Fredericksburg, VA — The George Washington Regional Commission recently announced the completion of its first-ever Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), marking a historic milestone in the region’s long-term commitment to strategic growth, collaboration, and economic resilience.
Planning District 16, which serves the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford and the City of Fredericksburg, developed the CEDS to create a unified roadmap for economic opportunity and regional competitiveness. This comprehensive strategy outlines priorities for regonal workforce development, infrastructure investment, business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, tourism, and quality-of-life improvements including childcare and healthcare access.
The CEDS is the result of months of collaboration among local governments, business leaders, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders. Through public meetings, public surveys, and data-driven analysis, the region identified key strengths, challenges, and actionable strategies to support sustainable economic growth. The GWRC Board unanimously approved the 2026 CEDS on February 2, 2026.
“The GWRC is glad to have been a part of this region’s very first Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) as defined by the US Economic Development Administration.” GWRC Chair and King George County Board of Supervisor, Cathy Binder stated. “This year long planning effort creates a unified vision that brings together public, private and nonprofit partners to collaborate on shared goals and strategies, strengthening economic prosperity across the entire region. This CEDS allows us to work together fostering a resilient and prosperous economy for our region while maintaining the individual economic priorities of each town, city and county. “
Key focus areas of the strategy include:
- Regional Workforce Development & Skills Alignment
- Infrastructure Coordination for Economic Competitiveness
- Strategic Industry Cluster Development
- Balanced Housing & Community Development
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building
- Tourism & Placemaking Coordination
- Data-Driven Regional Economic Intelligence
The completion of the CEDS positions Planning District 16 to compete more effectively in today’s evolving economic landscape while preserving the unique character and strengths of each individual member jurisdiction.
The Planning District 16 CEDS has been made available to the public and can be found on the GWRC website at https://gwregion.org/economic-development/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy-ceds .