Projects

The project area consists of nineteen economically distressed counties in western Oklahoma, which includes tribal lands for nine Native American tribes: the Apache, Arapaho, Caddo, Cheyenne, Comanche, Delaware, Ft. Sill Apache, Kiowa and Wichita tribes. The nineteen counties are: Alfalfa, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Cotton, Custer, Garfield, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Jefferson, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Major, Roger Mills, Stephens, Tillman, and Washita counties.

There are three phases in the project being proposed by the Alliance for Rural Development (ARD). Upon successful implementation of the project's three phases the Alliance will have completed a program to assess the region's resources, and developed a strategic plan to promote the revitalization of the region and its communities. The Alliance contends that a holistic approach to region-wide planning, funding, and implementation will result in more substantial employment development and economic enhancement. Additionally, working together provides for better use of the scarce capital resources of state agencies, foundations, and private corporations.

The Alliance for Rural Development grant application was not funded this year, reason given was the lack of money to fund all applications in FY03. We will be resubmitting the application for possible 2004 funding.