Overview
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
In partnership with the Barnstable County Economic Development Council and many other organizations, the Cape Cod Commission prepares the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Cape Cod, a five-year strategic plan. The CEDS is built on the economic development goals of the Regional Policy Plan and identifies regional priority projects and initiatives that will move the region's economy towards a sustainable future, outlined in the CEDS Action Plan.
Economic Development Research
Commission staff conducts research and surveys to better understand the nature of Cape Cod's regional economy. The Commission surveys residents, second homeowners, and businesses; analyzes opportunities for economic growth and the regional business climate; and publishes reports and guides for Cape Cod communities.
Related projects and initiatives are linked below.
Municipal Technical Assistance
The Commission provides technical assistance to the fifteen towns of Barnstable County through District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) and Regional Economic Strategy Executive Team (RESET) projects.
In past projects, Commission technical assistance has included helping towns create redevelopment strategies, surveying local businesses to better understand impediments to growth, conducting feasibility and viability studies for development, and evaluating development options for specific parcels.
COVID-19 Recovery Planning
The Commission is supporting the region's recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic, with funding support from the US EDA CARES Act Grant. In collaboration with the regional Chamber of Commerce, the Commission conducted three business impact surveys to better understand the economic impacts of the pandemic on our seasonal economy. The Commission is also providing free webinars for Cape Cod business owners focused on economic recovery in our hardest-hit industries: Accommodations, Restaurants/Food Service, Retail, Service-Based Industries, and Arts and Culture. Additional economic recovery resources are shared on the Commission's COVID-19 Recovery page, including a Municipal Planners Toolkit.
Economic Data
Demographic information on Barnstable County, collected by the US Census, is available on Data Cape Cod and at Stats Cape Cod.
The Commission has also conducted second homeowner surveys and a regional housing market study to better understand how current and projected housing trends impact Cape Cod's economic resiliency.
Projects & Publications
