About the Academy
As the Central Ohio region experiences significant economic and population growth, community leaders and public officials are being called on to play a closer role in shaping their community’s future. MORPC’s new Regional Economic Development Academy is a one-of-a-kind training program designed to enhance your foundational knowledge of economic development tools and programs. Participants will learn from practitioners and specialists through in-person instruction, real-world case studies, and interactive exercises to better understand economic development strategies and how to use the knowledge to support their communities.
If you are a public official, school board member, township trustee, planning, and zoning board member, or want to better understand economic development opportunities in Central Ohio, the Academy is for you!
Learn. Build Capacity. Network.
- Central Ohio Focused: Tailor made for Central Ohio communities
- Knowledge: Learn about economic development tools, incentive programs and strategies to help plan for your communities’ economic well-being
- Insights: Gain actionable insights — industry trends, best practices and solutions — through case studies, exercises and instruction
- Networking: Engage and build valuable connections with peers and other professionals in your field
Interested individuals at all levels of experience may enroll in the Academy. The program will be particularly valuable for:
- Elected and appointed officials and public-sector staff
- School board members
- Township trustees
- Zoning board members
- Funders and staff of neighborhood revitalization organizations
- Staff from state, city and county agencies
- Community leaders and planners
- Economic development professionals
All courses will be held at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s (MORPC) Office.
Address: 111 Liberty Street, Suite 100, Columbus OH 43215
Parking is included in the course fees. Please park in a designated “M” spot.
| MORPC Member | Non-MORPC Member |
| $750 for package (ALL 6 classes) | $1,000 for package (ALL 6 classes) |
There are no prerequisites for attending the Academy. While participants are encouraged to register for all six (6) courses to receive special discounted pricing, individual course pricing (Member: $150/class; Non-MORPC Member: $200/class) is available. Lunch will be provided.
*Please Note: Course 3 & 4 will be held on the same day. Course 3 is in the morning and Course 4 is in the afternoon.
See below for more details on each course.
Course #1: Role of Local Governments in a Community’s Economic Development
When: August 7, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Description: This course will focus on the strategies, tools and context local governments can leverage to advance economic growth, including zoning regulations, ordinances, policies, infrastructure investment, incentive mechanisms and more.
Instructors:
- Steve Schoeny, City Manager, City of Upper Arlington
- Sam Filkins, President, Knox County Area Development Foundation
- Dana McDaniel, Partner, Management Advisory Group, LLC
Course #2: Fiscal Impact Analysis (in partnership with OEDA)
When: September 17, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Description: As a local leader, every decision you make shapes the future of your community — from new developments and tax incentives to infrastructure investments and housing policies. But how do you really know what kind of impact your choices will have?
This one-day training is designed specifically for public officials and local government employees . Whether you’re approving a new business park or evaluating a housing proposal, you’ll walk away with the tools to understand the real economic and fiscal consequences of public decisions — including job creation, tax revenue, service costs, and long-term growth potential.
Instructors:
- Mark Barbash, Founder/Director, The Ohio Economic Development Institute
- Jeffry Harris, Partner, Bricker Graydon
Course #3: Economic Impact Analysis (in partnership with OEDA)
When: September 17, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Description: As a local leader, every decision you make shapes the future of your community — from new developments and tax incentives to infrastructure investments and housing policies. But how do you really know what kind of impact your choices will have?
This one-day training is designed specifically for public officials and local government employees. Whether you’re approving a new business park or evaluating a housing proposal, you’ll walk away with the tools to understand the real economic and fiscal consequences of public decisions — including job creation, tax revenue, service costs, and long-term growth potential.
Instructors:
- Mark Lundine, Economic Development Administrator, City of Columbus
- Chris Magill, Partner & Managing Director, Vista Site Selection
Course #4: Comprehensive and Master Planning
When: October 7, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Description: How communities can use strategic and comprehensive planning and collaboration to guide community priorities. This will include physical development, community character and conservation, economic development, housing, industrial, infrastructure, and commercial development.
The course will be presented by professionals from a range of community types with recognized and recent comprehensive planning success. It will include interactive discussions, providing participants with ample opportunities to explore their specific needs.
Instructors:
- Jamie Greene, Principal, Planning NEXT
- Sarah Kelly, Director, Planning NEXT
- Bill Bogantz, Township Trustee, Liberty Township (Licking County)
Course #5: Housing: The New Economic Development Imperative
When: November 6, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Description: MORPC’s Leaders Listen survey found that rising housing prices and shrinking housing choices are two of the greatest threats to Central Ohio’s economic security. Affordability, once the defining feature of the region’s market, is rapidly evaporating, putting pressure on employers and workers alike. Solving the problem, however, presents the kind of win-win results that economic development professionals spend their lives chasing.
Our experts will help you uncover what’s fueling this risk, decipher what residents expect you to do about it, and arm you with the language and tools needed for action. No two housing responses will be the same, but this course offers you the knowledge needed to craft a strategy that’s right for your community and begin building the relationships needed for success.
Instructors:
- Carlie Boos, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
- Dr. Stephanie Moulton, Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, The John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University
- Eric Meyer, Director of Development, City of Reynoldsburg
Course #6: Academy Capstone – Bringing it all together: The Pros and Cons of Economic Development Tools
When: December 17, 2025
Where: MORPC Office – 111 Liberty St. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43215
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Description: How communities can (or should) deploy Ohio’s alphabet soup of economic development tools – TIF, CRA, EZ, JEDD, and NCAs – to finance public infrastructure, seek to create sustainable local government revenue sources, and advance development opportunities.
Instructors:
- Jeffry Harris, Partner, Bricker Graydon
- Daryl Hennessy, City Administrator, City of Sunbury
- Ben Vollrath, President and CEO, Logan County Chamber of Commerce
