This
web page is taken from the USDA web site's "REAP Page", URL:
http://www.ezec.gov/Communit/reap.html
as of January 2006.
Top
of page | Introduction | Existing
REAP Zones | REAP Responsibilities
Introduction
Many rural areas face economic
and community development issues of a very different character than communities
whose needs are mainly defined by poverty. Often, the defining features
are geographic isolation of communities separated by long distances, absence
of large metropolitan centers, low-density settlement patterns, historic
dependence on agriculture, continued population loss, outmigration, and
economic upheaval or economic distress.
To address these issues, USDA advocated a pilot concept for rural revitalization
and community development called Rural Economic Action Plan Zones. The
REAP Initiative was established to address critical issues related to
constraints in economic activity and growth, low density settlement patterns,
stagnant or declining employment, and isolation that has led to disconnection
from markets, suppliers, and centers of information and finance.
Through local efforts in strategic planning and community action, millions
of dollars in state, federal, private and non-profit assistance can be
made to flow into these areas by:
- Improving economic viability,
diversity, and competitiveness of the local economy and enhancing its
participation in state, national and global markets;
- Assisting local communities
to develop cooperative strategies that will maintain and expand essential
community functions, basic infrastructure, education, health care, housing,
and telecommunications;
- Assisting families with
crises resulting from displaced employees and joblessness; and
- Providing financial and
technical assistance to implement a citizen-built strategic plan.
Memoranda of Agreement
between the Zones and USDA establish USDA's Office of Community Development
in the Rural Development mission area as the lead Federal Agency to assist
the zones in the implementation of their programs. This pilot project
sets up a collaborative and citizen-led effort to enhance economic development
in the REAP Zones. This effort will become the model for building a new
rural economy for other rural areas with similar problems. The Department
of Agriculture has provided modest amounts of money to Zones for planning
this program. This contribution has been augmented by USDA’s community
development technical assistance across all areas of Zone endeavor. Furthermore,
priority consideration is given for Zone applications submitted for funding
through USDA Rural Development.
In 1995, two zones in North
Dakota were initially designated to participate in the REAP initiative.
Subsequently, in 1999, two areas in upstate New York were added as the
third and fourth Zones. In 2000, an area in Vermont was designated as
the fifth Zone. Both the North Dakota Zones and the Vermont Zone are multi-county
in size, while the two in New York are, for the most part, single counties.
Each REAP Zone developed a strategic plan for economic revitalization
in their respective geographic areas.
Top
of page | Introduction | Existing
REAP Zones | REAP Responsibilities
Existing REAP Zones
Two zones in North Dakota were initially designated to participate in the
REAP initiative. Subsequently, two areas in upstate New York were added
as the third and fourth Zones. Both North Dakota Zones are multi-county
in size, while the two in New York are, for the most part, single counties.
Each REAP Zone developed a strategic plan for economic revitalization in
their respective geographic areas.
| REAP Zone |
State |
Counties Included |
Status Ends |
| CONAC |
ND |
McHenry, Bottineau, Rolette, Towner, Pierce and Benson;
and the Indian reservations of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa
and Spirit Lake Sioux |
9/30/07 |
| Southwest |
ND |
Dunn, Stark, Hettinger, Adams, Bowman, Slope, Golden Valley,
Billings, and part of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation |
9/30/07 |
| Sullivan-Wawarsing |
NY |
Sullivan and the Town of Wawarsing |
9/30/09 |
| Tioga |
NY |
Tioga (link to county
website) |
9/30/09 |
| Northeast
Kingdom |
VT |
Caledonia, Essex & Orleans
(link to local website) |
9/30/10 |
Top
of page | Introduction | Existing
REAP Zones | REAP Responsibilities
Responsibilities of a REAP Zone
- Conduct a citizen-led,
comprehensive, long-term, strategic planning process
for development of the community according to the principles of the
Community Empowerment Initiative.
- Develop specific performance
benchmarks and indicators from the strategic plan; enter these in OCD's
on-line Benchmark Management System and keep them
current.
- Seek a broad range of resources
to implement the strategic plan, with emphasis on mobilizing local and
regional resources that will continue to be available after the REAP
Zone designation expires, rather than looking to USDA or other outside
sources to subsidize local development.
- Obtain approval
from USDA Rural Development before amending any of the community's strategic
plan elements, benchmarks, or performance measures.
- Provide USDA-Rural Development-Office
of Community Development (OCD) with descriptions of successful
practices that have potential application in other communities
facing similar conditions and issues.
- Report
regularly on the community's progress in implementing its strategic
plan through the Benchmark Management System and other reports as requested
by USDA.
- Manage all funds
used to implement the strategic plan responsibly and report
publicly on their use and accomplishments; conduct annual independent
audits of all funds used to implement the strategic plan, whether government
or private.
- Recognize that the objective
of the REAP Zone program is not merely project implementation, but community
empowerment, and devote significant resources and attention
to achieving this by building the skills of citizens and leaders to
plan, implement, manage, and evaluate their own programs.
- Develop and maintain broad
and open partnerships with other local and regional
organizations that have a stake in the enhancement of the quality of
life in the REAP Zone; these partnerships will become a bridge to establishing
the permanent capability of the community to make continuing improvements
without special Federal assistance after the REAP Zone designation expires.
- Remain faithful to the
principles of the Community Empowerment Initiative that put strong emphasis
on the critical importance of broad-based citizen participation
in all phases of the development, implementation, and evaluation
of the strategic plan, with special emphasis placed on welcoming those
members of the community (minorities, low income citizens) who are traditionally
left out of the process.
- Participate in USDA-sponsored
training for REAPs.
Top
of page | Introduction | Existing
REAP Zones | REAP Responsibilities
