Certified Downtown Professional Certification
CDPC Benefits
- Provides a system of progressive, structured improvement in professional practice and receive peer recognition for distinct levels of achievement.
- Provides evidence of the employee's professional growth.
- Increased level of expertise that a successful, long-term professional brings to the dynamic challenges of downtown development.
- I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the CDP classes that are being offered to us as Downtown Directors and Managers. I have been with the City of Commerce for almost 10 years and early on wanted to learn more with a program that was once offered for development. Circumstances did not afford me to do so, but then this program was created and I was on board from day one! In our downtown daily lives we are often so consumed with all the things happening that we forget we need refreshers, new learning options and most importantly that we are not alone. This months’ training helped me realize that I have so many partners and resources available that speak my language. These classes offer “real” information that I am able to take back and apply in my “real” life as a Downtown Professional. I was so excited about the Community Partners training and I shared the entire class experience and training with my DDA on Monday at our meeting. They got a better understanding of the importance of partnerships and volunteers and elected officials and their roles in downtown. One of our board members stated they could see why I come back from these classes with excitement! That statement is a testament to the importance of these classes to me and to all of us. Thank you to the GDA, GMA, DCA and all the other agencies that support this program. Natalie Thomas, Commerce Downtown Development | Mainstreet Manager, City of Commerce
- The CDP courses I have completed thus far have been extremely rewarding and helpful in my profession as a Downtown Professional and Public Administrator. I feel more confident in my own abilities to improve my local programming due to the knowledge gained in CDP. I am looking forward to completing the program and receiving my certification. Cassidi Kendrick, Communications & Outreach Director, City of Tybee Island
- The class was informative and engaging with so many experienced professionals and elected officials in attendance. I thoroughly enjoyed the engagement and lessons learned from various regions of the state and highly recommend other professionals taking this course to get Downtown certified. Yterenickia Bell, Councilmember, City of Clarkston
Upcoming Courses
Atlanta
June 17 & 18, 2025
Day One
-Real Estate Development & Finance
-Developing Your Toolbox for Developing (Funding, Resources, & Tools I)
Day Two
-Effective Communication & Public Speaking
-Business Development & Support
$250 per class
Registration link
Legal Disclaimer
Hotel Link:
Origin Atlanta, A Wyndham Hotel - 110 Mitchell SW, Atlanta 470-845-1136
Gainesville
August 25, 2025
Day One
-Planning & Land Use for Downtowns
-Funding, Resources, and Tools II
$250 per class (no refunds)
Registration linkLegal Disclaimer
Hotel Link:
COMING SOON
Vidalia
November 12 & 13, 2025
Day One
-Laws for DDAs
-Downtown Preservation & Design
Day Two
-Role of a Downtown Professional
-Organizational Development & Management
$250 per class (no refunds)
Registration Link
Legal Disclaimer
Hotel: Holiday Inn Express
200 Michael Collins Drive
Vidalia, Georgia 30474
Book here (Click on the link, which will direct you to the Holiday Inn Vidalia’s homepage. From there, select your stay dates (November 11–13). Once selected, you will see the event name and the negotiated rate of $140, which includes tax and a $5 fee.
Level 1
Downtown Development Authority Law
This class is designed to provide understanding to the downtown development professional on the creation of DDA’s, the relationship between DDA’s the local government, geographic and functional boundaries of the DDA, organizational and operational structure of the DDA, along with the ethical and legal implications of such.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the type of DDA they have and where to find their unique powers and limitations.
- Define the qualifications for board members of the DDA and ensure that the authority’s board of directors is properly constituted.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the powers of the DDA.
- Explain what constitutes a meeting under Georgia’s Open Meetings law and what constitutes a record under Georgia’s Open Records law and indicate the steps necessary to comply.
Downtown Preservation & Design
This class will help the downtown development professional gain a working knowledge of historic preservation objectives and benefits; basic methodology and best management practices; and tools utilized for guiding context-based decisions.
Learning Objectives
- Offer effective support to a local preservation program and influence context-based design decisions in multiple arenas.
- Discern when and where to secure professional preservation advice and resources.
- Recognize opportunities and methods to leverage design decisions into economic development successes.
Role of a Downtown Professional
This class will provide an overview of the downtown professional role and help empower downtown development professionals to gain objective and credible recognitions for their dedication and knowledge. It will delve into how to provide a program with clear expectations, a high level of partner confidence and credibility among elected officials and local leaders.
Learning Objectives
- Identify important information to understand current conditions of downtown development in your community.
- Recognize key relationships to build for success in downtown development.
- List common responsibilities, structures, and philosophies of downtown economic development programs.
Fundamentals of Organizational Development and Management
The purpose of this class is to provide a high-level overview of the foundational components that make up good organizational development by providing downtown development professionals with an understanding of the value of each component and the role it plays in good organizational practices.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the essential elements of an organization's foundation.
