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 2025 application period is now closed.
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:
- Communications & Marketing
- Coordination & Collaboration
- Organizational Capacity & Strategy
- Policies & Programs
PREPARING TO APPLY?
Check out the following documents:
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.
2025 Best Practices Schedule
| April 21, 2025 | Application period opens |
|---|---|
| April 24, 2025 | Zoom Application Information Session |
| May 22, 2025 | Zoom Application Information Session |
| August 31, 2025 | Extended! Application Period closes |
| August 31, 2025 – September 5, 2025 | Review of Applications, Selection of Award Year 2026 Certified Municipalities |
| September 5, 2025 | Email of awarded position |
| October 30, 2025 | CEDAS Best Practices Awards Presentation (@ Tyde at Walnut Beach in Milford, CT) |
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.