TEDC Recognizes Recipients and Nominees of the 2025 Community Economic Development Award

The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) has announced the recipients of its annual Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA) for 2025.

The awards will be presented at the Award Luncheon at the TEDC’s 2025 Annual Conference on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

The Community Economic Development Award program recognizes exceptional contributions of TEDC member cities toward the economic vitality of their communities and the state of Texas through creativity, leadership, and partnership in the achievement of business retention, business recruitment and community improvement.

The CEDA committee received 49 applications this year. Nominees were judged on five criteria: innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits.

Communities nominated included:  Population 10,000 and Less – Commerce, Cuero, Farmersville, Kaufman, Marble Falls, Navasota and Vinton. Population 10,001 to 20,000 –Andrews, Bay City, Brownwood, Buda, Jacksonville, Kilgore, Liberty Hill, Lockhart, Sulphur Springs, Taylor and Tomball. Population 20,001 to 50,000 – Cibolo, Fate, Forney, Haltom City, Lancaster, Seagoville, Seguin, Socorro, Stephenville and The Colony. Population 50,001 to 100,000 – Burleson, Harlingen, Pharr, Temple, Victoria and Waller County. Population 100,001 to 250,000 – Abilene, Allen, Amarillo, Brownsville, Edinburg, Frisco, Georgetown, Grand Prairie, League City, Lewisville, Mesquite and Richardson. Population 250,001 and Above – Laredo, San Antonio and Waco/McLennan County

The 2025 CEDA recipients in population and criteria categories are:

Population 10,000 and Less:       Village of Vinton

Population 10,001 to 20,000:      Kilgore Economic Development Corporation

Population 20,001 to 50,000:      City of Socorro

Population 50,001 to 100,000:    Temple Economic Development Corporation

Population 100,001 to 250,000: Development Corporation of Abilene

Population 250,001 and Above:  City of Waco/McLennan County

“Our Community Economic Development Award is one of the ways in which our organization honors the excellent work done by our communities, their leaders, and their economic development professionals,” noted Carlton Schwab, President & CEO, Texas Economic Development Council. “Each community nominated achieved excellence in economic development and substantially improved the economic base of their respective regions. The recipient communities in each population category were recognized for extraordinary accomplishments in meeting the criteria set forth in the nomination process.”

The TEDC provides information, education and legislative services to its members to foster the expansion of existing businesses, the location of new firms and the development of strategies that promote a positive business climate in Texas. With roughly 1,200 members, the TEDC is the largest state economic development association in the nation.