ALABAMA’S DELTA REGION 

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Prepared for the

Delta Regional Authority

Robert Bentley, Governor

February 2016
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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THE STATE OF ALABAMA

Robert Bentley, Governor

Office of the Governor

600 Dexter Avenue

Montgomery, AL 36130

(334) 242-7100

info@governor.alabama.gov

Jim Byard, Jr., DRA Designee

Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs

P.O. Box 5690

Montgomery, AL 36103

(334) 242-8672

jim.byard@adeca.alabama.gov

Al Jones, DRA Alternate

Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs

401 Adams Avenue, Suite 592

Montgomery, AL 36103

(334) 353-2028

al.jones@adeca.alabama.gov
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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THE STATE OF ALABAMA

Senator Richard Shelby

304 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-5744

Senator Jeff Sessions

326 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-4124

Congressman Robert Aderholt

235 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-4876

Congressman Mo Brooks

1230 Longworth House 

Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-4801

Congressman Bradley Byrne

119 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-4931

Congressman Gary Palmer

206 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-4921

Congresswoman Martha Roby

442 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-2901

Congressman Mike Rogers

324 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-3261

Congresswoman Terri Sewell

1133 Longworth House 

Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-2665
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Alabama’s Delta Region Planning Agencies

Alabama Tombigbee 

Regional Commission

John Clyde Riggs, 

Executive Director

107 Broad Street

Camden, AL 36726

(334) 682-4234

http://www.atrcregion6.com/

Lee-Russell Council of 

Governments

Suzanne Burnette, 

Executive Director

2207 Gateway Drive

Opelika, AL 36801

(334) 749-5264

http://www.lrcog.com/

South Alabama 

Regional Planning Commission

Chris Miller, Executive Director

110 Beauregard Street

Mobile, AL 36602

(251) 433-6541

http://sarpc.org/

South Central Alabama 

Development Commission

Tyson Howard, Executive Director

5900 Carmichael Place

Montgomery, AL 36117

(334) 244-6903

http://scadc.net/

Southeast Alabama Regional 

Planning & Development 

Commission

Tom Solomon, Executive Director

Post Office Box 1406

Dothan, AL 36302

(334) 794-4093

http://www.searpdc.org/

West Alabama 

Regional Commission

Robert Lake, Executive Director

Post Office Box 509

Northport, AL 35476

(205) 333-2990

http://warc.info/
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Table of Contents

Introduction 7

The Delta Regional Authority 7

DRA Funding in Alabama 7

Regional Development Plan III 9

Alabama’s Plan Development Overview 9

Section A: 

Challenges and Opportunities: The State of the State 11

Demographic and Economic Information 12

Evaluation of Challenges and Opportunities 17

Regional Industry Clusters 19

Regional Goals and Strategies 19

Section B:

Governor’s and State’s Goals, Priorities, and Programs 20

Accelerate Alabama 20

Great State 2019 22

Section C:

Alignment of State Priorities with DRA Priorities and 

Implementation Plan 26

Section D:

State Resources: Best Practices, Case Studies, Tools 

and Models for Economic Development 30
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Introduction

The Delta Regional Authority

Established by Congress in 2000, the Delta Regional Authority, or DRA, makes 

strategic investments of federal appropriations into the physical and human 

infrastructure of the 252 counties and parishes within the eight-state Delta region. 

The DRA works to improve regional economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, 

build communities, and improve the lives of the 10 million residents of the Delta region.

The 252 counties and parishes served by the Delta Regional Authority in Alabama, 

Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee make up 

the most persistently distressed area of the country. The DRA works with local, state, 

and federal leaders, creating partnerships among all three levels, to bring investment 

and opportunity back to this region.

The Delta Regional Authority makes investments through the States’ Economic 

Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) to improve transportation and basic 

public infrastructure, and to strengthen workforce development systems and local 

business environments. The DRA supports job creation and economic development 

through innovative approaches to growing local and regional leadership, increasing 

access to quality healthcare, and boosting opportunities for entrepreneurs to access 

capital.

Since 2000, the DRA has invested nearly $129 million in the Delta region – strategic 

investments that have been leveraged 21.3 to 1 by other public and private investments. 

As a result, more than 17,000 jobs have been created and retained throughout the 

region. More than 25,500 families have gained access to clean, safe water and sewer 

service.

DRA funding requirements stipulate that at least 75% of funds must go to economically 

distressed counties, and at least 50% of funds be directed toward basic infrastructure 

and transportation infrastructure improvements.

