Delta Area Economic Development

Delta Regional Authority's mission is to be an advocate for and partner with the people of the Delta to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. This program focuses on activities which support DRA,s mission. Specific program goal are: (1) to develop the transportation infrastructure of the region for the purpose of facilitating economic development in the region (except that grants for this purpose may only be made to state and local government); (2) to assist the region in obtaining the job training, employment related education, and business development (with an emphasis of entrepreneurship) that are needed to build and maintain strong local economies; (3) to provide assistance to severely distressed and underdeveloped areas that lack financial resources for improving basic public services; (4) to provide assistance to severely distressed and underdeveloped areas that lack financial resources for equipping industrial parks and related facilities; and (5) to otherwise achieve the purpose of the Act. Grants are made either directly by the Authority or grants may supplement other Federal grants.

State, their subdivisions and instrumentalities and private nonprofit agencies.

General public.

The governor of each Delta state shall submit a State Delta Development Plan within 10 months after taking office, and must be approved by the board. Prior to December 15 of each year, the Governor of each state shall submit a Strategy Statement and Investment Program describing the state's program for achieving the goals and objectives contained in its state Development Plan, and must be approved by the board.

The grants may be used for providing supplemental funds under Federal grant-in-aid programs. To be eligible for special basic grants, projects must be of high priority in the State's Delta development plan and be within the clarification guidelines of the clarification notes which are part of the pre-application used to determine eligibility. The Authority must prioritize use of federal funds in the following order, with 75% of appropriated funds used in distressed counties and transportation and basic public infrastructure projects receiving at least 50% of the appropriated funds: (1) Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress; (2) Transportation infrastructure for the purpose of facilitating economic development, (3) Business development with emphasis on entrepreneurship; (4) Job training or employment-related education, with emphasis on use of existing public educational institutions located in the region.

Assistance is provided until project completion; funds are transferred to the basic Federal agency and disbursed as appropriate. DRA reserves the right to withdraw grants for projects not under contract within 18 months of approval.

Upon completion of his eligibility determinations, the Federal Co-Chairman will forward that list to each participating state member, and he will also notify the pre-applicants and the Administering Agencies. With the singular independence as prescribed by the Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000, as amended, each Governor will select his projects for funding, and will do so within the context of his own Authority-approved state plan and priorities. When the Governors have selected their projects, these selections basically become pre-certified for DRA funding, needing now an application (business plan) sufficient to satisfy the Authority and the (if needed) Administering Agency that the project will work as described and be able to comply with all appropriate Federal regulations. Using the DRA Federal Grant Uniform Grant Application Form, which will include the Administering Agency's required checklists and documents; the Federal Co-Chairman will invite a full application from each participating states lists of eligible and pre-certified projects. Upon receiving each application for their state, each participating Governor shall evaluate and certify each application conforming to the State Strategy Statement and Investment Program. The Governors will then forward their lists of evaluated and certified applications to the Federal Co-Chairman. Each application will be voted on and approved by the participating state members and the Federal Co-Chairman, together, the Delta Regional Authority.

Once projects are approved, the administration of each project will proceed in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement between DRA and the appropriate Administering Agencies. The DRA notifies Congressional Offices and the Office of the Governor of grant awards.

A timeline is posted on the DRA web site for each fiscal grant cycle covering pre-application to grant awards.

From 60 to 80 days after receipt of the full application by the Authority.