Connecticut’s Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Planning

CEDAS Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Certification Program

This program is intended to drive communities to pursue excellence in land use and economic development practices and to recognize the communities that have established best practices. In pursuit of these best practices, planners and economic developers can use this program to engage community stakeholders in discussions about how to achieve higher standards and develop creative, community-specific ways to implement them.

The 2026 application period opens April 1. 

The Best Practices Certification Program requires an application to be completed documenting various economic development and land use practices, policies, and programs taking place at the local level. The application contains four components:

1. Communications & Marketing
2. Coordination & Collaboration
3. Organizational Capacity & Strategy
4. Policies & Programs

PREPARING TO APPLY?

Check out the following documents:

• GUIDANCE document
• APPLICATION QUESTIONS
• WATCH THE AUGUST 20, 2025 CEDAS HOUR ON BEST PRACTICES
• 2026 APPLICATION COMING SOON!

CEDAS created the Best Practices Certification Program to:

• encourage best practices in municipal economic development and land use to spur continuous improvement; and
• to create an open resource library of model development examples that can be used by municipalities to update their policies and practices.

2022 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

• Town of Cheshire
• City of Norwalk
• Town of Orange

SILVER AWARD

• Town of Ellington
• Town of Guilford
• Town of Hamden
• Town of North Branford
• City of Torrington
• City of West Haven
• Town of Willington
• Town of Woodbridge

BRONZE AWARD

• Town of Berlin

2024 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

• Town Manchester
• Town of Southbury
• Town of Windham

2025 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

• City of Bridgeport
• City of Norwalk

SILVER AWARD

• Town of Ellington
• Town of Rocky Hill
• Town of Tolland

2023 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

• Town of Bolton
• Town of Madison
• Town of Windsor
• Town of Groton
• Town of West Hartford
• Town of Fairfield
• City of Groton

SILVER AWARD

• Town of Canton
• City of Hartford
• Town of Ridgefield
• Town of Tolland
• City of Bridgeport
• Town of East Windsor
• Town of Monroe
• City of New London

BRONZE AWARD

• City of Stamford
• City of Norwich

Thanks to the 2025 Best Practices Sponsors!

Program Sponsors

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding the program should be directed to the program development committee chairs Sabrina Godeski at sgodeski@norwalkct.org or Aaron Marcavitch at amarcavitch@enfield.org.