Digital CEDS

The South Delta Planning and Development District, Inc. was incorporated under State Law as a non-profit corporation on September 8, 1967. In January 1976, the Charter was changed and the organization is currently a non-profit, non-taxable corporation as designated by The Internal Revenue Code 501 (C) (3). In 1971, the Governor of the State of Mississippi changed the name from Economic Development District, to Planning and Development District, and delineated its boundaries.

The South Delta Planning and Development District, Inc. serves Bolivar, Sunflower, Washington, Humphreys, Sharkey and Issaquena counties as well as the 35 municipalities within these six counties. The region served has a land area of 3,602 square miles and a population (2020 Census) of 114,801.

South Delta assists local governments with economic development efforts, workforce, housing, community development, childcare and programs for the elderly. The district serves as the Regional Clearinghouse Coordinator, the Delta Workforce Investment Opportunity Area administrator, the Area Agency on Aging and the U. S. Census Data Affiliate.

This Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) has been developed through a cooperative effort between citizens, local elected officials, CEDS Committee members and District personnel. Through surveys, meetings, research and observations this document provides an overview of the region as a whole and the individual factors involved in development of the area. The CEDS is to be the basis for district-wide planning and implementation activities for the next five years. However, this document, the analysis and the ideas within are not static. This plan will be revisited numerous times over the next five years and, with the assistance of each local government and the CEDS committee, the plans, goals and objectives will be amended as necessary to reflect changes in the area.

This document includes broad goals and objectives of the region along with some of the readily identifiable needs of the area and potential actions to address these needs. It also includes an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the region. Apparent in recent years is the need for useable regional planning documents to include information related to the resilience of the area with regard to natural disasters and a method of evaluating successes and failures. This document includes both.

The completed CEDS will be made available to the public for review and comment. The CEDS will be available at the offices of South Delta Planning and Development as well as on the South Delta website. The document will be provided to State and Federal agencies for integration into state and regional economic development efforts.