About AEDP

Alexandria Economic Development Partnership is a 501(c)6 public-private partnership that promotes the City of Alexandria as a premier location for businesses of all sizes, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and cutting-edge institutions of science and learning. AEDP promotes Alexandria by showcasing the transportation capabilities, workforce, location, scale, and livability to help #growALX. AEDP is led by an independent board of directors and works closely with city management and city elected officials to achieve the shared mission of promoting Alexandria as a business destination.

To promote the City of Alexandria as a premier location for businesses by capitalizing on its assets including multiple Metro stations, historical character, and riverfront location in order to enhance the city’s tax revenue and increase employment opportunities.

Alexandria should be a vibrant, creative, diverse city where large and small businesses can locate and grow while enhancing the community’s quality of life.

Our staff can assist prospective and existing business owners in finding resources and services to start up, locate, develop, and grow.

AEDP Staff

Our independent Board of Directors is comprised of a range of business sectors including: financial, real estate, hospitality, marketing, information technology, and professional associations. The Board assists in guiding the organization through the creation of strategic plans, overseeing the development of an annual budget, and achieving its mission and goals.

AEDP Board of Directors

We partner with local, regional, and national organizations to showcase Alexandria:

• U.S. Small Business Administration Washington, D.C. District Office
• Industrial Development Authority
• Visit Alexandria
• City of Alexandria
  • Planning & Zoning
  • Real Estate & Taxes
  • New Business Guide
• Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance (NOVA EDA)
• Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)
• Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA)

Evaluating Economic Development Projects

Because AEDP is charged with evaluating and negotiating economic development proposals, often before they become public, we follow a set of values and principles to help guide our work. As we seek out or consider potential commercial uses that are viable in a post-pandemic world we consider the following information.

AEDP Values

We prioritize relationships.

The strength of our relationships reflects the strength of our core values. We prioritize human connection, value every contribution, and cultivate meaningful relationships within our team and with businesses, partners, and stakeholders. We actively—and continuously– seek feedback from our partners and peers to support our growth and inform improvements that will lead to the best results.

We are invested in our City.

We are mission-driven individuals committed to excellence, and diligent about our work and responsibilities. We are a dynamic team that embraces change and promotes a culture of continuous learning where no job is too small.

We are accountable to our community.

Our mission to grow Alexandria and foster positive change is the anchor of our long-term strategy. We stand by our decisions and are accountable to the business community, City leadership, and Alexandria residents for the impact of our actions. Ethical business practices, open communication, and trust are integral to our daily operations. ​

We thrive on innovation.

We actively seek and celebrate creativity and unconventional ideas that propel our future. We believe diversity is the cornerstone of innovation, where varied perspectives and healthy disagreement catalyze big ideas and foster a dynamic environment essential for creativity. We are a team of self-starters and problem solvers dedicated to finding unique, smart solutions that address diverse community needs. ​

We respect everyone.

We demand a culture of respect and believe the strength of our organization comes from everyone’s ideas, backgrounds, and experiences—each fundamental to our collective success. We encourage open dialogue, mutual understanding, and a shared sense of belonging. By prioritizing respect and celebrating our differences, we are building a team that empowers each member to thrive and show up as their best selves for the community we serve.

 Economic Development Principles

• Evaluate the base case and market reality.
• Check for alignment with Small Area Plans and the community vision for development.
• Compare the fiscal and economic impacts of opportunity to those of the base case.
• Seek and secure commitments from any project partners
• Incentivize and invest in the community.

We use the following guidelines to further evaluate a proposal:

• Utilize the City’s favorable cost of capital while protecting the City’s bond rating.
• Enhance further debt capacity by creating new economic activity.
• Follow the successful “invest in catalyst and community” approach.
• Invest only when inducement makes the project possible.
• Generate new revenue throughout the incentivized project.
• Leverage new revenue from the project as an incentive.
• Follow economic sustainability principles.
• Diversify the City’s tax base.