Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities

Updated January 21, 2026

Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities:

Overview of Structure and Activities

Federal regional commissions and authorities (FRCAs)

address perceived regional economic underdevelopment.

These organizations accommodate multileveled and

multijurisdictional participation in and implementation of

assistance programs. How FRCAs generally implement

such programs is informed by federal and state partners as

well as substate level stakeholders. Outside groups have

speculated that the FRCAs’ flexible design and federalstate-local model is particularly important because it may

contribute to their effectiveness in rural communities.

This In Focus outlines each active FRCA’s structure, core

activities, and recent funding. In addition to the core

activities described below, these FRCAs also undertake

various partnerships and initiatives unique to their regions’

opportunities and challenges (e.g., the J-1 Visa waiver

program, which provides visa waivers for physicians who

are willing to provide medical services in distressed

communities).

Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was

established in 1965 to address economic distress in the

Appalachian region. The ARC’s jurisdiction spans 423

counties in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, New York,

Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,

South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The ARC is a federal-state partnership, with administrative

costs shared equally by the federal government and member

states; its economic development activities are federally

funded. Thirteen state governors and a federal co-chair

oversee the ARC. The co-chair is appointed by the

President with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.

The current federal co-chair is Gayle Manchin, whose

tenure began in May 2021. Mississippi Governor Tate

Reeves is the states’ co-chair, which is selected by the

governors.

According to authorizing legislation (40 U.S.C. §§1410114704), the ARC’s programs abide by a Regional

Development Plan, which is comprised of the strategic plan,

bylaws, state development plans, the annual strategy

statement for each participating state, the annual program

budget, and internal implementation and performance

management guidelines. The strategic plan is typically a

five-year document, reviewed annually, and revised as

necessary. The current strategic plan, adopted in October

2021, prioritizes five investment goals: (1) entrepreneurial

and business development; (2) workforce development; (3)

infrastructure development; (4) natural and cultural assets;

and (5) leadership and community capacity.

The ARC’s structure enables local and state-level agendasetting and implementation tied to federal and multistate

regional perspectives. Similar to other FRCAs, the ARC’s

economic development activities include significant state

and local input. Through state plans and annual work

statements, state governments regularly establish goals,

priorities, and agendas for fulfilling them. State-level

planning typically includes consultation with a network of

74 multicounty local development districts (LDDs), which

are financially supported by the ARC and advise on local

priorities and issues. Accordingly, state and local

governments, governmental entities, and nonprofit

organizations are eligible for the ARC’s funding. This

includes federal and potentially state-designated tribal

entities.

The ARC statutorily designates counties according to levels

of economic distress, which determine matching fund

requirements for grants. The ARC’s multileveled and

multijurisdictional structure and activities make it a unique

model of federal economic development, which is emulated

in other FRCAs.

Delta Regional Authority

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) was established in

2000 (P.L. 106-554) to address economic distress in the

Mississippi River Delta region. The DRA’s jurisdiction

includes 255 designated parishes in Louisiana and counties

in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi,

Missouri, and Tennessee. Like the ARC, the DRA is a

federal-state partnership that shares administrative expenses

equally, while activities are federally funded. The DRA is

governed by the eight state governors and a federal co-chair

appointed by the President with the advice and consent of

the U.S. Senate. The current federal co-chair is Corey

Wiggins, whose tenure began in March 2022. The states’

co-chair is currently Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

The DRA strategic plan illuminates economic development

priorities. Its current strategic plan—Regional Development

Plan IV—was released in February 2023. The strategic plan

lists four goals related to public infrastructure; workforce;

business growth and entrepreneurship; and community

place-making and capacity-building. State development

plans are required by statute, and are issued every five years

to coincide with the strategic plan. The DRA funds projects

through a supported network of 45 LDDs. By statute, the

DRA directs at least 75% of funds to distressed counties;

half those funds target transportation and infrastructure.

Denali Commission

The Denali Commission was established in 1998 (P.L. 105277) to provide rural economic development in Alaska. It is

unique as a single-state regional commission and relies on

federal funding for its expenses and activities. By statute, it

is comprised of seven members appointed by the U.S.

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Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities

Secretary of Commerce, including the: federal co-chair,

Julia Kitka; Alaska Governor, who is state co-chair;

University of Alaska president; Alaska Municipal League

president; Alaska Federation of Natives president; Alaska

State AFL-CIO president; and Associated General

Contractors of Alaska president.

