Champaign Economic Partnership

The organization (cep) promotes industrial, economic, commercial and civic development of Champaign County. The organization operates as a liason for business, school, local government, private partners, and various state agencies in assisting with expansion and investment opportunities, potential tax abatements, and financial partnerships. Cep achieves these objectives by utilizing a full time economic director, maintaining a web site resource for businesses and site consultants including a free jobs board page, and available retail listings, and partnering with local educational institutions on workforce development initiatives such as a survey of local engineering employees. Cep is working on expanding infrastructure for new housing for the growing workforce and to attract people to move to Champaign County. Cep created a jobs (jobs, opportunities, buildings and space) team, which visits local businesses to learn about what support they need to succeed and grow. Cep has developed the cep business playbook, available for download, to answer common questions about starting a business, where to go for help, registering a business, locating financial support, finding property, zoning, and recruiting and training a workforce.