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Updated March 15, 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
Jocelyn Fenton is the interim federal co-chair. The Denali
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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 FY2024-
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The GLA differs from other
FY2028 strategic plan, released in March 2024, lists seven
commissions in that its service region is defined in statute
strategic goals and objectives: (1) infrastructure for
based on federal definitions of the area’s watershed “as
distressed communities; (2) village infrastructure protection
such terms are defined in section 118(a)(3) of the Federal
and climate resiliency; (3) energy, including storage,
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(a)(3))” in
production, heating, and electricity; (4) workforce
each of the eight states noted above. The other commissions
development; (5) transportation; (6) other programs, such as
typically use county-based designations.
sanitation, health facilities, housing, and broadband; and (7)
innovation and collaboration. Denali does not make explicit
Northern Great Plains Regional Authority
use of LDDs or similar entities.
The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority (NGPRA)
Northern Border Regional Commission
was created in 2002 (P.L. 107-171) to address economic
distress in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and
The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) was
South Dakota. While the NGPRA was authorized $30
created in 2008 (P.L. 110-234) to alleviate economic
million from FY2002 to FY2018, it appears to have
distress in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and
received appropriations once—for $1.5 million in FY2004
New York. Administrative costs are shared equally between
(P.L. 108-199). Its authorization lapsed in 2018.
the states and the federal government, while activities are
federally funded. The NBRC includes a federal co-chair,
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
appointed by the President by and with the advice and
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) was
consent of the U.S. Senate, and the five governors, of which
established in 2008 (P.L. 110-234). SCRC’s jurisdiction
one is appointed state co-chair. Chris Saunders is the
includes parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North
current federal co-chair since March 2022. New
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and all of Florida. In
Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is the state co-chair
December 2021, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-
since January 2020.
chair, Jennifer Reed, enabling the commission to convene.
The NBRC’s activities are
The SCRC hired its first chief of staff in 2022 and
guided by a five-year strategic
developed its bylaws. South Carolina Governor Henry
plan. Its current 2017-2022 strategic plan lists three goals:
McMaster is the state co-chair. In 2022, SCRC also
(1) modernizing infrastructure; (2) creating and sustaining
published its inaugural strategic plan for FY2023-FY2027.
jobs; and (3) anticipating and capitalizing on shifting
The plan includes the following goals: (1) critical
economic and demographic trends. The NBRC invests
infrastructure, (2) health and support services access and
along four program areas: (1) economic and infrastructure
outcomes, (3) workforce capacity, (4) entrepreneurial and
development (the Catalyst program); (2) the forest
business development activities, (5) affordable housing
economy; and (3) state capacity-building. The NBRC also
stock and access, and (6) environmental conservation,
works with LDDs to identify opportunities, conduct
preservation, and access.
outreach, and administer grant funds, from which LDDs
receive fees.
Southwest Border Regional Commission
The Southwest Border Regional Commission (SBRC) was
Great Lakes Authority
established by Congress in 2008 along with SCRC and the
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)
NBRC, and shares an identical governing structure and
amended 40 U.S.C. §15301(a) to establish the Great Lakes
legislative authorization. SBRC encompasses the southern
Authority (GLA) in December 2022. The GLA is not yet
border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and
active yet received initial appropriations in FY2024. Similar
Texas. SBRC has received consistent funding
to most regional commissions, the authorizing legislation
authorizations since 2008. SBRC received appropriations
requires that before the GLA may convene, the President
each fiscal year from 2021 through 2024. In December
must nominate and the Senate must confirm a federal co-
2022, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-chair for the
chairperson. As of March 2024, President Biden had not
SBRC, Juan Eduardo Sanchez, enabling the commission to
nominated a federal co-chairperson for the GLA.
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.
Julie M. Lawhorn, Analyst in Economic Development
Policy
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Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities
IF11140
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