DRA Funding in Alabama

In 13 funding cycles since 2002, the Delta Regional Authority has invested $13.1 million 

in Alabama. Those funds have been leveraged by $41.1 million in other public and 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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private investments, a ratio of 3.1 to 1. The following graphic details the history of DRA 

funding within Alabama: 

FIGURE 1

DRA Investments in Alabama 2002 – 2015 source: Delta Regional Authority
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Regional Development Plan III

Working to enhance the long-term prosperity and growth of the region, the Delta 

Regional Authority recently undertook to develop its third five-year strategic plan, known 

as Regional Development Plan III (RDP III). In the new plan, DRA sought to build on 

the success of existing programs but also widen the range of activities with new 

initiatives to enhance the region’s infrastructure as well as workforce and community 

competitiveness. The result is RDP III, completed in 2015. Based on DRA’s dual 

imperative of innovation and resiliency, RDP III is focused around three foundational 

goals:

Goal 1:

Advance the productivity and economic competitiveness of the Delta workforce

Goal 2:

Strengthen the Delta’s physical and digital connections to the global economy

Goal 3:

Facilitate capacity building within Delta communities

Plan Development Overview

The plan development process for Alabama’s new Delta Region Development Plan 

started with a review of existing documents related to economic and community 

development in Alabama’s Delta region. These documents include:

 The Delta Regional Authority’s Regional Development Plan III (RDP III)

 Each of the most recent Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies

(CEDS) adopted by the planning agencies serving the Alabama Delta region

 The state’s Accelerate Alabama economic development strategic plan, which 

identifies 11 targeted business sectors and 3 primary economic development 

drivers

 Governor Robert Bentley’s new strategic plan for Alabama, Great State 2019. 

This new plan has several strategies directly related to economic development,

aligning with goals and strategies of the Delta Regional Authority, including:

- Workforce Development system improvements
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- Other education initiatives, including free community college tuition

- Broadband network expansion

- Support for small business development and success

- Focus on transportation infrastructure through the creation of an

Alabama Transportation Institute

- Emphasis on other issues of great importance to rural communities,

 particularly rural access to quality health care

On January 25, 2016, the Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs 

hosted a public input session on the new plan. Feedback was received regarding these 

issues, among others:

 Tourism and outdoor recreation have good potential for building up local 

economies in rural Alabama. Related efforts should be strengthened, particularly 

infrastructure improvements that support tourism and outdoor recreation.

 The most important needs in rural Alabama communities are infrastructure (water 

and sewer systems) and transportation infrastructure (especially roads). Funding 

for these efforts is critical – not only to rebuild or expand systems, but for ongoing 

maintenance as well.

 Examples of successful economic development projects in Alabama’s Delta 

region include Chowel Industries in Ft. Deposit (350 jobs created) and Golden 

Dragon in Wilcox County (250 jobs created).

 DRA office staffing levels

 Local development district training needs

 Working with Alabama’s legislative delegation for more funding from the federal 

level

 Request to agencies from around Alabama’s Delta region for “best practice” case 

studies, summaries, and photographs to enhance the plan

In developing this new plan, individuals from the local, regional, and state levels worked 

together to unite Alabama’s goals with the priorities of RDP III. 
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Section A:

Challenges and Opportunities: The State of the State

Alabama’s Delta region is comprised of 20 counties in the southwestern and 

southeastern areas of the state. Thirty-three percent (33%) of Alabama’s land area is 

included within the Delta Regional Authority’s jurisdiction, the fourth highest percentage 

among the eight DRA states. However, as will be shown later in this section, Alabama’s 

Delta area has a much lower population density than the remainder of the state, and 

only 9% of Alabama’s total population resides in the Delta region.

The 20 Delta counties include 16 in the southwestern part of the state:

Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, 

Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington, and Wilcox

and 4 in the southeastern portion: Barbour, Bullock, Macon, and Russell.

FIGURE 2

Alabama’s Delta Region Counties source: Delta Regional Authority
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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According to DRA criteria using unemployment rates and per capita income figures, 

all 20 Delta region counties within Alabama are classified as “distressed”. In 

addition, according to DRA statistics a staggering 90.0% of Alabamians in the Delta 

region are classified as experiencing “persistent poverty”. This compares with 43.3% of 

all residents in the 252-county, eight-state DRA region, and just 28.4% of Alabama 

residents statewide.

