The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is a Federal-State partnership whose mission it is to improve the quality of life for the residents of the Mississippi Delta. The Delta Regional Authority serves 252 counties and parishes in parts of eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Led by a Federal Co-Chairman appointed by the President and the governors of the eight states, the DRA fosters partnerships throughout the region as it works to improve the Delta economy. DRA funds can be used to leverage other federal and state programs.
Under federal law, at least 75 percent of DRA funds must be invested in economically distressed counties and parishes. Half of DRA funds are awarded for transportation and basic infrastructure improvements.
About
The 1990 report of the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Commission spurred efforts to direct federal economic assistance toward the Lower Mississippi River Valley region.[2] The region, as defined in the Lower Mississippi Delta Development Act of 1988, consisted of 219 counties in Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois and was the poorest in the United States, with a poverty rate of 22% compared to a national rate of 12%.[3] In 1998, PresidentBill Clinton, an Arkansas native, proposed channeling $26 million in federal aid to the region through the Appalachian Regional Commission, but Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice opposed the plan, fearing it would divert aid from the Appalachian Region, including several counties in northern Mississippi.[2] Instead, Congress funneled the allocation through the Department of Agriculture, but the Department said it was unable to comply with Congress' intent without more specific direction.[2]
In 1999, Arkansas DemocratsSenatorBlanche Lincoln and RepresentativeMarion Berry introduced the Delta Regional Authority Act of 1999[4] to create the Delta Regional Authority to administer funds allocated to the region.[2] The legislation was co-sponsored by Arkansas Republican Senator Tim Hutchinson, Tennessee Republican Senator Bill Frist, and Tennessee Democratic Representative Harold Ford Jr.[2] Clinton announced in December 1999 that he would include $30 million in funding for the Authority in his next budget proposal.[3] Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran become the leading voice against the legislation, opining that the money should be channeled to the Delta Region through existing agencies such as colleges and universities.[5]
The DRA footprint includes 252 counties and parishes across 8 states. Since 2002, DRA has invested in 934 projects represented by the blue and yellow dots with yellow representing FY 2015 projects. Source: dra.gov/sedap
In 2000, Congress established the Delta Regional Authority to enhance economic development and improve the quality of life for the residents of the Lower Mississippi River Delta region.[6]
The Delta Regional Authority is a regional economic development agency serving 252 counties and parishes in the following eight states:
The DRA is led by two presidential appointees, Federal Co-Chairman (FCC) and Alternate Federal Co-Chairman (AFCC), along with a State Co-Chairman and the governor of each participating state. It is designed to remedy severe and chronic economic distress by stimulating economic development and fostering partnerships that will have a positive impact on the region’s economy.
Mission
The Delta Regional Authority helps economically distressed communities to leverage other federal and state programs in the four Congressionally mandated priority funding categories:
Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress;
Transportation infrastructure for the purpose of facilitating economic development in the region;
Business development, with emphasis on entrepreneurship; and
Workforce development or employment-related education, with emphasis on use of existing public educational institutions located in the region.
Outcomes
Since the inception of the DRA Federal Funding Program, known as the States' Economic Development Assistance Program since 2010, the following projected outcomes have been documented:
64,831 families have received improved water and sewer; and[citation needed]
7,202 individuals have been trained for jobs.[citation needed]
Impact
DRA has contributed $138,358,642 to 934 projects in its eight-state region towards a total investment in those projects of $890,612,847.[citation needed]
DRA total project investment includes an additional leverage of $752,254,205 in other federal, state and local funds, which is a ratio of 5.44 to 1. [citation needed]
In addition, private funds invested in these projects total $2,208,673,037, which is a ratio of 15.96 to 1, private dollars to DRA dollars.[citation needed]
Total leveraged investment of $2,960,927,242 including federal, state, local and private funds produced a ratio of 21.4 to 1.[citation needed]
Partnerships
At the local level, the Delta Regional Authority coordinates efforts with a combination of agencies. Assisting the Delta Regional Authority are local development districts ("LDDs"), regional entities with a proven track record of helping municipalities, counties and parishes improve basic infrastructure and stimulate growth.
DRA partners with USDA's Rural Development (RDA) Program. Through their network of state and local offices, the RDA assists the Delta Regional Authority with the Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP) program. DRA also partnered with the Economic Development Association (EDA) by conducting community evaluations related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Additionally, the Delta Regional Authority works with each member state's Department of Economic Development, local development districts, Departments of Transportation, governor’s offices, Department of Health, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, congressional offices and city and county government.[7]
Programs and initiatives
The Delta Regional Authority is involved in numerous efforts to improve the lives of the people it serves. The following programs are currently under operation throughout the Authority's region:[8]
DRA Growing a Health Workforce in the Delta Initiative (HDI);
Delta Doctors Program (DDP);
BF Smith Foundation – Adult Literacy/Workforce Training (BFS);
^ abcdeBrosnan, James W. (September 22, 1999). "Area Lawmakers to Unveil Plan for Aid to Delta's Poor". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. p. A13.
^"Musgrove to Make Pitch for Delta Authority in Washington Session". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. The Associated Press. April 12, 2000. p. DS6.
