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Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $4.1 Million Investment into Lower Mississippi Delta and
Alabama Black Belt Regions
DRA has awarded more than $4.1 million in investments to five projects in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee through its Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). Funding for this program was made available, in part, by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden — a key part of his Investing in America agenda to grow local economies from the middle out and bottom up and to create more resilient and healthier communities across the country.
To view the most recent CIF award recipients, click here.
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HRSA Offering Funding Opportunity Focused on
Strengtehning Maternal Care
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) has announced a funding opportunity focused on strengthening maternal care and reducing disparities in the Delta region by expanding access and coordination of health care services before, during, and after pregnancy.
The Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program will work to address unacceptable rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the region. Up to four cooperative agreements will be awarded to recipients in the Delta region, totaling approximately $7 million over four years (September 30, 2024 – September 29, 2028). The eligibility criteria for this program includes organizations physically located in the Delta region with demonstrated experience serving, or the capacity to serve, rural underserved populations. Click here to review the funding opportunity to learn more about eligibility and to apply.
FORHP will hold a technical assistance webinar for applicants via Zoom on Tuesday July 9, from 3-4 p.m. ET. Attendees without computer access or computer audio can use the dial-in information (Dial-in Toll Free: 833 568 8864 Participant Code: 44025214). A recording will be available for those who cannot attend.
For more information about this funding opportunity, contact the Program Coordinator Nikita Patel at DeltaMCCProgram@hrsa.gov or NPatel1@hrsa.gov.
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DRA Visits the Bluegrass State
Federal Co-chairman, Dr. Corey Wiggins, alongside a few of our DRA colleagues, recently had an opportunity to visit the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
While in the Bluegrass State, the DRA team joined Gov. Andy Beshear for a tour of the Green River Area Wellness Mission in the City of Henderson, as well as meet with members of the Henderson Rotary Club.
The team also visited the Lisman Workforce Center in Webster County, where Dr. Wiggins announced Gov. Beshear as DRA’s new states’ co-chair and revealed the four latest DRA investments in Southwestern Kentucky, totaling $3 million in funding to enhance infrastructure and to foster workforce development throughout the Henderson, Union and Webster counties:
- Henderson Community College was awarded $450,000 through the Delta Workforce Grant Program for MAINTECH, a multi-skilled advanced industrial maintenance training program.
- Webster County Fiscal Court was awarded $150,000 for a comprehensive economic development plan that will focus on creating an economically and climate-resilient community that has experienced a decline in coal-industry jobs.
- Webster County Workforce Training Equipement project in Dixon was awarded more than $326,000 to purchase workforce training equipment for students in manufacturing, health care, industrial and computer-aided design career tracks.
- The City of Sturgis was awarded more than $2 million to rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plant.
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Applications for the 2025 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy are open. An extensive nine-month leadership development program, DLI brings together public, private and nonprofit sector leaders from the Mississippi River and Alabama Black Belt regions to improve economic competitiveness and social viability throughout their communities. For more information, click here.
Applications due: August 16, 2024
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DRA Partners Check Off Another Successful IRT
DRA has checked off another successful Innovative Readiness Training (IRT), with the Green River Area Wellness Mission in Henderson, Ky.
A collaboration among the DRA, Department of Defense (DOD), City of Henderson and Green River Area Development District, the Green River Area Wellness Mission provided no-cost medical, dental, optical and veterinary care to residents in Western Kentucky. The mission took place at South Middle School in Henderson from June 15-25.
The Green River Area Wellness Mission, or the 2024 IRT program, is a DOD military training opportunity that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness while simultaneously providing key health care services with lasting benefits for underserved communities within the Delta region. Military personnel completed a total of 21,710 training hours during the Green River Area Wellness Mission, while meeting with 1,642 patients, performing 34,161 procedures, and fabricating and/or distributing 917 eyeglasses for an estimated total of $1.6 million in health care services provided.
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LDDs in Illinois Receive On-Site Training from DRA
Our Critical Infrastructure Program Manager, Darci Malam, has been busy visiting Local Development Districts to educate our partners on DRA’s funding programs — with her most recent stops in the State of Illinois.
Darci visited staff at the Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission, in Fairview Heights, and at the Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission, in Albion, to give in-person trainings on applying for DRA’s critical infrastructure awards and managing awarded projects.
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In June, DRA held its quarterly all-staff meeting in Cape Girardeau, Mo., to do some team building and to discuss our latest initiatives. We also got a chance to visit one of our grantees, Codefi, to hear about the impactful work they are doing in the regions thanks to DRA investments.
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Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy has announced a funding opportunity focused on strengthening maternal care and reducing disparities in the Delta Region by expanding access and coordination of health care services before, during and after pregnancy. The Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program will work to address unacceptable rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the region. Up to four cooperative agreements will be awarded to recipients in the Delta region, totaling approximately $7 million over four years (September 30, 2024 – September 29, 2028). For information or to apply, click here.
Applications Accepted until Aug. 2, 2024.
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Community Infrastructure Fund
Approximately $30 million in funding is available through DRA’s Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). Investments support projects that address basic public and transportation infrastructure, as well as flood-control issues for communities within DRA’s eight-state service area. For more information on how to apply, visit Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) – Delta Regional Authority (dra.gov). Funding for this program was made available, in part, by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden—a key part of his Investing in America agenda to grow local economies from the middle out and bottom up and to create more resilient and healthier communities across the country.
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
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Strategic Planning Program
Approximately $3 million in funding is available through DRA’s Strategic Planning Program. This program gives public entities access to strategic planning funds to address long-standing issues and develop a roadmap for economic growth and opportunity. For more information on how to apply, visit Strategic Planning Program – Delta Regional Authority (dra.gov). Funding for this program is made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden—a key part of his Investing in America agenda.
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
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Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Reminder of current DRA program details and funding opportunities:
- Delta Region Maternal Care Coordination Program – Applications due Aug. 2, 2024
- Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy – Applications due Aug. 16, 2024
- Community Infrastructure Fund – Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
- Strategic Planning Program – Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
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