Six Priorities. A Coordinated Work Program.

Strategic PriorityRegional GoalDelivery Connections
1. Economic Diversification and Business Growth →Strengthen and diversify the regional economy by supporting business expansion, entrepreneurship, supplier development, and industries that complement Southeastern New Mexico's existing economic strengths.Implementation detail → · Entrepreneurship delivery →
2. Workforce Alignment and Talent Development →Build a stronger regional talent pipeline by aligning education, training, workforce systems, and employer demand.Implementation detail →
3. Infrastructure Modernization and Economic Capacity →Strengthen the infrastructure systems necessary to support business growth, workforce mobility, community development, and long-term regional competitiveness.Implementation detail →
4. Housing, Livability, and Community Capacity →Strengthen housing availability and community conditions that help Southeastern New Mexico attract and retain workers, families, businesses, and investment.Implementation detail →
5. Regional Collaboration and Implementation Capacity →Build stronger regional coordination, technical capacity, and implementation systems so communities can move priority projects forward more effectively.Implementation detail →
6. Economic Resilience and Long-Term Readiness →Increase the region's ability to anticipate, respond to, and recover from economic disruption while protecting long-term competitiveness.Implementation detail →

County Applications and Supporting Themes

Industry, entrepreneurship, workforce, infrastructure, housing, and resilience needs vary by county. These supporting themes connect the regional framework to local conditions.

Goal Regional Purpose County-Specific Emphasis
Priority 1: Strengthen Core Industry Clusters and Diversification Build from existing strengths while reducing overdependence on any single sector Energy in Lea/Eddy; agriculture, aviation, healthcare in Chaves; tourism and senior economy in Lincoln; defense, aerospace, tourism in Otero
Priority 3: Build Infrastructure Capacity Prepare communities, sites, utilities, broadband, and transportation systems for growth Industrial capacity in Lea/Eddy; aviation/agriculture/service infrastructure in Chaves; wildfire/tourism/water infrastructure in Lincoln; defense/tourism/housing infrastructure in Otero
Priority 2: Develop the Regional Workforce Align education, training, and employers around good jobs and career pathways ENMU-Roswell, NMMI, NMJC, SENMC, ENMU- Ruidoso, NMSU-Alamogordo, CTECH, employers, and workforce partners
Priority 1: Expand Small Business and Local Wealth-Building Grow local ownership, entrepreneurship, supplier networks, and downtown vitality MainStreet, tourism, Hispanic-owned businesses, rural entrepreneurs, supplier development, business succession
Priority 4: Improve Housing and Quality of Place Treat housing, childcare, healthcare, broadband, and amenities as economic infrastructure Workforce housing in Lea/Eddy; redevelopment and retention in Chaves; senior and tourism workforce housing in Lincoln; military and family housing in Otero
Priorities 5 and 6: Advance Collaboration and Resilience Build regional capacity to anticipate, withstand, and recover from disruption Regional communication networks, hazard mitigation, business continuity, infrastructure resilience, funding alignment, and SNMEDD convening capacity

Southeastern New Mexico’s future will not be defined by a single industry, a single county, or a single project. It will be defined by the region’s ability to connect what it already does well with what it must build next.

The region has energy strength in Lea and Eddy. It has agricultural, aviation, healthcare, education, and service capacity in Chaves. It has defense, aerospace, tourism, and federal assets in Otero. It has mountain communities, tourism, recreation, healthcare, and small business strength in Lincoln. Across all five counties, it has institutions, workers, local governments, businesses, and community leaders who understand what it means to build under pressure.

This Strategic Direction turns that reality into a regional framework. It recognizes that economic development is not only about recruitment or funding. It is about readiness. It is about preparing sites, training people, strengthening infrastructure, supporting small businesses, improving housing, expanding broadband, protecting communities, and building the relationships needed to respond when conditions change. With SNMEDD serving as a convener and catalyst, and with local governments, employers, educators, workforce partners, state agencies, federal partners, and community organizations working together, Southeastern New Mexico can move from insight to action — and from action to lasting regional prosperity.