AAEDC Mission Statement:

The mission of the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission is to drive the economic wealth and stability of our communities.

LAEDA Mission Statement:

The mission of the Lakes Area Economic Development Authority is to support the mission of the Economic Development Commission by providing fair and equitable resources.

Through joint strategic planning processes between the AAEDC and the LAEDA, core initiatives and strategies are defined to develop a shared vision of the future and to identify goals and objectives against which progress toward achieving that vision can be measured.

Our Core Values

Stewards: Build a strong coalition for action to support economic and community growth for our area.

Trust: Earning and sustaining the trust of our business, communities and elected leaders we serve.

Inclusiveness: Work to promote the prosperity of the region.

Nurturing: Empower and educate our communities and our leaders.

Respect: Admiration for our natural resources and embracing the opportunities they provide.

Key Areas of Service

Commercial Tax Incentives
The AAEDC works with new and existing businesses on startup and growth projects, some of which can be supported through incentive programs including: Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Tax Abatement, Industrial Revenue Bonds, and the State of Minnesota’s Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ) program.

Demographic Information
The AAEDC strives to be a demographics, statistics, and information clearing house for our area and produces multiple publications each year focusing on the growth and changes of our communities and all of Douglas County.

Community Stewardship
In today’s changing economic environment, it is becoming more important than ever to maintain cross-organizational communication and a 360 degree vision for the future of our region. The AAEDC is continuously working to be a convener of communication on the future of our communities and region.

Revolving Loan Fund
In addition to commercial tax incentives, the AAEDC has a pair of Revolving Loan Funds at its disposal to assist businesses with growth and expansion projects in the area. Funds are specifically used in coordination with primary financing through a financial institution and cannot be used as the primary means of project financing.

Business Planning
The AAEDC works with a large variety of businesses and individuals in the business planning process. Business planning assistance is tailored specifically to the individual’s or business’s needs.

Site Selection Assistance
In a continuously growing effort to assist area realtors and property owners in marketing commercial properties throughout the area, the state, and the nation, the AAEDC maintains two supplemental property listing databases of “for-sale” and “for-lease” properties throughout Douglas County. These databases are free for the listing of commercial properties in Douglas County, and serve as a database of properties that can be easily accessed by individuals, businesses, and sit selectors from throughout the nation.

Financial Packaging
As a part of business planning, the AAEDC can help individuals and businesses to create and analyze financial projections to identify potential needs of the business. Within the financial packaging and planning process, the AAEDC does not recommend any specific commercial lending institution(s) to clients.