Economic & Community Development Glossary

Community Development
Involves all aspects of improving community organizational capacity, business development,
workforce development, development of markets, and investments in infrastructure, downtown
areas, gateways, business parks, speculative buildings and/or public/private partnership opportunities.
These provide the underpinnings for a strong and vibrant social and economic interaction.

Community Development Block Grants
Lane County is the eligible applicant on behalf of lower-income communities and residents to receive funding from Oregon Economic & Community Development Departmentto improve public water systems and provide loans for housing rehabilitation.

Economic Development
A program, a group of policies, and/or activity that seeks to improve the economic well-being
and quality of life for a community. Ideally, it will create and retain jobs and provide a stable
tax base. This can include programs to encourage business growth and investments to improve
business attraction, retention and expansion, tourism, startup and emerging business to the
County.

Economic Diversity
The degree to which an economy's mix ofindustries, sectors, skill levels and employment levels
differ from a larger reference economy.

General Allocation Projects
Economic development programs in county government.

Housing Rehabilitation
The Regional Housing Rehabilitation Program (RHRP) is a consortium of Lane County government
and the cities of Cottage Grove, Florence, Lowell and Oakridge. This consortium provides
Community Development Block Grant funds for low-interest and deferred payment loans to income-
qualified homeowners. Once St. Vincent de Paul qualifies a homeowner for an RHRP
loan, they administer housing rehabilitation contracts, enabling the consortium of governments
to help homeowners with necessary repairs, weatherization projects, new roofs, and other health
and safety improvements.

Low/Moderate Income
A household earning less than 80% of the current state median income.

Outputs/Outcomes
While outputs are quantifiable results of a contract with the county to be completed within the
contract period, typically a one-year period, outcomes are economic development benefits such
as job creation and trained employees who receive high-paying jobs. A contractor will attempt
to produce and maintain these outcomes for at least one year after the completion of the contract
with the county.

Request for Proposals (RFPs)
A process of advertising, rating and ranking, and selecting contractors in a uniform and fair way
to bid on community and economic development projects.

Strategic Initiatives
A category of Lane county economic development funding that is typically made available for
outside contracts.

Telecommunications
Systems providing the public with communications services, directly and indirectly, that provide
video, voice, and data information by way of cables, wireless, and satellite facilities.

Unincorporated Communities
Areas and communities of Lane county that are not inside a city and therefore are represented
by Lane County as their general purpose government.

Video Lottery
Accounting for three fourths of Oregon’s lottery revenue, video lottery money is allocated for
economic development projects. Lane County receives approximately $1 million annually for
economic development projects directed to create job opportunities and increase the family incomes
of Lane County residents.

Workforce Training
Establishing partnerships between business, education and government to build the skills of
the local workforce.

County Administration     Community & Economic Development         Back