About EADA

The Ely Area Development Association (EADA) was originally founded in 1959 with a mission to create, promote, and facilitate economic and community development. The organization's vision is to work cooperatively to create economic opportunity for a stable and diversified economy while maintaining Ely's quality of life.

The EADA is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) corporation with two employed staff and a volunteer 30-member Board of Directors with diverse occupational backgrounds.  The daily operations of the organization are overseen and directed by a nine-member Executive Board elected annually from the Board of 30.  The Executive Board has an officer board consisting of a chairman, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer.

The EADA meets quarterly at Grand Ely Lodge and the Executive Board meets monthly at the Ely Economic and Technology Center, a building that houses the EADA, Vermilion Community College Customized Training and Continuing Education, and True North.

2007 Board of Directors

EADA Partners

• Community Economic Development Joint Powers Board, consisting of the Cities of  Ely, Winton, and Babbitt, Town of Morse, Independent School District #696, Vermilion Community College, Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital  and Ely Chamber of Commerce contracts with the EADA for community and economic development services.
• Vermilion Community College Continuing Education and Customized Training is a program offers credit and non-credit courses, workshops and seminars to assist individuals and businesses in meeting professional, personal, and/or organizational goals.  They are one of the partners (EADA, Vermilion Community College and True North) who share office space in the Ely Economic and Technology Center.
• Small Business Development Center:  The Community Economic Development Joint Powers contracts with the University of Minnesota's Center for Economic Development Division for small business development services.  The Small Business Development Center staff provides business counseling and training to area business owners and entrepreneurs free of charge and often uses the conference room at the Ely Technology Center to meet with clients.
• Northeast Entrepreneur Fund:  EADA staff works closely with Northeast Entrepreneur Fund personnel.  The Northeast Entrepreneur Fund is a private, nonprofit organization that helps people develop and organize their ideas for starting or expanding a business in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.  They provide one-on-one consulting, training workshops and offers loans to start-up and existing businesses. 

EADA Goals

• Develop Stakeholder Relations
• Assist in Attraction, Expansion and Retention of Local Businesses
• Develop Homegrown Innovation
• Develop Liaison with Local Educational Institutions

EADA Action Items 2006-2008

1. The Leadership Perspective/The Common Good
   Need to address the Common Good and Common Goals
   Need to bring people to the table and get them to stay at the table talking/working together to address challenges in a spirit of cooperation
2. The Focus Perspective/Economic Development
   
   • Attract and develop jobs
   • Foster innovation and entrepreneurship
   • Build out of Tech Center
   • Venture accelerator
   • Homegrown innovation
   • Project Firefly
   • Marketing Committee
   • Radio show
   • Asset inventory
3. The Support Perspective/Community Development
   Support Community Infrastructure/Develop and use marketing brochure to promote area
   1. Schools
   2. Housing
   3. Hospital