Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Executive directors and staff from Missouri’s five Local Development Districts joined more than 80 leaders from across the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) region and DRA staff for a training workshop in Memphis on Jan. 30-31. The group learned about collaborating to enhance economic development opportunities and build jobs in the Delta. The DRA region covers eight states, including Missouri, and 252 counties and parishes.

In Missouri, the DRA area covers 29 counties that comprise the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Commission, Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission, South Central Ozark Council of Local Governments, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development District, Ozark and the counties of Crawford, Dent, Phelps and Washington counties served by the Meramec Regional Planning Commission.

Attending from MRPC were Executive Director Bonnie Prigge and Grant Administrator Gary O’Day.

LDDs play an instrumental role in serving local governments and other public-private partners by providing technical assistance to encourage economic development.

The training workshop provided background about DRA’s programs and initiatives and how LDDs can help facilitate growth in the region. LDDs help the DRA identify effective and impactful economic development projects for consideration for DRA investment. They also provide on-ground support for public outreach, grant development assistance and grant administration and participate in DRA-sponsored programs and policy initiatives. More information is available at www.DRA.gov.

Cutline:

Executive directors from Missouri five LDDs posed for a picture with Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chair Chris Caldwell. From left, Barry Horst of Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission; Bonnie Prigge of Meramec Regional Planning Commission; DRA Co-chair Chris Caldwell; Felicity Brady of Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission; Hannah Barnett of Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Commission; and Johnny Murrell of South Central Ozark Council of Local Governments.