- Discuss the value each of these elements plays in their organization's success.
Developing Your Toolbox for Developing (Funding, Resources, & Tools I)
This class will provide downtown development professionals with a working knowledge of the powers and programs available to either facilitate development by the authority or to incentivize development by the private sector.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the difference between community-facilitated development and community-initiated development and when each is appropriate.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the funding sources available to DDA's to support or initiate development in their downtown.
- Identify resources available through the DDA to incentivize development by private parties in their downtown district.
- Appraise potential downtown development projects and determine what resources may be available to assist such projects.
Event Planning, Implementation, & Marketing
This class will provide attendees an overview of the benefits of various types of events; how to effectively plan events and use social media to market downtown; and understand the economic impact of events in downtowns while learning from practitioners with real life examples.
Learning Objectives
- Summarize the tools to effectively plan and market events in downtowns.
- List data to tract to determine success of downtown events.
Ethics & Managing Different Stakeholders
This class will examine the importance of ethical conduct in the administration of downtown development professional public duties and discuss ethical dilemmas that often confront them. It will provide participants with the knowledge, understanding, and skills to communicate and cooperate effectively across cultural barriers as well as build programming that is inclusive to everyone in a community.
Learning Objectives
- Critique common ethical dilemmas and distinguish alternative courses of action.
- Recognize the need for ethical judgement.
- Articulate the importance and benefits of inclusive programs for downtowns.
Planning and Land Use for Downtowns
The purpose of this class is to acquaint downtown development professionals with Georgia's comprehensive planning requirement and the basics of zoning ordinances. Downtown professionals will be able to participate in the city's planning process, insure downtown has appropriate zoning, and focus on implementing the comprehensive plan for downtown.
Learning Objectives
- List the elements of a comprehensive plan in Georgia.
- Explain what zoning regulates and the process to change local zoning code.
- Describe how comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances impact downtown development.
Partnerships & Community Engagement Purpose
This class aims to teach downtown development professionals the value of partnerships, empower them to identify gaps in support, and illustrate how by working together with the board and local government can grow impactful community engagement. By the end of this session, downtown development professionals will have the skills to build partnerships, grow relationships, and lead confidently, with the understanding that together, we can accomplish more than we can alone.
Learning Objectives
- Identify current partners and opportunities for additional collaborations.
- Construct a programmatic report which can be used to advocate for the local downtown program.
- Select an elected official who could serve on your board in an official or unofficial capacity.
- Formulate a "bench" to support the manager in specific initiatives, projects, or programs.
Level 2
Effective Communication & Public Speaking
This class will demonstrate how to maintain positive workplace relationships by improving specific interpersonal, group, and organizational communication skills. Practical and interactive exercises will provide the opportunity to reflect on their communication skills and become more effective communicators at work. Downtown development professionals will learn how to better convey their messages when speaking to groups and presenting ideas, concepts, projects, recommendations and reports. Participants will gain skills in developing presentation content, and delivering an effective presentation.
Learning Objectives
- Explain communication models and where common mistakes in communication occur.
- Recognize the modes of communication and their impact on effective communication.
- Outline steps for effective public speaking.
- Describe tips and tricks for impactful PowerPoint presentations.
Funding, Resources, & Tools II
This class will provide downtown development professionals with an in-depth understanding of how to use funding, resources, and tools for a variety of development projects.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the difference between community-facilitated development and community-initiated development and when each is appropriate.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the funding sources available to DDA's to support or initiate development in their downtown.
- Identify resources available through the DDA to incentivize development by private parties in their downtown district.
- Appraise potential downtown development projects and determine what resources may be available to assist such projects.
Business Development & Support
This class will facilitate a deeper understanding of how market analysis can be used to enhance business development, identify critical components of a business plan for greatest success, and how to guide perspective entrepreneurs to community and regional resources.
Learning Objectives
- Interpret and analyze market data to guide business owners in their decision process.
- Outline the steps necessary to aid the entrepreneur in the startup process.
- Identify community and regional resources and the roles necessary in business development.
Strategic and Master Planning
Downtown development professionals will learn a system for establishing a common direction for their organization to help guide future activity. This class will introduce the principles and methods of strategic planning for downtown development authorities and master planning for downtown districts.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the differences between strategic and master planning.
- Explain roles of leadership in organizational planning.
- Detail the benefits of strategic and master planning for downtowns.
- Identify mission, vision, goals and objectives.
- List categories for master planning.
Real Estate Development & Finance
This class will demonstrate and discuss the types of downtown development projects and best practices for anticipating and overcoming barriers that may occur in these projects. Downtown development professionals will become equipped to facilitate economic development projects from start to finish.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the development process.
- Analyze an economic development project to assess where it is in the process and identify next steps.
- Recognize the valuable role of the downtown professional in the development process.