CDA 2030 Inc., a Coeur d’Alene-based nonprofit that develops partnerships among community and business organizations, has released a new vision and implementation plan for the Coeur d’Alene area.

JJ O’Dell, who became executive director of CDA 2030 in December, says the organization has established a plan with six focus areas. Those include community and identity, education and learning, growth and development, health and safety, environment and recreation, and jobs and economy.

CDA 2030 spent more than two years gathering information through surveys and town halls to gauge what residents of the Coeur d’Alene area feel to be most important in improving the community.

Lake health is an important topic that the organization is addressing in its new plan, O’Dell says. Of the 134 actions set forth in the organization’s plan, seven focus on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Focusing on the lake will include actions such as working with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in recognizing the tribe’s connection to the lake and involving the tribe in decisions regarding natural resource restoration, management, and protection of the lake.

Fostering economic development plays a role in many parts of the plan. For example, one of CDA 2030’s action items centers around private development of coworking spaces, incubators, makerspaces, and similar spaces, with the goal of nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation. 

O’Dell says CDA’s role is to identify areas in which the community could improve, identify local organizations that could be involved in improvement efforts, and coordinate organization efforts in key areas.

“We’re the stewards of the plan,” O’Dell says. “We’re communicating with lead partners and updating progress and making sure this stuff is getting done.”

CDA 2030 is headquartered at 105 N. First, in Coeur d’Alene. The organization has two full-time employees.

According to the organization’s 2021 annual report, CDA 2030’s budget last year was just under $94,000. The organization receives funding from community sponsors, the city of Coeur d’Alene, and its urban renewal agency, ignite cda.

Other lead partners include Avista Corp., Heritage Health, Innovia Foundation, North Idaho College, and United Way of North Idaho. In total, 46 nonprofit organizations, government agencies, businesses, and community groups have signed on to help CDA 2030 accomplish its goals.

The previous plan was created in 2017, four years after CDA 2030 was founded, O’Dell says.

“It started as community leaders coming together, saying, we want to find a path forward to unite the voices of what the community wants,” O’Dell says. “Then, looking forward to the year 2030 and asking, what does the future of our community look like and what do we want to shoot for?”

The 2017 plan led to construction of the the Coeur d’Alene Skate Park, completed in 2018, as well as the Atlas Waterfront Park, which was built last year.

O’Dell says the organization’s namesake year is fast approaching. CDA 2030 will eventually rebrand.