Invest Atlanta won three Excellence in Economic Development Awards at the 2020 Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference. The conference was held virtually in Dallas, October 13 - 16, 2020.

Invest Atlanta received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award in the Neighborhood and Retail Development category for its iVillage at MLK development, a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award in the Annual Report category, and a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award in the Digital Media category for its "Invest Atlanta Live" webinar series.

"It is an honor to have the work and dedication of the Invest Atlanta team recognized once again by our industry's leading organization," said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta. "Behind these awards is a commitment to creating economic prosperity for all Atlantans, especially in the midst of COVID-19. As we look to fellow economic development agencies nationally and worldwide, we hope to share best practices as we all pivot during these unprecedented times."

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. Thirty-five award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world. IEDC received over 500 submissions from 4 countries following a nomination process held earlier this year.

"The winners of IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the very best of economic development and exemplify the ingenuity, integrity, and leadership that our profession strives for each and every day," said 2020 IEDC Board Chair and One Columbus CEO Kenny McDonald. "We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing campaigns, projects and partnerships have measurably improved regional quality of life.”

iVillage at MLK – 2020 IEDC Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award: Neighborhood and Retail Development Category

iVillage at MLK is the first shipping container village in the city of Atlanta and is directly located off the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) H.E. Holmes Station. Using shipping containers, iVillage provides nine 180 square-foot spaces for businesses spanning office, retail, and food and beverage. Since its opening in fall 2019, the project has created nine permanent jobs. 

Invest Atlanta’s 2019 Annual Report, “ALL ATL” – 2020 IEDC Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award: Annual Report Category

For the second year in a row, Invest Atlanta received a Gold award for its annual report. The 2019 annual reportsought to convey the greater purpose of the agency, the essence of the Invest Atlanta brand, as well as its core value propositions through stories of the residents, businesses, and communities it serves. The report utilized an intuitive visual narrative for each audience, presented personal vignettes, and leveraged iconography and colorful graphic techniques.

Invest Atlanta Live – 2020 IEDC Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award: Neighborhood and Retail Development Category

Invest Atlanta launched the #InvestAtlantaLive Webinar Series during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic as a mechanism for information sharing and to connect the small business community to resources. Invest Atlanta hosted 23 “What We Know Right Now” Facebook Lives, recorded, and archived them on the Invest Atlanta YouTube channel to deliver timely and relevant information to the community.