States' Economic Development Assistance Program

The Delta Regional Authority works to improve regional economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of the 10 million people who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight state Delta region. Led by the Delta Regional Authority Board- comprised of the Federal Co-Chairman, appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and the governors of the eight states- the Delta Regional Authority fosters local and regional partnerships that address economic and social challenges to ultimately strengthen the Delta economy and the quality of life for Delta residents. Established in 2000 by Congress, the DRA makes strategic investments of federal appropriations into the physical and human infrastructure of Delta communities. Through the States' Economic Development Assistance Program, referred to as SEDAP, these investments hep to improve transportation and basic public infrastructure and to strengthen our workforce development system and local business environments. The DRA supports job creation and economic development through innovative approaches to growing local and regional leadership, increasing access to quality healthcare, and boosting opportunities for entrepreneurs to obtain affordable capital.

The 252 counties and parishes served by the Delta Regional Authority make up the most distressed area of the country. According to the USDA, the most severe rates of poverty are historically found in the South, especially in the Mississippi River delta region. In fact, 4 of the 10 most impoverished counties and parishes in the country are located within the DRA footprint.

For more information, please visit the DRA website at www.dra.gov

Under federal law, at least 75 percent of DRA funds must be invested in economically distressed counties and parishes. Half of these funds are targeted to transportation and basic infrastructure improvements. The remaining funds are directed to DRA's other funding priorities of workforce development and business development with a focus on entrepreneurship. The DRA works closely with the 44 Local Development Districts in the DRA footprint that serve as front-line project managers to ensure community-relevant project development and investment. SEDAP investments emphasize job creation, regional collaboration, and health and safety for communities. Through 14 SEDAP funding cycles, the DRA has leveraged its $138.4 million of federal-state investments into nearly $3 billion in public and private investment into community-based and regional projects--investments that have helped to create and retain 26,000 jobs, train more than 7,200 Delta workers for 21st century jobs, and connect nearly 65,000 families to clean water and/or sewer service.

Projects typically ranged from 12-18 months. Projects that extended beyond this time period must request a Budget/Timeline Extension.

1. Innovation and Small Business - Projects that include business and industry prospects committed to creating, retaining or maintaining jobs, through the execution of a DRA Participation Agreement. The Participation Agreement is a common "claw-back" instrument used in economic development to guarantee outcomes. As stewards of public resources, it is advantageous to provide outcome metrics which are validated through the protection this document provides. 2. Regional Impact - Projects that provide benefit to constituents in multiple counties or parishes, or multiple municipalities within a single county or parish. Applications for regional water and/or wastewater systems will be considered more competitive than stand-alone municipal systems. 3. Multiple Funding Partners - Applications for projects which include multiple funding sources (both public and/or private) and significantly leverage DRA dollars to other federal or non-federal dollars will be considered more competitive than applications which only include DRA funding or minimal investment leverage. 4. Emergency Funding Need - Projects that can clearly demonstrate, but for DRA funding, the negative implications of inaction would result in immediate and detrimental health and/or safety issues for the constituents served. Projects posing an immediate health or safety risk which have already met at least one of the four funding categories (listed above) will be considered for funding ahead of all other applications. Sufficient documentation must be provided from the appropriate state or federal agency (DEQ, EPA, etc.), specifically stating the cause or reason for the issue and the agency's concurrence that an immediate health or safety concern exits. 5. Funding Partner Initiatives - As DRA establishes federal partnerships, through program initiatives,designed to provide supplemental funding support, DRA will give additional consideration to applicants, such as communities receiving the Investing in Manufacturers Community Partnership (IMCP) designation, a Promise Zone designation, or other awards and program designations as identified by the Federal Co-Chairman. 6. Small Business Framework - Must clearly demonstrate how the project aligns with the policies set forth in DRA's Small Business Framework document, found on dra.gov. 7. Incorporated Resiliency Planning - Projects located in communities or service areas which have incorporated disaster and resiliency planning into the local planning efforts.

FEBRUARY 9TH -SEDAP funding opportunity announcement FEBRUARY 9TH THROUGH MAY 31ST -Applications are submitted as they are developed: • DRA staff will review for eligibility in real-time (within three weeks of receipt) and work with each LDD to provide appropriate appeal documentation for those projects deemed ineligible or Tier 2; JUNE 16TH -DRA staff work complete JUNE 23RD -Chairman determines eligibility JULY 7TH -Board members have met with Governors JULY 14TH Project determination calls held JULY 28TH -Certification letters received and project votes closed -Announcements, award documents, notices to proceed follow immediately upon receipt of certification letters and are coordinated through DRA communications staff