COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Local leadership. Shared purpose. Stronger communities.
We help cities, churches, and community-based organizations get organized, build practical plans, connect with partners and resources, and have a voice in the decisions shaping their communities.
HOMES & NEIGHBORHOODS
Stronger communities begin with a place to call home.
Housing, local leadership, and economic opportunity are connected. We help community partners organize around shared priorities and develop practical plans for stronger neighborhoods.
ABOUT US
Local priorities. Clear direction. Stronger connections.
Our mission
Community Economic Development Group strengthens communities by helping cities, churches, and community-based organizations get organized, develop practical plans, build strategic partnerships, and amplify their voices to advance inclusive economic opportunity.
Our work focuses on cities, churches, and community-based organizations. We help each partner build on its strengths, clarify its priorities, and take practical steps toward shared community goals.
We help partners get organized, define their goals, build relationships, and strengthen their voice in the decisions shaping their communities.
IMAGE TO REPLACE: Bob Dickerson original portrait
Bob Dickerson
IMAGE TO REPLACE: Marketa Dickerson original portrait
Marketa Dickerson
WHO WE WORK WITH
Different partners. A shared commitment to community.
Our services are shaped around each group’s starting point, local priorities, and capacity to move forward.
Local Government & Municipalities
Bring people into the plan.
Connect local leadership with the residents and organizations closest to community needs.
- Community listening sessions and stakeholder engagement
- Community economic development priorities and action plans
- Partnership development and cross-sector coordination
- Implementation roadmaps with roles and next steps
Local Groups & Community Organizations
Build the structure to move forward.
Help neighborhood groups and community development organizations focus their efforts and communicate a shared agenda.
- Organizational structure and leadership development
- Strategic planning and program design
- Resource mapping and partner connections
- Coalition building and community advocacy planning
Churches & Faith Communities
Turn a calling to serve into a plan.
Support churches in organizing their community work and connecting their mission to neighborhood priorities.
- Community outreach team organization and role definition
- Needs assessment and outreach action plans
- Connections with municipal and community partners
- A stronger voice in local development conversations
UPCOMING EVENT
Join us for the Homegrown Community Festival!
Bring your family and friends for an afternoon of food, fun, prizes, and pumpkins at Shadowbrook. Tour the beautiful model homes and imagine your future at Shadowbrook!
Sunday, November 8, 2026
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Shadowbrook
1700 Poinsettia Drive
Birmingham, AL 35214
FREE ENTRY
Food trucks, prizes, face painting, pumpkin decorating, and model home tours.
PEOPLE & CONNECTIONS
Community in conversation.
IMAGE TO REPLACE: Speakers in conversation during a community panel discussion
Sharing perspectives.
IMAGE TO REPLACE: Attendees connecting at a community gathering
Building relationships.
IMAGE TO REPLACE: Bob Dickerson with a group of community leaders
Bringing people together.
HOW WE HELP
Four steps. A clearer path forward.
01
Get organized.
Bring the right people together. Clarify leadership, roles, and the community priorities you want to address.
02
Build a plan.
Translate ideas into focused goals, practical actions, responsibilities, and a timeline.
03
Get connected.
Identify potential partners, resources, and relationships that can support your next steps.
04
Have a voice.
Communicate your priorities clearly and participate in the conversations affecting your community’s future.
IMAGE TO REPLACE: CEDG community or neighborhood skyline photograph
A FOCUSED NICHE FOR CITIES, CHURCHES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
Where local leadership meets community priorities.
Cities, churches, and community-based organizations bring local knowledge, trusted relationships, and a commitment to the people they serve. We help turn those strengths into a shared community economic development agenda.
That can mean helping a city engage residents and set development priorities, guiding a church as it organizes a community outreach initiative, or supporting a community-based organization in building a practical action plan and connecting with partners.
Together, we help you get organized, build a plan, get connected, and have a voice in the decisions shaping your community.
What could your community build together?
Start with your organization, the community you serve, and the challenge you want to address. Let’s identify a practical place to begin.
Contact us at connect@cedgco.com