The Center for Community Economic Development Records document the establishment, operation, and curriculum of the Center's thirteen-year existence.  The collection includes correspondence, reports, power point presentations, student projects, photographs, certificates, awards, seminar handouts, class curricula, real estate research files, and student rosters.  The majority of materials date from 1996 to 2005, and highlight the CCED's efforts to promote and foster community economic development through classes, seminars, and student projects.  The Collection is divided into three series:  Administrative Files (1963-2006), Student Community Project Files (1996-2005), and Multimedia Files (1996-2006).

The Administrative Files (1963-2006) document the CCED's curriculum and operation.  This series is divided into four sub-series, the Office Files (1981-2006), Class Files (1995-2005), Seminar Files (1996-2006), and Sanford R. Goodkin Research Corporation Files (1963-1980).  Arranged alphabetically, the Office Files primarily document the CCED's routine activities, guidelines, and procedures.  This sub-series, dating from 1981 to 2006, includes correspondence, procedure manuals, class rosters, project descriptions, promotional materials, floppy disks and zip disks with website development files and CCED newsletters, and curriculum development files, which underscore the Center's goal of producing community-minded professionals by providing the necessary skills and knowledge needed to create a successful CED organization.  Dating from 1995 to 2005, the Class Files help document CCED curriculum.  This sub-series is arranged alphabetically by course title, and contains course descriptions, handouts, lectures and presentations for several of the required ten courses offered by the CCED.  The best documented classes include Introduction to CED and the Legal Structures class.  The Seminar Files (1996-2006) are organized alphabetically by seminar title, and document CCED curriculum and major community development topics.  This sub-series includes correspondence, speaker information, seminar development information, power point presentations, handouts, and lecture notes.  The Sanford R. Goodkin Research Corporation Files includes the Goodkin Research Corporation's real estate and land development studies from 1963 to 1980.  Probably used as examples of land use and development, these files consist solely of study reports. These files are arranged chronologically by report date.

The Student Community Project Files provide extensive documentation of the culminating knowledge and hands-on experience gained from the CCED program.  Arranged alphabetically by student last name, these files consist of each student's final community project, and date from 1996 to 2006. The student community project was the last step in obtaining the CCED certificate.  Students (individually or in teams) had to create and implement a community development service or business, then submit a final report detailing their project's purpose, goals, business plan, successes, and failures. The projects highlight the CCED's success in improving local communities through micro-enterprise and community-run and –organized social services executed by CCED students.

The Multimedia Files provide extensive visual and audio documentation of CCED events, seminars, classes, and presentations.  This series is divided into three sub-series, Photo Albums (1996-2005), Video/DVD Files (1996-2005), and Audio Files (1998, 2001).  Arranged chronologically, the Photo Albums document CED graduation ceremonies, fundraisers, luncheons, seminars, and student projects.  When possible, people in the photographs have been identified.  Similarly, the Video/DVD Files include video recordings of CCED graduation ceremonies, seminars, course lectures, promotional materials, and student presentations. These files also provide documentation regarding the change in curriculum overtime. Lastly, the Audio Files include several recordings of radio shows from 1998 and 2001 discussing community economic development issues with Harold Brown and other experts.