Our Core Program

Building Connected Ecosystems for Growth

This program supports the creation of regional innovation environments where entrepreneurship, education, and investment intersect. CEEI works with cities, counties, and institutional partners to establish innovation hubs, business accelerators, and collaborative workspaces that strengthen local economies and expand access to technology and opportunity.
Focus Areas:
- Innovation hub and incubator development
- Regional entrepreneurship and startup support
- Applied research and market intelligence
- Policy alignment and investment strategy

Preparing People and Communities for the Future of Work

CEEI aligns education and industry to build the talent pipelines that power regional economies. This program designs workforce systems that connect training, credentials, and employers through real-world partnerships — ensuring that skills learned translate directly into sustainable careers and economic mobility.
Focus Areas:
- Industry-aligned training and apprenticeships
- Career pathway and credentialing design
- Education-to-employment alignment
- Workforce data and labor market analysis

Preserving Legacy, Creating Opportunity

CEEI reimagines historic and cultural assets as catalysts for economic renewal and place-based innovation. By blending preservation, design, and enterprise, this program helps communities transform legacy properties into active spaces for learning, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and civic engagement — connecting local identity with modern opportunity.
Focus Areas:
- Adaptive reuse and heritage redevelopment
- Cultural tourism and creative-economy projects
- Sustainable land-use and site planning
- Community heritage and storytelling initiatives

Strengthening Organizations That Strengthen Communities

CEEI equips nonprofits, civic organizations, and community partners with the tools, systems, and strategies needed to expand their reach and sustainability. Through technical assistance, planning, and evaluation, we help organizations operate more effectively, build collaborative capacity, and achieve measurable results that align with regional development goals.
Focus Areas:
- Strategic planning and governance
- Resource development and grant readiness
- Program evaluation and impact measurement
- Leadership and organizational development