Demographic and Economic Information

As the charts below make clear, although Alabama’s demographic and economic data 

as a whole generally equals or outperforms the eight-state DRA region, Alabama’s 

20-county Delta area substantially under-performs the rest of the DRA region, making it 

one of the most distressed parts of the United States. 

FIGURE 3

Alabama’s Delta Region is a sparsely-populated area
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 4

Alabama’ Delta counties have lost population since 2000

FIGURE 5

The Delta counties’ unemployment rate is nearly 50% higher than Alabama’s statewide 

figure.
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 6

Alabama’s Delta counties have not shared in the recent economic recovery, losing jobs 

since 2000.

FIGURE 7

The state’s Delta counties have a significantly lower ratio of employment to population.
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 8

Per capita income in the state’s Delta counties is less than $30,000.

FIGURE 9

Alabama’s Delta residents have median household incomes about 29% below the 

state average and 42% below the national average.
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 10

Just 13.1% of Alabama Delta area residents have at least a bachelor’s degree.

FIGURE 11

Alabama’s Delta counties have a poverty rate far exceeding the statewide and Delta 

region rates.
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 12

The child poverty rate in the state’s Delta counties is nearly 40%.

Evaluation of Challenges and Opportunities

Economic development documents from regional agencies within Alabama’s Delta 

(particularly district Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies, or CEDS), as 

well as plans from the state level, provide a good understanding of the region’s greatest 

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 

Figure 13 on the following page summarizes these findings:
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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FIGURE 13:

SWOT Analysis Summary

STRENGTHS:

Forests & other natural resources

Recreation & tourism options

Automotive manufacturing

 (Mercedes and Hyundai)

Moderate cost of living

Strength of urban centers

Health care (near urban areas)

College & universities

Leadership – collaboration in 

 economic development efforts

WEAKNESSES:

Low educational attainment

Persistent poverty

Out-migration in rural areas

Aging population, aging workforce

Lack of public water/sewer systems

and system capacity

Lack of funds (tax base) for

 improvement projects

Lack of planning, especially in rural

 areas

Negative perceptions and attitudes

 about the region

OPPORTUNITIES:

Regional cooperation & marketing

Public-private partnerships

Tourism expansion

Downtown & riverfront redevelopment

Focus on entrepreneurship & 

 innovation

Better land use planning & growth 

 management

Focus on leadership training &

 development

Better capture of retail sales

THREATS:

Aging or inadequate water & sewer

 systems

Needed transportation improvements

 to roads, rail, and ports

Over-dependence on a few economic

 sectors

Lack of identified future leadership

Absence of rural planning & zoning

Public perception that things can’t

 improve
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Regional Industry Clusters

The following were identified as the most important existing industry clusters in 

Alabama’s Delta region:

 Automotive Manufacturing

 Forestry and Wood Products

 Mining

Regional Goals and Strategies

From the various regional economic plans of the districts containing the 20 Delta 

counties, these goals and strategies emerged as the most prominent:

A. Strive for a more balanced and diverse economy

B. Make leadership development a priority; emphasize the need for regional 

collaboration among leaders

C. Create and improve tourist attractions 

(example: Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center)

D. Develop business incubators and innovation centers

E. Expand small business lending and seed capital availability

F. Expand skilled trade and craft training in high schools

G. Emphasize the region’s quality of life

H. Expand exports 

(example: farm-raised seafood)
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Section B:

Governor's and State's Goals, Priorities and Programs

In 2011, The Alabama Economic Development Alliance was created by an Executive 

Order of Governor Robert Bentley. The Alliance worked with consultants to develop 

Accelerate Alabama, a new Economic Development Strategic Plan for the state. 

Accelerate Alabama provided direction for economic developers and officials 

throughout the state.

A four-step process was used to develop the Accelerate Alabama plan. This process 

included completing a competitive assessment of Alabama and how its assets compare 

to the competition from an economic development perspective; identifying potential 

targeted business sectors that Alabama has the assets to support; developing strategic 

accelerators to enhance Alabama’s efforts in key areas; and preparing an 

implementation process to accompany the plan.

Stakeholder Input 

To create the plan there was extensive input from elected officials, community leaders, 

economic development partners, and citizens of Alabama. The consultants used input 

tools, including regional visioning meetings, interviews and online surveys for key 

audiences that provided the opportunity for more than 1,200 Alabamians to participate 

in the process.

