Amanda Allen
662.483.8203
aallen@dra.gov

Local development district contacts

Delta Regional Authority Economic Development Assistance Program offers grants to help Delta communities create jobs and improve infrastructure.

SEDAP may be used to fund projects for basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, broadband, and business development including entrepreneurship and workforce training.

Priority areas include:

• Innovation and small business: Projects must relate to job creation and/or retention. This category includes healthy workforce solutions, which will result in health metrics and improved employment data for a specific employer or business sector.
• Regional impact: Projects that provide benefit to constituents in multiple counties or parishes, or multiple municipalities within a single county or parish
• Multiple funding partners: Projects which include multiple funding sources and significantly leverage DRA dollars to other federal and/or non-federal dollars
• Emergency funding need: Projects must demonstrate that the negative implications of inaction would result in immediate and detrimental health and/or safety issues for the population served.
• Registered apprenticeship: Projects supporting Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs and sustainable career pathways with partners at the local, regional, and statewide levels are considered a federal priority
• Infrastructure, including transportation, utilities, and broadband

Entities that are eligible to apply for DRA funding include:

• State and local governments (state agencies, cities, and counties/parishes)
• Public bodies
• Nonprofit entities

Information on the calculation of the allocation by state is available in the annual program manual.

Links to the program manual and the online application portal are available on the program website when applications are being accepted.