DDAA Board Member Newslines: April 2023

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Greetings and welcome to the first edition of the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) Newslines. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Jeffrey K. Box, President & CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA Alliance) and I am currently serving as the DDAA Board Chairperson. I have been with NEPA Alliance for over twenty years and have served on the DDAA Board for 5 years. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as DDAA President for 2022-2023.

The NEPA Alliance is a regional community and economic development agency, that proudly serves the beautiful seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne. NEPA Alliance services include Federal and State grant assistance, Business Financing, Government Contracting Assistance, International Trade Assistance, Nonprofit Assistance, Transportation Planning and Research and Information. We are an LDD assisting with ARC grants throughout our region.

Please find below some highlights of NEPA Alliance’s impacts for fiscal year 2021-2022.

  • NEPA assisted with ARC grants totaling $1,622,477 and leveraged an additional $1,464,141.
  • NEPA’s Business Development Programs assisted our clients in creating or retaining 1,842 jobs in our region.
  • NEPA Business Finance Center loaned $4,258,200, leveraging $15,112,480 for businesses. The NEPA Alliance Business Finance Corporation, our affiliate Small Business Administration (SBA) Certified Development Corporation, closed 13 loans providing $8,136,450 in financing to businesses in the region, leveraging another $9,154,650.
  • International Business Development Program completed the year at 110.54% of the goal established by the Commonwealth Office of International Business Development (OIBD) and reported sales of $113,007,920, for 1,017 jobs direct, indirect, and induced.
  • Government contracting program (PTAC) supported hundreds of jobs through $303,980,291 in government contracts awarded in our region and assisted 263 businesses.
  • The NEPA Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) serving Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill counties with transportation planning continues to maintain the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) for 2023-2026 in the amount of $677 million.
  • NEPA manages the NEPA PREP Partnership (Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance), which is a collaboration of twelve (12) economic development agencies within our region. NEPA leveraged $519,094 in state funding to support the initiative.
  • NEPA assisted business and nonprofit clients leveraging $3,454,500 in PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants.
  • The Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center (NCAC) provided customized grant/capital/fundraising development strategy sessions to over 79 organizations.
  • Through the Get Connected E-Commerce program, NEPA used $141,000 in grant funding to provide e-commerce platforms including websites and social media support to over 62 businesses.
  • NEPA leveraged a $180,900 PA DCED grant to continue Engage!, a business retention and expansion program. NEPA and partners interviewed over 273 companies in the region to assist with growth and expansion strategies.
  • StartUp NEPA is an Angel Investment Fund designed to provide equity investments in start-up and early-stage small businesses within the region. NEPA has partnered with the Appalachian Investors Alliance (AIA) as technical advisors to administer the fund.

NEPA Alliance is a full-service economic development agency committed to creating and retaining jobs in our region of Northeast Pennsylvania.