Summary Background
Executive Summary
The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) requires North Delta Planning and Development District, Inc. (NDPDD) to have an economic development planning process to be eligible for EDA funding in the organizations seven county district. The strategic plan involved stakeholders throughout the area to discuss the planning and continuation of economic development in the counties represented by NDPDD. This report is an analysis of the demographics and economic trends in the North Delta PDD seven northwest counties of Mississippi: Coahoma, DeSoto, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica. The seven counties are often times noted for the health, social conditions of poverty, education, lack of access to healthcare and unemployment inequalities.
This annually updated report is designed to develop priorities and actions of the district. Additionally, the plan updates the district’s economy and demographic data. The analysis identifies economic issues and opportunities that are at various stages of implementation.
The 2023-2027 CEDS provides the regions background, economic development challenges and opportunities, goals and objectives, participation from community advocates, strategic planning, action plan, and performance measures.
The plan enlisted community advocates from various sectors. The committee included seven people; each individual on the CEDS committee represent a county in the District. A diverse group of individuals made up the committee that included elected officials, minority groups, business, and other groups that have an interest in improving the region’s economy. The committee and staff of NDPDD collaborated on the preparation of the 2023-2027 CEDS.
To overcome the gaps in the uneven economic region, a stronger local economy and abundant employment opportunities will have to be created for the region. The 2023-2027 CEDS Report is to assist the region in industry recruitment and asset development. As the region evolves the document will be updated and kept current by the CEDS Strategy Committee and NDPDD staff.
For more detailed information on each county, please refer to the individual county profiles that are included in the County Summary pages in the Summary Background section of this report.
General Description
North Delta Planning and Development District, Inc. (NDPDD) is one of the ten planning districts in the state of Mississippi. The district is composed of seven counties and thirty municipalities in the northwest region of the state. The landscape of the region is rural with limited resources available to the citizens living in the area.
The district highway system includes Interstate 69 and Interstate 55, U.S. Highway 61 and Mississippi State Highway 6 as major transportation corridors for the area.
Northwest Mississippi offers several attributes for people living, visiting and doing business in the region. The area is known for agriculture, casino gaming, the blues, Southern cuisine, and the mighty Mississippi River. The land provides numerous recreational activities that range from fishing to hunting. The business sector has proximity to major markets and an abundant labor force. The transportation infrastructure and available industry sites supply industries with numerous resources.
Historical Summary
In 1969, the local governments of the region helped establish the PDD to serve seven counties and thirty municipalities in Northwest Mississippi. The founding principles of the Planning and Development District were to provide the local units of government with regional planning, local technical assistance and coordination, and review of applications for federally sponsored programs for this area.
During the administrative years of Governor John Bell Williams, the PDDs were supported by the Office of Federal State Programs. This support helped assist the District and the local government entities with federal grant incentives, especially in the area of economic development. To further the efforts of the economic development hubs, Executive Order 81 was issued to select the planning and development Districts into sub regions out of the 82 counties
in the State of Mississippi. Additionally, the order made the Planning and Development Districts the agencies that would receive Office of Management and Budget Circular A-95 notifications; this action helped insure federal funding was in accordance with local plans, and the state would not be producing duplication. Today, the Planning and Development Districts still uphold the same principles and standards. We are governed under Federal Executive Order 12371 (2012 MAPDD Directory).
The ten Planning and Development Districts operate independently, and each regional district is governmed by a Board of Directors composed of local goernment officials and activist in the community. The day to day operations are managed by an Executive Director and staff working in areas ranging from clerical and administrative, Medicaid Waiver, Economic Development, Small Business Loans, and the Area Agency on Aging.