link to page 2 
Updated January 4, 2024
Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities:
Overview of Structure and Activities
Federal regional commissions and authorities address
issues. Accordingly, state and local governments,
perceived regional economic underdevelopment. These
governmental entities, and nonprofit organizations are
organizations generally accommodate multileveled and
eligible for the ARC’s funding. Uniquely, this includes
multijurisdictional participation and implementation, which
federal- and potentially state-designated tribal entities.
Congress could utilize to address growing interest in broad-
The ARC statutorily designates counties according to levels
based and intensive economic development efforts. Current
of economic distress, which determine matching fund
commissions and authorities represent some regions; other
requirements for grants. The ARC’s multileveled and
regions could adopt similar entities. This In Focus outlines
each organization’s structure, activities, and recent funding
multijurisdictional structure and activities make it a unique
.
model of federal economic development, which is emulated
Figure 1 summarizes key structural features of the regional
in some other federal regional commissions and authorities.
commissions and authorities.
Delta Regional Authority
Appalachian Regional Commission
The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) was established in
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was
2000 (P.L. 106-554) to address economic distress in the
established in 1965 to address economic distress in the
Mississippi River Delta region. The DRA’s jurisdiction
Appalachian region. The ARC’s jurisdiction spans 423
includes 252 designated parishes in Louisiana and counties
counties in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, New York,
in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi,
Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Missouri, and Tennessee. Like the ARC, the DRA is a
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
federal-state partnership that shares administrative expenses
The ARC is a federal-state partnership, with administrative
equally, while activities are federally funded. The DRA is
costs shared equally by the federal government and member
governed by the eight state governors and a federal co-chair
states; its economic development activities are federally
appointed by the President with the advice and consent of
funded. Thirteen state governors and a federal co-chair
the U.S. Senate. The current federal co-chair is Corey
oversee the ARC. The co-chair is appointed by the
Wiggins, whose tenure began in March 2022. The states’
President with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.
co-chair is currently Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
The current federal co-chair is Gayle Manchin, whose
tenure began in May 2021. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is
The DRA strategic plan illuminates economic development
the states’ co-chair, which is selected by the governors.
priorities. Its fourth and current strategic plan—Regional
Development Plan IV—was released in February 2023. The
According to authorizing legislation (40 U.S.C. §§14101-
strategic plan lists four goals related to public
14704), the ARC’s programs abide by a Regional
infrastructure; workforce; business growth and
Development Plan, which is comprised of the strategic plan,
entrepreneurship; and community place-making and
bylaws, state development plans, the annual strategy
capacity-building. The DRA uses a federal-state-local
statement for each participating state, the annual program
model similar to the ARC’s. State development plans are
budget, and internal implementation and performance
required by statute, and are issued every five years to
management guidelines. The strategic plan is typically a
coincide with the strategic plan. The DRA funds projects
five-year document, reviewed annually, and revised as
through a supported network of 45 LDDs. By statute, the
necessary. The current strategic plan, adopted in October
DRA directs at least 75% of funds to distressed counties;
2021, prioritizes five investment goals: (1) entrepreneurial
half those funds target transportation and infrastructure.
and business development; (2) workforce development; (3)
infrastructure development; (4) natural and cultural assets;
Denali Commission
and (5) leadership and community capacity.
The Denali Commission was established in 1998 (P.L. 105-
The ARC’s structure enables local and state
277) to provide rural economic development in Alaska. It is
-level agenda-
unique as a single-state regional commission and relies on
setting and implementation tied to federal and multistate
federal funding for its expenses and activities. By statute, it
regional perspectives. The ARC’s economic development
is comprised of seven members (or a designated nominee)
activities include significant state and local input. Through
appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, including
state plans and annual work statements, state governments
the federal co-chair; the Alaska Governor, who is state co-
regularly establish goals, priorities, and agendas for
chair; the University of Alaska president; the Alaska
fulfilling them. State-level planning typically includes
Municipal League president; the Alaska Federation of
consultation with a network of 74 multicounty local
Natives president; the Alaska State AFL-CIO president; and
development districts (LDDs), which are financially
the Associated General Contractors of Alaska president.
