Delta Regional Authority

PURPOSE

• To develop the transportation infrastructure of the region for the purpose of facilitating economic development in the region;
• To assist the region in obtaining the job training, employment-related education, and business development (with an emphasis on entrepreneurship) that are needed to build and maintain strong local economies;
• To provide assistance to severely distressed and underdeveloped areas that lack financial resources for improving basic public services;
• To provide assistance to severely distressed and underdeveloped areas that lack financial resources for equipping industrial parks and related facilities;
• To otherwise achieve the purposes of the subtitle.

AUTHORIZATION
Enabling Legislation: Congressional Record H12285 Section 503, The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) Subtitle F. The Delta Regional Authority is a newly created federal-state partnership serving a 236-county area in an 8-state region.

ELIGIBLE AREAS
Missouri’s eligible applicants include cities, counties, regional planning commissions and not-for-profits operating in the Delta Region defined as EDA distressed counties.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The EDA Distressed counties in the Authority area are: Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot , Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Washington, Wayne, Wright.

Note: Cape Girardeau County is not an EDA distressed county. Applications from Cape Girardeau County may be received if the application meets one of these criteria: 1) is multi-county in nature; 2) brings significant benefits to areas of the region outside the non-distressed county; or 3) serves an isolated area of distress having high rates of poverty or unemployment.

PROGRAM BENEFITS/ELIGIBLE USES

• Basic infrastructure (non-water or wastewater) in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress
• Basic infrastructure (water or wastewater) related to industrial parks or business-related activities in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress
• Transportation infrastructure for the purpose of facilitating economic development
• Business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship
• Job training or employment-related education with emphasis on use of existing public educational institutions

APPLICATION/APPROVAL PROCEDURE
The federal Delta Regional Authority (DRA) announces the application procedure and timeline annually. The applications are submitted to the local regional planning commission. They are determined eligible or ineligible by the federal DRA. The Governor makes the final recommendation to the federal DRA.

Go to the federal Delta Regional Authority website at www.dra.gov for more information on the grant program application cycle.

CONTACT
Missouri Department of Economic Development
Division of Business and Community Services
301 West High Street • Room 770 • P.O. Box 118
Jefferson City • MO • 65102
Phone: 573-751-4539 • Fax: 573-522-4322
E-mail: dedfin@ded.mo.gov
Web: http://www.missouridevelopment.org/

Business and Community Services
301 W. High Street, Rooms 720, 770  Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Tel: 1-866-647-3633    Fax: 1-573-751-7384    Email: missouridevelopment@ded.mo.gov