Alabama Economic Development Drivers 

The Alliance was created to ensure the recruitment, retention and renewal of business 

and industry in Alabama. These three economic development drivers serve as the basis 

for recommendations included in the Accelerate Alabama plan. These drivers are 

defined as follows:

Recruitment: Programs that focus on the attraction of new business and industry. 

Retention: Programs that focus on the retention and expansion of existing business and 

industry. 

Renewal: Programs that focus on job creation through innovation, entrepreneurship, 

research and development, and commercialization.

To successfully compete for the jobs of tomorrow in each of the targeted business 

sectors, the state must diversify its economic development efforts through a balanced 

emphasis on recruitment, retention and renewal. The recommendations are designed to 
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accelerate the state’s economic development efforts with each tactic providing a path to 

success. The accelerators are organized within the context of the three economic 

drivers, but most will require collaborative efforts across the full spectrum of Alabama’s 

economic development community. There are some economic development 

accelerators that transcend the three primary economic drivers. These recommended 

initiatives have been presented after the three drivers in an “Other” category. The chart 

below summarizes the economic development drivers and accelerators associated with 

each in the plan:

Economic Development 

Accelerators

Recruitment

Provide a workforce 

with skills aligned with 

prospect needs

Ensure availability of 

sites and 

infreastructure that 

meet prospect criertia

Determine 

competitiveness of 

financial assistance

Proactively reach out 

to suspects/prospects

Build capacity and 

recruit entertainment 

production

Develop global lead 

generation strategy

Retention

Align workforce 

services

Develop ACCS 

strategic plan

Strengthen training 

for existing business 

and industry

Develop small 

business assistance 

initiative

Implement education/ 

workforce services 

communications 

program

Increase exports

Support military assets 

and contractors

Renewal

Create statewide 

organization for 

innovation

Coordinate and 

increase 

commercialization 

efforts

Develop legislative 

agenda for innovation

Build research and 

development capacity

Support existing 

industry

Develop the 

information technology 

sector

Foster 

entrepreneurship and 

small business 

development

Provide financial 

support for 

commercialization

Other

Support rural 

development

Enhance the state's 

economic 

development brand

Inventory and 

understand 

sustainability efforts

Support downtown 

redevelopment 

programs and other 

related initiatives
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Alabama Targeted Business Sectors 

Eleven targeted business sectors, and specific areas of focus for each, were identified 

for the state to focus its recruitment, retention and renewal efforts. The determination of 

the targets identified for Accelerate Alabama involved thorough research, including the 

review of the current business/industry base in Alabama, current targeted sectors of 

state, regional and local economic development organizations in Alabama, as well as 

the various power providers, recent project activity, and other emerging sectors that 

have shown growth at the national, state and possibly local level. 

Advanced Manufacturing

 Aerospace/Defense

 Automotive

 Agricultural Products/Food Production

 Steel/Metal

 Forestry Products

 Chemicals

Technology

 Biosciences

 Information Technology

 Enabling Technologies

Distribution/ Logistics

Corporate Operations

Many more details are provided in the Accelerate Alabama plan. That information can 

be found at http://www.madeinalabama.com/assets/2013/03/AccelerateAlabamaPlan.pdf.

On February 1, 2016 the office of Governor Bentley released its strategic plan for 

2015-2019, the "Great State 2019” plan. The plan details the Governor's priorities for 

the next four years. Excerpts are detailed below.

Investing in Alabama’s Education 

Investment in High Quality Pre-Kindergarten 

In 2015, the Governor restructured early childhood education and renamed the 

Department of Children’s Affairs the Department of Early Childhood Education. The goal 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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of this restructuring was to further develop a cohesive system that coordinates the 

efforts of providing high quality early learning. For the next three years, it is the 

governor's goal to have First Class Pre-K available to every parent who chooses to 

enroll their four-year-old child in a classroom. 

Alabama’s FUTURE Scholarship Program 

Alabama is blessed with a vibrant community college system with abundant educational 

opportunities. In 2015, the state restructured the community college system, creating a 

stand-alone board to oversee the system and empowering the chancellor to more 

effectively direct the system. To better utilize the resources of our community colleges, 

the Governor proposed a last dollar tuition scholarship program to allow every Alabama 

child the opportunity to attend a community college. The FUTURE Scholarship program 

will target seventh-graders in the most under-served counties first, and expand as 

results are proven and resources are identified. 