supported by the ARC and advise on local priorities and
Garrett Boyle is the federal co-chair. The Denali
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities
Commission is statutorily required to create an annual work
The GLA region includes certain areas of the watershed of
plan, which solicits project proposals, guides activities, and
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
informs a five-year strategic plan. The current FY2018-
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The GLA differs from other
FY2022 strategic plan, released in October 2017, lists four
commissions in that its service region is defined in statute
strategic goals and objectives: (1) facilities management;
based on federal definitions of the area’s watershed “as
(2) infrastructure protection from ecological change; (3)
such terms are defined in section 118(a)(3) of the Federal
energy, including storage, production, heating, and
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)(3))” in
electricity; and (4) innovation and collaboration. The Denali
each of the eight states noted above. The other commissions
Commission’s recent activities are oriented to energy and
typically use county-based designations.
infrastructure protection. Denali does not make explicit use
of LDDs or similar entities.
Northern Great Plains Regional Authority
Northern Border Regional Commission
The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority (NGPRA)
was created in 2002 (P.L. 107-171) to address economic
The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) was
distress in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and
created in 2008 (P.L. 110-234) to alleviate economic
South Dakota. While the NGPRA was authorized $30
distress in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and
million from FY2002 to FY2018, it appears to have
New York. Administrative costs are shared equally between
received appropriations once—for $1.5 million in FY2004
the states and the federal government, while activities are
(P.L. 108-199). Its authorization lapsed in 2018.
federally funded. The NBRC includes a federal co-chair,
appointed by the President by and with the advice and
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
consent of the U.S. Senate, and the five governors, of which
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) was
one is appointed state co-chair. Chris Saunders is the
established in 2008 (P.L. 110-234). SCRC’s jurisdiction
current federal co-chair since March 2022. New
includes parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North
Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is the state co-chair
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and all of Florida. In
since January 2020.
December 2021, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-
The NBRC’s activities are
chair, Jennifer Reed, enabling the commission to convene.
guided by a five-year strategic
The SCRC hired its first chief of staff in 2022 and
plan. Its current 2017-2022 strategic plan lists three goals:
developed its bylaws. South Carolina Governor Henry
(1) modernizing infrastructure; (2) creating and sustaining
McMaster is the state co-chair.
jobs; and (3) anticipating and capitalizing on shifting
economic and demographic trends. The NBRC invests
In 2022, SCRC also published its inaugural strategic plan
along four program areas: (1) economic and infrastructure
for FY2023-FY2027. The plan includes the following
development; (2) the regional forest economy partnership;
goals: (1) critical infrastructure, (2) health and support
(3) local development districts; and (4) comprehensive
services access and outcomes, (3) workforce capacity, (4)
planning for states. The NBRC also works with LDDs to
entrepreneurial and business development activities, (5)
identify opportunities, conduct outreach, and administer
affordable housing stock and access, and (6) environmental
grant funds, from which LDDs receive fees.
conservation, preservation, and access.
Great Lakes Authority
Southwest Border Regional Commission
The Southwest Border Regional Commission (SBRC) was
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)
established by Congress in 2008 along with SCRC and the
amended 40 U.S.C. §15301(a) to establish the Great Lakes
NBRC, and shares an identical governing structure and
Authority (GLA) in December 2022. The GLA is not yet
legislative authorization. SBRC encompasses the southern
active and has not received appropriations. Similar to most
border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and
regional commissions, the authorizing legislation requires
Texas. SBRC has received consistent funding
that before the GLA may convene, the President must
authorizations since 2008. SBRC received appropriations
nominate and the Senate must confirm a federal co-
each fiscal year from 2021 through 2023. In December
chairperson. As of January 2024, President Biden had not
2022, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-chair for the
nominated a federal co-chairperson for the GLA.
SBRC, Juan Eduardo Sanchez, enabling the commission to
convene and begin other activities.
Figure 1. Structure of the Commissions and Authorities
Source: Compiled by CRS with information from the federal regional commissions and authorities.
Notes: For the commissions and authority that are not considered to be functioning, structural characteristics are tabulated according to their
statutory design. As noted, the first federal co-chair of the SBRC was confirmed in December 2022.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities
IF11140
Julie M. Lawhorn, Analyst in Economic Development
Policy
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11140 · VERSION 42 · UPDATED