Overview: The Developments biweekly newsletter provides economic developers with an ongoing, up-to-date research tool that focuses on innovative strategies from the field and useful information from the nation's capital. Developments has been published 22 time annually since 1977 and includes newsworthy information on the economic development industry, case studies examining various facets of the industry, notifications of public and private sector funding, and updates on federal agencies and programs. The eight-page newsletter also provides employment listings for leadership positions in the field of economic development in cities nationwide. Developments has a circulation of more than 3,000 and is provided as part of CUED membership.

Economic Development News: When news happens in the field of economic development, Developments is regularly among the first media organizations to report it and typically covers it in more detail and depth than any other source. As a North Carolina judge outlawed business incentives in Winston-Salem in 1995, Developments was one of the first national publications to report the decision and examined its ramifications for the city and for cities nationwide. Developments also recently uncovered a scam to bilk economic development agencies out of their business attraction dollars at a Washington, DC relocation exposition. The newsletter not only reported the abuses, it also informed readers on how they too could avoid being scammed in the future.

Economic Development Case Studies: Developments' in-depth case studies are frequently cited by economic development practitioners as providing valuable information on innovative strategies that cannot be obtained anywhere else. Recent economic development case studies featured in the newsletter have focused on workforce training, business retention, downtown development, dual-use technologies, brownfields reuse, revolving loan funds, entertainment industry development, and military base reuse

Federal Agencies and Programs: In Washington, DC, Developments has a sound reputation for providing accurate and timely information on federal agencies and programs, as well as economic development legislation before Congress. When legislators recently introduced a plan to replace the Economic Development Administration with regional commissions around the country, Developments conducted an in-depth investigation into the federal government's past experience with regional economic development and planning commissions. It uncovered a history of abuse and ineffectiveness among past commissions, which influenced the Congressional debate over the plan. Developments regularly reports on changes in popular economic development federal programs such as the Community Development Block Grants, Community Reinvestment Act, Economic Development Initiative and the Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities. It is also regularly one of the first media sources to announce the availability of funding under federal programs and from private organizations.

Once a year, Developments brings its readers up to speed on changes in federal agencies and programs in its Legislative Year In Review. The supplemental issue covers a year's worth of news on the Department of Commerce agencies such as the Economic Development Administration and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Small Business Administration and other economic development-related federal offices. Developments also provides its readers with an annual Budget Outlook supplement that breaks down the administration's annual budget proposal as it relates to economic development agencies and programs while giving insight to proposals in Congress. Both publications are only available to CUED members.