Freeport is located in Northwest IL and offers convenient access to many large cities. These are the distances from Freeport to a few major Midwestern cities.

Chicago, IL	120 Miles
Des Moines, IA	280 Miles
Madison, WI	88 Miles
Milwaukee, WI	120 Miles
Peoria, IL	170 Miles
Quad Cities	115 Miles
St. Louis, MO	320 Miles
Rockford, IL	25 Miles

Mission Statement 

The Northwest Illinois Development Alliance (NIDA) is a not-for-profit corporation, creating a public/private partnership to retain, expand and diversify the economic base of the Freeport/Stephenson County and northwest Illinois area.

(In 2007, the FAEDF Board decided to expand our regional marketing potential with our representatives from Carroll County, the Savanna Army Depot, the Blackhawk Hills Economic Development District and the I-39 Logistics Corridor along with our partners in Jo Daviess County. In the fall of 2007, the FAEDF Board adopted a "DBA" operating name of the "Northwest Illinois Development Alliance". The name has been formally filed with the Illinois Secretary of State.)

Philosophy Statement

Economic development is a process. It is a team effort aimed at promoting the Freeport area and northwest Illinois as a preferred choice in which to do business. Our program concentrates on retention and creation of jobs in the primary* sector, in addition to the service and retail markets. We work collaboratively with the Chambers of Commerce, the City of Freeport, Stephenson County and other local and area governmental units and other groups to improve business expansion and the well-being of the community.

*Primary Sector: The sector of the economy produces a product or service that is exported from the area and returns in new revenues back to the region.  Jobs in the primary sector have a greater tendency to be “living wage” jobs that provide for the majority of income and fringe benefits necessary to create a self-sufficient household.