An "Education Advisor" will partner with the student, and their parents or guardians, 

beginning in seventh grade and will coach that student through high school graduation 

and into postsecondary education. Upon high school graduation, the students would 

receive a last dollar tuition scholarship to attend a community college in the state. With 

the potential for two years of education at no cost, participating students could then join 

the workforce or pursue additional education. 

Program goals will include: 

 Increasing the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education 

for the enrolled and participating students 

 Increasing the rates of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary 

education for enrolled and participating students 

 Increasing the program’s students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary 

education options, preparation, and financing 

 Increasing the percentage of students who enroll in and succeed in postsecondary 

education 

 Increasing the preparation of the project teachers and staff to teach and serve these 

students 

Workforce Development 

Education prepares students for the future. A great education provides for the 

necessary training to join the workforce. To that end, the state can fill a critical role by 

bridging the gap between the education system and the private sector. In 2015, the 

Governor signed Executive Order Number 6 to better connect education to the 

workforce by creating a statewide longitudinal data system to link information from early 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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learning through postsecondary education and into employment. This will ensure that 

Alabama students graduate from school ready for college and/or a career. Other 

workforce development initiatives include the creation of the new Alabama Workforce 

System and funding for an executive director at every Regional Workforce Development 

Council. 

Increasing the Number of Health Professionals in 

Rural Areas 

According to “America’s Health Rankings” for 2015, a report by the United Health 

Foundation (2015 Report), Alabamians tend to have access to fewer primary care 

doctors and dentists than people in most other states. Among the fifty states, Alabama 

had the third-lowest number of dentists per 100,000 people and the eleventh-lowest 

number of primary-care physicians per 100,000 people, according to the 2015 Report. 

Access to care tends to be even worse in many of Alabama’s rural counties. 

The high cost of education for health care providers is one of the primary reasons for 

this shortage. To encourage health care providers to practice in rural counties, the 

Governor proposed the creation or expansion of loan repayment programs for doctors, 

physician’s assistants, dentists, and nurse practitioners. Recipients would receive funds 

to repay student loans if they contract to practice in their fields of medicine for a certain 

amount of time in specifically defined, low-access areas of the state.

Rural health care will also be enhanced by greater access to broadband. Telemedicine 

is an important tool used in other states but minimally in Alabama which can potentially 

drive health care costs down. However, telemedicine is only possible if patients and 

doctors have access to high quality, robust broadband. 

Alabama’s HOPE (Helping Our People Excel) 

Through Broadband 

A fundamental cornerstone of a vibrant economy is affordable, fast internet. Highspeed, high capacity internet, or broadband, spans borders, impacting rural as well 

as urban communities. In 2015, the Governor created the Office of Broadband 

Development and the Advisory Board on Broadband.

Providing state funds to match federal funding will be crucial in expanding access to 

affordable and sufficient broadband within schools and could lead to partnerships with 

internet providers to further increase broadband capabilities to rural and low-access 

communities. 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Assessing the State's Water Resources 

Water is a vital resource affecting the lives of every Alabamian. Not only does it add to 

the beauty of the state, water enables population and economic growth. Water crises 

facing other states highlight the need for effective management of our different types of 

water resources to ensure its availability for future generations. 

Supporting Small Business Development and Success 

Small business is the engine of job growth, creating three-out-of-four jobs, and small 

businesses are an integral part of the framework in the American economic system. In 

2014, the Governor established the Alabama Small Business Commission (SBC). The 

SBC promotes small business development in the state through legislative and 

executive policy recommendations, including increased access by small businesses to 

resources and information and enhanced communications between the state and the 

small business community. 

Alabama is also developing a small business resource website called Atlas Alabama, 

offering a comprehensive guide to small business services available throughout the 

state. The website includes checklists and information so that entrepreneurs can take 

the required steps to launch a new business or manage an existing one.

https://www.atlasalabama.gov/

Creation of the Alabama Transportation Institute

In the previous four years, Alabama made great strides in improving transportation. One 

of the most notable projects is the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and 

Improvement Program (ATRIP), which improved roads throughout the state. By 

leveraging better information, detailed analysis and the host of resources offered by a 

public research institution, such as the University of Alabama, government can more 

effectively meet the transportation and infrastructure needs of the state.

Over the next four years of his administration, Governor Bentley will also establish a 

new Alabama Transportation Institute (ATI), to be housed at the University of Alabama. 

This interdisciplinary research institute will be focused on better decision-making for 

transportation system improvements throughout the state.

