\u201cWorking with Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation has really opened our eyes to understanding how natural resources impact economic development. I mean, it's common sense when you start putting all the pieces together. But if you're not actively thinking about it, then you're not actively working on it. And so our mindset completely changed when we received this grant, because although the work is still part of community infrastructure, we geared it more toward source water protection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014Lehi Dowell, Community and Economic Development Director, CCD Business Development Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CCD Business Development Corporation is one of Oregon\u2019s 12 federally designated economic development districts, serving Coos, Curry and Douglas counties. CCD partners with small-business owners to provide capital for business launches and expansions while also connecting them to communication networks and training opportunities. During the pandemic, CCD was a lifeline for small businesses on the South Coast, distributing roughly $11 million across nine funding sources. Beyond business development, CCD drives community growth by championing infrastructure projects and offering technical assistance to local and regional governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about getting funding to upgrade wastewater treatment plants, modernize clean water treatment facilities and get pipes in the ground,\u201d says Lehi Dowell. CCD\u2019s community and economic development director. \u201cCities, municipalities and special districts may have the desire to apply for grants, but they often aren\u2019t prepared to navigate the process. That\u2019s where we come in: We provide the capacity they need to apply for and administer grants, from writing the application to ensuring compliance with state and federal labor standards and environmental reviews. It\u2019s what we excel at; in the past three years, we\u2019ve secured $25 million for our region\u2019s infrastructure needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remarkably, CCD manages this complex, high-stakes work with a dedicated team of just four people. \u201cIt\u2019s a small nonprofit in rural Oregon,\u201d Lehi laughs. \u201cEveryone wears multiple hats, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With encouragement from BDCF, CCD recently expanded its focus to include source water protection. In 2024, CCD secured nearly $1 million in funding for regional source water protection projects, with an additional $3.3 million contingent on the successful completion of planning grant phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve always thought about pipes in the ground,\u201d Lehi notes. \u201cBut we hadn\u2019t given as much thought to where our water comes from, whether that means protecting watersheds or moving a water intake three miles upriver to prevent saltwater infiltration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lehi emphasizes that resilient and adaptable infrastructure is a multigenerational investment: \u201cMost of our infrastructure was built with timber money back in the \u201860s, \u201870s and \u201880s. Those systems were designed with a 50-year lifespan, and now we\u2019re seeing the consequences of aging infrastructure. We need to approach these updates with the next 50 years in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The value of CCD\u2019s forward-thinking approach to coastal infrastructure is especially clear in a changing climate. \"I want this conversation to be at the forefront of every single grant we apply for,\" Lehi says. \"Climate change will impact our industries, agriculture and tourism. If we\u2019re not addressing it in our grant applications, we risk losing the foresight it takes to mitigate those challenges.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Working at the intersection of economic vitality, infrastructure and climate change may seem overwhelming, but Lehi sees the interconnectedness of small coastal communities\u2014including partnerships between funders like BDCF and CCD\u2014as an advantage urban areas often lack. \u201cWe have this incredible networking ability because that\u2019s just how rural America works,\u201d he explains. \u201cDecision-makers are our neighbors. It\u2019s part of our culture, it\u2019s part of what we\u2019re proud of, and\u2014if you think about it\u2014it\u2019s how America was built back in the day. That\u2019s why CCD is so successful at moving projects forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWorking with Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation has really opened our eyes to understanding how natural resources impact economic development. I mean, it's common sense when you start putting all the pieces together. But if you're not actively thinking about it, then you're not actively working on it. And so our mindset completely changed when we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":22278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"blog_types":[386],"class_list":["post-22290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bandon-dunes","blog_types-scholarship-recipient"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n