Economic Development

Administration (EDA) Programs

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121), as amended by the Economic Development Administration Reform Act of 1998, to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically-distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress.

  In fulfilling its mission, EDA is guided by the basic principle that distressed communities must be empowered to develop and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. Based on these locally and regionally developed priorities, EDA works in partnership with state and local governments, regional economic development districts, public and private nonprofit organizations and Indian tribes. EDA helps distressed communities address problems associated with long-term economic distress, as well as sudden and severe economic dislocation including recovering from the economic impacts of natural disasters, the closure of military installations and other Federal facilities, changing trade patterns, and depletion of natural resources.

The Southeast Alabama Regional Planning & Development Commission is the regional EDA Economic Development District for Southeast Alabama and is the point of contact for local information about all EDA programs.

For more information about EDA and program resources available, please visit the EDA website www.doc.gov