Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors (BSA) to develop an Economic Development Strategic Plan for Rural Florida, which includes the following regions: Florida’s Heartland Regional Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI), North Florida Economic Development Partnership (NFEDP) and Opportunity Florida. Three counties, Flagler, Nassau, and Walton, are also considered part of Rural Florida.
Rural Florida is at a crossroads in terms of its future development, and there is an opportunity for Rural Florida to position itself and control its economic destiny to a much greater degree than it ever did during the 60 years of Florida’s economic expansion between the end of World War II and the beginning of the recession in 2008. Florida as a state has done well in the past two years and has, from an economic development perspective, emerged from the recession.