary of supporting regional economic development across the country.
Each year, the Association recognizes member organizations that demonstrate innovative approaches to regional economic and community development with an Innovation Award. More than 1,600 Association member projects have been recognized since 1986 for their creative efforts in advancing economic development. The breadth and scope of the winning projects is impressive and far reaching and illustrates the important role the Association of members have across their regions, as well as on the national landscape.
“The Innovation Awards program is an opportunity to recognize the important work of regional development organizations that are promoting economic development and improving quality of life for local residents. These projects demonstrate the diversity of work that regional development organizations undertake to benefit the communities and regions that they serve.” said 2016-2017 National Associations of Development Organizations President Lynne Keller Forbes, Executive Director of the South Eastern Council of Governments, located in Sioux Falls, S.D.