The Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellowship program aims to build capacity in economically distressed areas across the U.S. while cultivating the next generation of economic development leaders. The program connects 65 host sites nationwide with diverse practitioners and leaders with the passion, skills, and vision to create new ways of doing economic development. The ERC Fellowship was launched in 2023 through a $30 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA). It is led by the International Economic Development Council and supported by 6 other national economic development organizations.

From over 500 hosts applications, Taos County is among 65 host sites selected to receive help in advancing a project critical to the economic recovery of our community. We are the only community in New Mexico to be selected. ERC projects represent the interconnectedness between economic development and the pressing needs in communities of all sizes, including workforce development, entrepreneurial ecosystem building, housing, childcare, climate resiliency, broadband, and access to capital. Each project across the U.S. receives a dedicated fellow (fully funded for 2.5 years from the ERC program) who serves as a field catalyst to enhance, strengthen, and coordinate relationships and local efforts alongside the host community. We are delighted to be matched with local Taoseña Contessa Trujillo, who brings a wealth of expertise and passion to help us and local stakeholders on a Cultural & Outdoor Asset Mapping Study for Equitable Development for the next 2.5 years. Building off her work with the Paseo Project, the Destination Stewardship Plan, and her deep roots in this community, Contessa is the ideal candidate to create a rich and broad asset identification study of the outdoor, artistic and cultural treasures throughout Taos County.

Project Description:

As we begin a County comprehensive planning process, and to ensure inclusive community engagement, and equitable resource distribution and development going forward, Taos County sought capacity to conduct a Cultural and Outdoor Asset Mapping Study. This study will identify tangible assets such as venues, vacant facilities, trails, underutilized resources, and community centers that support the outdoor and creative economies. The study will also aim to identify places that are valuable intangible assets: those that hold historical meaning and memory, and are considered cultural treasures for which we do not want to lose to development. Taos County is at risk of being "loved to death" by our tourism economy. There is an urgency to safeguard the lifeways that have existed here for centuries, while understanding that growth and development are inevitable. This research-informed approach will give us an opportunity to make mindful decisions, combat gentrification, and move with intentionality.

Official Quotes:
Jessica Stern
Economic Development Director, Taos County

"Taos County is humbled and honored to be selected as one of the inaugural 65 host communities via the Economic Recovery Corps program. The synergy of our project alongside the upcoming Destination Stewardship and Taos Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plans, and the 2024 County Comprehensive Plan means that collectively we are in a moment of alignment as a community that recognizes the urgency of identifying and safeguarding the treasures that make this place special. That we now have the capacity for the next 2.5 years conduct a study that will not only provide policy and programing recommendations, but that will also act as a public story database, is an incredible opportunity. We also hope that our work can create a model that other communities in the Enchanted Circle and across Northern New Mexico can use to identify their own cultural and outdoor assets."
 

Nathan Ohle

President & CEO of IEDC
 

"ERC is more than a fellowship; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and strategic partnerships deeply needed to produce lasting social and economic impact. By joining forces with national partners, host organizations, funders, and practitioners eager for new models and practices, ERC will build capacity in places of need while supporting the next generation of economic development leaders all while driving more equitable economic outcomes," said Nathan Ohle, President & CEO of IEDC. "By investing in capacity building and leadership development, facilitating knowledge sharing and partnerships, the ERC program will set the stage for the future of economic development and a new age of collaboration in the economic development field."
 

Media Assets:

See attached graphics for use as needed.
 

Website:

http://www.economicrecoverycorps.org/
 

Interview Opportunities:

Interview opportunities with both Taos County Economic Development and ERC Fellow Contessa Trujillo are available upon request. Please contact Taos County Economic Development Director, Jessica Stern at jessica.stern@taoscountynm.gov.

Press Release Link: IEDC Announces the Economic Recovery Corps' Inaugural Cohort of 65 Fellows & Host Communities