The ARPC supports economic development through EDA, USDA, State, and Local planning projects.

To us, Economic Development means planning, facilitating, and executing a variety of land use, community facility, entrepreneurship, and financing projects.

The ARPC provides direct and specific assistance to public, nonprofit, and private entities in the Region to address local economic concerns. This economic development assistance is provided to local governments in the form of economic analyses, staff support, research, federal grant and loan preparation, strategic plans development, and other related activities.

Economic Development Planners

Richard Fetchick – 850.488.6211 ex. 108

CSmith@thearpc.com

Bruce Ballister – BBallister@thearpc.com

 

US Economic Development Administration

Economic Development District

The ARPC serves as the Economic Development District (EDD) for the Apalachee Region. An EDD is a designated planning office that is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration to provide technical assistance for application processing, administration of awarded projects, and identification of regional funding opportunities.

ARPC staff are currently assembling the 2018-2022 CEDS draft with input from the Steering Committee. Check back for updates, or contact us with any questions.

• Preparing and maintaining the Region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).
• Assist with implementation strategies identified in the CEDS.
• Provide technical assistance to local governments and economic development organizations on their economic development activities, programs, and grant applications.

 

Apalachee CEDS

The CEDS is completely updated every five years through a comprehensive planning process that addresses the needs of the entire Region.  On a time available basis, ARPC staff provide intermediate updates to data tables to ensure that the document is useful to our member local governments.  ARPC staff ensure that private, public, and community interests are represented in the composition of the CEDS Committee.

• Analyzes Regional economy & guides regional goals & objectives.
• Creates a road map to economic diversity through private sector investment and job creation.
• Serves as vehicle to justify and draw down federal funds.
• Identifies key investments, opportunities, and projects in the Region.
• Identifies target clusters for the Region.

Revolving Loan Fund

Started in the 1980s, the Apalachee RLF has made loans to dozens of small businesses. This capital has created jobs and expanded economic output in the Region. To explore our evolving loan portfolio, click the image or visit the RLF web page.

 

State and Regional Economic Development

Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is charged with creating a strategic plan for statewide economic development. With the aid of Florida’s Regional Planning Councils and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, DEO last updated its plan in April of 2013.

The CEDS was reformatted around the Six Pillars of Economic Development in 2012. The Six Pillars paradigm was adopted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce as a framework for establishing metrics that assess the goals and successes of a community or region’s economic health and responsiveness. The Florida Scorecard provides county-level metrics for the entire state.

ARPC staff meet regularly with other state, regional, county and community organizations to maintain an overall perspective of activities that will affect the future economic health of our Region. Some of the Council’s partner organizations include:

• Department of Economic Opportunity
• Enterprise Florida
• Rural Economic Development Initiative
• Opportunity Florida
• Florida’s Great Northwest
• County Economic Development Organizations
• Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency
• Chambers of Commerce
• RiverWay South
• Big Bend Scenic Byway

 

Other Economic Development

In addition to its duties as the EDA’s Regional representative, ARPC staff are knowledgeable and proficient in working with the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Rural Infrastructure Fund grants, USDA’s Rural Development programs.

Some projects like Port St. Joe’s new Sacred Heart on the Gulf Hospital or the City of Apalachicola’s Scipio Creek commercial marina upgrades require combining grant funding from multiple sources to successfully finance public infrastructure projects. We stand ready to maintain discrete but knowledgeable contact with project principals and community leaders to bring projects to completion.

 

Recent Events

Grant Resources 101 Workshop, Port St. Joe, FL (7/23/19)

Advancing Apalachee, Marianna, FL (7/25/19)