More details from Governor Bentley’s Great State 2019 plan can be viewed here:

http://governor.alabama.gov/assets/2016/02/2015-2019-Strategic-Plan-2-1-2016-

Final.pdf
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Section C:

Alignment of State Priorities with Delta Regional Authority 

Priorities and Implementation Plan

This section of Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan illustrates how the state’s 

economic development priorities and goals are aligned with those of the Delta Regional 

Authority’s Regional Development Plan III (RDP III).

DRA’s three Foundational Goals as expressed in RDP III are:

Goal 1: Advance the productivity and economic competitiveness of the 

Delta workforce

Goal 2: Strengthen the Delta’s physical and digital connections to the 

global economy

Goal 3: Facilitate capacity building within Delta communities

In addition, RDP III focuses on four specific Priority Area Goals:

Workforce Development

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Basic Public Infrastructure

such as water, sewer, and broadband

Transportation Infrastructure

such as roads, ports, and rail
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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DRA Foundational Goal 1:

Advance the productivity and economic competitiveness of the Delta workforce

The goals of Governor Bentley and Alabama mesh with DRA’s first foundational goal in 

these ways:

 The Accelerate Alabama plan, under the economic driver of Recruitment, puts a 

priority on “Human Capital”. “Alabama cannot be successful with new 

recruitment without providing a workforce whose skills are aligned with the needs 

of future prospects.” It calls for alignment of programs at the high school, twoyear, and four-year college levels with the workforce needs of targeted industries. 

It also urges better use of technology and distance learning to extend education 

and training resources to more Alabamians, such as those in the rural Delta 

region.

 Within Accelerate Alabama’s economic driver of Retention, the plan calls for 

formal alignment of workforce services in community colleges, under the 

umbrella of the Alabama Workforce Training System. It also strengthens 

each college’s Training for Existing Business and Industry through a process of 

“re-engineering” and “re-focus” facilitated by the Governor’s Office of Workforce 

Development.

 The first goal of Governor Bentley’s new Great State 2019 plan is to invest in 

education, particularly improving the workforce development system. It tasks all 

regional workforce entities with meeting the needs of businesses by developing a 

“talent supply chain”. Other education initiatives in the plan include the FUTURE 

Scholarship program for free community college tuition, and a greater emphasis 

on pre-kindergarten learning opportunities.

DRA Foundational Goal 2:

Strengthen the Delta’s physical and digital connections to the global economy

 The Great State 2019 plan emphasizes the need for broadband expansion 

throughout the state via the “Alabama’s HOPE” (Helping Our People Excel) 

program. The plan states that a “robust broadband network will lead to a 

stronger education system, increased capabilities for health care, a more 

efficient, connected law enforcement network and enhanced economic 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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development opportunities.”

 This plan also focuses on transportation infrastructure, highlighting the ongoing 

Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, as well as a 

new Alabama Transportation Institute research center. Finally, the state’s water 

resources infrastructure is addressed, with a goal of creating a new, 

comprehensive water management policy for the state.

 Under the economic development driver of Recruitment in the Accelerate 

Alabama plan, “Physical Capital” is listed as a key accelerator. It calls for 

ensuring that transportation infrastructure and other community infrastructure 

(including water, sewer, and telecommunications) are in place to create more 

“prospect-ready” sites in all regions of Alabama – particularly in “rural, 

underserved regions”.

 Other economic development drivers cited in Accelerate Alabama include 

support for rural development. “Alabama’s Black Belt and certain other areas of 

the state,” the plan notes, “include some of the poorest and most rural counties in 

the United States”. The plan proposes a Rural Infrastructure or Development 

Fund for the most distressed areas, to fund infrastructure projects that would 

enhance economic growth and development.

DRA Foundational Goal 3:

Facilitate capacity building within Delta communities

The governor’s Great State 2019 plan calls for increasing capacity in rural Alabama 

primarily by improving access to health care. It calls for incentives for health care 

professionals to locate and remain in distressed rural communities. It would increase 

the number of medical residency programs throughout the state. Finally, it focuses on 

improved broadband access to increase the use of telemedicine in rural areas.

Accelerate Alabama’s economic development driver of Renewal proposes a statewide 

expansion of research and development capacity, working with universities throughout 

Alabama. Other portions of Accelerate Alabama emphasize support for rural 

development – through state agencies such as the Office of Rural Development and the 

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs’ Resources for Economic 

Assistance Programs (REAP). Finally, the plan proposes greater support for “downtown 

redevelopment programs and other community development initiatives.”

