THIS EDA PLANNING INVESTMENT SUPPORTS THE NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (NWAEDD), INC. WITH IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS IN THE CITIES OF HUNTSVILLE IN MADISON COUNTY AND MARSHALL IN SEARCY COUNTY, ARKANSAS. THE GOAL OF THE STRATEGIC ASSESSMENTS IS TO ALIGN EFFORTS WITH NWAEDD'S COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CEDS), WHICH WILL ENABLE THE COMMUNITIES TO BUILD LONG TERM ECONOMIC RESILIENCY BY FURTHER DIVERSIFYING AND STRENGTHENING THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.