The Region 9 Economic Development District has received a 2025 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for its SouthWest Opioid Response District (SWORD) work.
SWORD is the regional council formed as a requirement of the Colorado Opioid Settlement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and administers opioid settlement funding in the region.
All Southwest Colorado municipal and county governments signed onto the Colorado MOU to receive settlement funds and, as part of the SWORD, are working to address opioid misuse and other co-occurring substance misuse and behavioral health.
Presented annually, the NADO Impact Awards honor regional development organizations and their partners for strengthening communities, building regional resilience, and enhancing local economies through innovative approaches to economic and community development.
NADO is a Washington, D.C.-based membership association of regional development organizations that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities and economies.
This year’s cohort included 90 impactful projects led by 79 organizations across 24 states. These award-winning efforts were recognized during NADO’s 2025 annual training conference, held in October in Salt Lake City, Utah.
All selected projects are featured in an interactive StoryMap that showcases summaries, images, and key partners. The map is available at www.nado.org/2025impactawards/.
“The Impact Awards are an annual reminder of the creativity and commitment that regional development organizations bring to their communities,” said 2024-2025 NADO President Rick Hunsaker, executive director of the Region XII Council of Governments in Iowa. “This year’s awardees show how local and regional partnerships, driven by vision and collaboration, can lead to lasting positive change across our country.”
“To be recognized for the work of SWORD is an honor and a testament to the work and commitment of our council and advisory members to find viable substance treatment solutions to fill existing gaps in our rural region,” said Laura Lewis Marchino, Region 9 executive director.
To learn more about SWORD, visit https://region9edd.org/sword or contact Region 9 at (970) 247-9621.
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