 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Delta Regional Authority RDP III Priority Area Goal:

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

The alignment discussion in this section has covered the DRA’s three foundational 

goals, as well as three of RDP III’s four priority area goals (workforce development, 

basic public infrastructure, and transportation infrastructure). The DRA priority area 

goal not yet addressed is small business and entrepreneurship. Alabama’s goals and 

strategies align with this DRA priority goal as follows:

 Accelerate Alabama has a primary goal to “foster entrepreneurship and small 

business development”. Two tactics supporting this goal are 1) to encourage the 

development and implementation of entrepreneurship programs at the middle 

school and high school levels; and 2) to improve financial support to small and 

start-up businesses by encouraging private sector investment in early-stage 

companies. One method to achieve the latter is through a proposed Angel 

Investment Tax Credit Program.

 Governor Bentley’s Great State 2019 also includes a main goal of “supporting 

small business development and success.” Strategies supporting this goal 

include a more prominent role for the Alabama Small Business Commission and 

Advisory Committee, and development of online small business tools such as 

Atlas Alabama, a comprehensive guide to small business services available 

throughout the state.
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Section D:

State Resources: Best Practices, Case Studies, Tools and 

Models for Economic Development

Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) - A division of the Alabama 

Department of Commerce, AIDT promotes economic growth through customized 

workforce training. AIDT's expertise in recruitment and pre-employment training not only 

grows current businesses but also attracts new industries and countless jobs to the 

state. Offered at no cost to employers and trainees, this service puts companies first, 

finding the right talent and preparing each individual to excel in their job. There are six 

divisions of the AIDT program including the; 

 Huntsville Center, which fulfills the training needs of automotive suppliers and 

other industries within the Northern Alabama Region.

 Alabama Robotics Technology Park, which is a collaboration between the state 

of Alabama, Calhoun Community College, Alabama Industrial Development 

Training, and robotics industry leaders across the nation.

 Forest Products Development Center (FPDC) which works with industry, 

government, academia, and granting institutions to find solutions to barriers that 

hinder product performance or prevent product entry for sustainably green 

biomaterials from our natural resources, with the end goal of assisting local 

industry.

 The Mobile Center, fulfilling the training needs of aviation, chemical, 

telecommunications and other South Alabama industries.

 The AIDT Maritime Training Center in Mobile, which was designed specifically to 

meet the growing demand for maritime industry related training in Alabama.

 And the Entertainment Media Production and Crew Training (EMPACT) program, 

AIDT’s training program specifically to drive and build the crew base for the 

television and film industry in Alabama.

http://www.aidt.edu/

Alabama Center for Rural Enterprise, ‘ACRE’, was originally founded in 2002 as part

of the Alabama Rural Initiative of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise. A 

model for addressing poverty in economic development in one of the poorest areas of 

the nation, ACRE is located in Lowndes County, Alabama. According to the 2000 

census, the per capita income for the county was $12,457. Approximately 26.60% of the 

families and 31.40% of the population live below the poverty line.
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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 ACRE provides technical assistance to towns, nonprofits, corporations, and 

entrepreneurs. In 2002, the staff of ACRE under the Alabama Rural Initiative 

wrote the grant that led to the development of the Comprehensive Economic 

Development Strategy (CEDS) for Lowndes County. Funded by the Economic 

Development Administration of the United States Department of Commerce, the 

CEDS was essential in securing $4.2 million for the development of infrastructure 

in two industrial parks. The parks, located in Fort Deposit, Alabama, the county’s 

largest city, and the Tyson location, near Hayneville, now house two tier one 

suppliers to Hyundai. ACRE is currently assisting the Town of White Hall in 

developing its infrastructure to facilitate economic growth.

 A key focus of ACRE’s programmatic thrust is Financial Literacy Education. The 

lack of financial education creates problems that cross cultural and socioeconomic lines, impacting quality of life for all families. ACRE will expand 

financial literacy through the experience gained from previous efforts. HSBC, the 

former sponsor of the Alabama Rural Initiative, ACRE’s predecessor, launched 

its Financial Literacy Program in Lowndes County, Alabama in 2002. ACRE’s 

staff members Catherine Coleman Flowers, Linda Hinson, and Avis McGhee 

assisted in the development of the curriculum.