The Denali Commission is statutorily required to create an

annual work plan, which solicits project proposals, guides

activities, and informs a five-year strategic plan. The

current FY2024-FY2028 strategic plan, released in March

2024, lists seven strategic goals and objectives: (1)

infrastructure for distressed communities; (2) village

infrastructure protection and climate resiliency; (3) energy,

including storage, production, heating, and electricity; (4)

workforce development; (5) transportation; (6) other

programs, such as sanitation, health facilities, housing, and

broadband; and (7) innovation and collaboration. Denali

does not make explicit use of LDDs or similar entities.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Commission

(MARC) and Southern New England

Regional Commission (SNERC)

P.L. 118-272 amended 40 U.S.C. §15301(a) to establish the

Mid-Atlantic Regional Commission (MARC) and Southern

New England Regional Commission (SNERC) in January

2025. The authorizing legislation requires that the President

must nominate and the Senate must confirm a federal cochairperson before the MARC or SNERC may convene.

The new commissions are not active, as of publication.

Federal co-chairs have not been nominated and the two

FRCAs have not received initial appropriations.

Northern Border Regional Commission

The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) was

created in 2008 (P.L. 110-234) to alleviate economic

distress in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and

New York. Administrative costs are shared equally between

the states and the federal government, while activities are

federally funded. The NBRC includes a federal co-chair,

appointed by the President by and with the advice and

consent of the U.S. Senate, and the five governors, of which

one is appointed state co-chair. Chris Saunders is the

current federal co-chair since March 2022. Maine Governor

Janet Mills is the states’ co-chair since January 2024.

The NBRC’s activities are guided by a five-year strategic

plan. Its 2024-2029 strategic plan lists five focus areas:

communication and collaboration; programs and funding;

systems and processes; diversity, equity, inclusion, and

accessibility; and capacity building. The NBRC has four

program areas: (1) economic and infrastructure

development (the Catalyst program); (2) the forest

economy; (3) timber for transit; and (4) state capacitybuilding. The NBRC also works with LDDs to identify

opportunities, conduct outreach, and administer grant funds,

from which LDDs receive fees.

Great Lakes Authority

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)

amended 40 U.S.C. §15301(a) to establish the Great Lakes

Authority (GLA) in December 2022. The GLA is not yet

active. The GLA received initial appropriations in FY2024.

Similar to most FRCAs, the authorizing legislation requires

that before the GLA may convene, the President must

nominate and the Senate must confirm a federal cochairperson. In May 2024, a federal co-chairperson was

nominated; as of publication, a nominee has not been

confirmed. The GLA region includes the counties in the

watershed “as such terms are defined in section 118(a)(3) of

the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.

1268(a)(3))” in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New

York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Northern Great Plains Regional Authority

The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority (NGPRA)

was created in 2002 (P.L. 107-171) to address economic

distress in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and

South Dakota. The NGPRA was authorized $30 million

from FY2002 to FY2018, and appears to have received

appropriations twice—for $1.5 million each year in FY2004

(P.L. 108-199) and FY2005 (P.L. 108-447). Its

authorization lapsed in 2018, and it was reauthorized in

2025 (P.L. 118-272). As of publication, a federal co-chair

has not been nominated and NGPRA has not received

subsequent appropriations.

Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) was

established in 2008 (P.L. 110-234). SCRC’s jurisdiction

includes parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North

Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and all of Florida. In

December 2021, the Senate confirmed the first federal cochair, Jennifer Reed, enabling the commission to convene.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein is the state co-chair. In

2022, SCRC published its inaugural strategic plan, covering

FY2023-FY2027, which includes the following focuses: (1)

critical infrastructure, (2) health and support services access

and outcomes, (3) workforce capacity, (4) entrepreneurial

and business development activities, (5) affordable housing

stock and access, and (6) environmental conservation,

preservation, and access.

Southwest Border Regional Commission

The Southwest Border Regional Commission (SBRC) was

established by Congress in 2008 along with SCRC and the

NBRC, and shares an identical governing structure and

authorization language. SBRC encompasses the southern

border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and

Texas. SBRC has received consistent funding

authorizations since 2008. SBRC received appropriations

each fiscal year from 2021 through 2024. In December

2022, the Senate confirmed the first federal co-chair for the

SBRC, Juan Eduardo Sanchez, enabling the commission to

convene and begin other activities. New Mexico Governor

Michelle Lujan Grisham is the states’ co-chair. SBRC

published its inaugural strategic plan for FY2025-FY2030,

which includes goals focused on underserved communities;

regional competitiveness; workforce and economic

mobility; resiliency, local capacity, and infrastructure; and

efficiency and impact. The SBRC’s strategic plan

prioritizes investments in infrastructure, workforce

development, and community resilience.

Julie M. Lawhorn, Analyst in Economic Development

Policy

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IF11140

Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Overview of Structure and Activities

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