Since the program’s inception, ACRE has trained over 530 participants or 

approximately seven percent of the population of Lowndes County between the 

ages of 18-64. The program has been expanded across the United States by 

HSBC. To further enhance Financial Literacy in Alabama, ACRE will establish 

the Alabama Institute for Financial Literacy. The outreach of the program will be 

to K-12 and adults through partnerships with businesses, school systems, 

churches, nonprofits, clubs, and state and local governments.

 While a part of the Alabama Rural Initiative, ACRE was appropriated a 

Congressional earmark sponsored by United States Senator Richard Shelby, and 

supported by the entire Alabama delegation. This appropriation will be disbursed 

as a grant administered by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to 

demonstrate the use of affordable alternative or new technologies in an effort to 

address the inadequate disposal of raw sewage in Lowndes County.

Partnering with various local and national entities, the project will educate 

regulators; demonstrate certain unique features; advance state-of-the art 

decentralized wastewater management practices; change the community’s 

approach to traditional wastewater options; and provide tools and documentation 

that can be replicated.

 ACRE teams with public and private partners to create economic opportunities 

for low income and underprivileged communities. ACRE has proposed 

developing a mixed income single family home community in White Hall, 
Alabama’s Delta Region Development Plan 2016

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Alabama situated along the historic Selma to Montgomery March Trail. ACRE 

seeks to partner with smart growth advocates to develop green housing that 

incorporates the use of renewable energy sources that can serve as a model for 

other rural communities.

http://acrecdc.com/

The Alabama Rural Development Office has many statewide initiatives. Established 

on January 26, 2011, by Executive Order Number Five through Governor Robert 

Bentley, the purpose of the Alabama Rural Development Office is to improve and 

advance education, healthcare, and economic development in the rural areas of 

Alabama.

 KidCheck is an award-winning K-12 school-based program that provides annual 

comprehensive health screenings for K-12 school children in participating 

Alabama school systems. Since its inception, KidCheck partners with over 20 

two-year and four-year college nursing schools across Alabama to provide health 

screenings to over 21,000 children each year. In the Black Belt, KidCheck Plus 

currently holds 18 screening events each year that serve over 2,700 kids 

annually. The program identifies undiagnosed and unmet medical concerns for 

students in preschool through 12th grades in underserved areas. It coordinates 

necessary care to improve each child’s well-being.

 The Alabama Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. (APT) is a charitable nonprofit 

corporation formed as the result of a telemedicine initiative of the Rural 

Development Office in partnership with The Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth. 

This is a new agency in Alabama with a focus on increasing access to healthcare 

through the innovative use of technology. The Alabama TeleHealth Program 

strives to serve the citizens of Alabama by promoting and supporting new and 

existing TeleHealth programs across the state.

 The Birmingham School of Education has been awarded a seven-year, $49 

million grant to increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter 

and succeed in postsecondary education. The U. S. Department of Education’s 

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR 

UP) Grant provides funding to states to enhance services for students, parents 

and teachers at high-poverty middle and high schools. The University of Alabama 

at Birmingham (UAB) will be the hub of GEAR UP Alabama, which will impact 

about 10,448 students from 18 school districts and 53 schools in Alabama’s 

Black Belt.

http://blackbeltaction.alabama.gov/About/Pages/default.aspx
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Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center (BBTCAC) – located in one of the 

country’s poorest regions in the rural Alabama Delta, Black Belt Treasures is a shining 

example of utilizing a region’s unique cultural assets to create a heritage tourism 

destination. Located in the city of Camden in Wilcox County, Black Belt Treasures 

opened in 2005 as an outgrowth of a cooperative tourism initiative of the Alabama 

Tombigbee Regional Commission, Ala-Tom RC&D, and the University of Alabama 

Center for Economic Development.

Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organized to 

stimulate the economy in Alabama’s Black Belt region through the promotion and sale 

of fine arts and heritage crafts. It also provides arts education opportunities. Since 

beginning with 75 artists, the center now represents more than 450 painters, sculptors, 

potters, basket-weavers, quilters, woodworkers, and other talented crafts people. The 

center now operates two galleries in the region, which have been visited by travelers 

from all 50 states and 26 foreign countries.

BBTCAC aims to be the centerpiece of an arts economy revitalization, encouraging both 

residents and visitors to experience arts, culture, and place. The center partners with 

schools, community arts organizations and other non-profits to deliver educational 

programming, workshops, and artist demonstrations to raise awareness of the Black 

Belt Region’s great artistic culture and heritage with a broader sector of the population.

http://www.blackbelttreasures.com/