In 1994, more than 220 rural communities organized and completed the valuable strategic planning process as part of their application for Round I of the EZ/EC Initiative. To assure that their important work produced continuing benefits to these communities, USDA designated them as "Champion Communities" and provided assistance to them. During Round II, 160 communities submitted applications and 15 of the 25 newly designated rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Communities were Champion Communities from Round I. Since 1999, USDA has formalized the Champion Communities program by inviting all the communities who submitted strategic plans to continue implementing their plans by signing agreements with USDA.
Key Features:
- USDA Rural Development has funded more than $431 million in development projects in Champion Communities since 1995;
- Other agencies have targeted funds and other initiatives to Champions;
- USDA Rural Development has sponsored conferences to train community leaders and promote networking among communities;
- USDA provides targeted technical assistance to Champions and gives them preference points in decisions on project funding.
The following is a list of states with Rural Champion Communities. Click on the Community Community, that is hyper-linked, to visit their own homepage.
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
Community Name | State | |
Northwest Arctic Borough | AK | |
Yukon Kuskowkwim Delta Region | AK | |
Delta Regional Economic Development Council | AK | |
Macon County Champion Community | AL | |
Hale Empowerment and Revitalization Organization | AL | |
Woodruff County Champion Community | AR | |
Yuma Alianza Regional | AZ | |
Town of Parker-Colorado River Indian Tribe (TOPCRIT) | AZ | |
Planada-Le Grand Champion Community | CA | |
Tulare County Champion Community | CA | |
I-5 Business Development Corridor, Inc. | CA | |
South Valley Economic Partners Champion Community | CA | |
Conejos County Champion Economic Development | CO | |
Madison County | FL | |
Glades Communities | FL | |
Hardee County | FL | |
Desoto County | FL | |
Highlands Community | FL | |
Gadsden County | FL | |
City of Palatka and Putnam County | FL | |
Hamilton County | FL | |
Southern Lower Chattahoochee Region COG | GA | |
ABC Champion Community | GA | |
Central Savannah River Area Champion Community | GA | |
Okefenokee Empowerment Board Champion Community | GA | |
Macon County Grows Champion Community | GA | |
Kauai Rural Champion Community | HI | |
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes | ID | |
Warren County | IL | |
Shawnee Hills Initiative | IL | |
Southern Illinois Coal Belt | IL | |
Barton County | KS | |
Junction City | KS | |
Buffalo Trace | KY | |
Breathitt County Champion Community | KY | |
Knox County | KY | |
TennTucky 4, Inc. | KY | |
Appalachian United Vision (REACH) | KY | |
Owsley County Action Team | KY | |
Aroostook Champion Community (Note: Aroostook became a Round III EZ 12/31/01) | ME | |
Faribault County | MN | |
Kittson-Marshall Champion Community | MN | |
Ripley County | MO | |
Pemiscot County | MO | |
Kirksville-Adair | MO | |
City of Charleston | MO | |
City of Salem | MO | |
Dunklin County | MO | |
City of Sikeston | MO | |
City of Kennett | MO | |
Natchez-Adams County Champion Community | MS | |
Hertford Bertie Empowerment Community | NC | |
Rolette County Empowerment Board- Rolla & Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians | ND | |
Burke/Divide - Northwest Area Jobs Development Authority | ND | |
Cavalier Champion Community | ND | |
Dakota Heartland Champion Community | ND | |
Dakota Partners - Bowman and Hettinger | ND | |
Dakota Partners - Rugby | ND | |
Dakota State Line Champion Community | ND | |
Pembina County Champion Community | ND | |
Renville County Champion Community | ND | |
City of Chadron | NE | |
Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska | NE | |
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska | NE | |
Western New Mexico Champion Community | NM | |
City of Lovington | NM | |
Cities of Clovis/Portales | NM | |
City of Lordsburg | NM | |
Golden Spread Rural/Frontier Coalition Champion Community | NM | |
The Chadwick Bay Network | NY | |
South Central/South West Steuben CC Association | NY | |
Adams County Champion Community | OH | |
City of Muskogee | OK | |
Logan County Strategic Vision for Change | OK | |
Buffalo Millennium Enterprise Community | OK | |
Washita County 2000 Inc. | OK | |
Southeast Oklahoma Enterprise Community | OK | |
Sherman County Champion Community | OR | |
Southern Oregon Champion Community | OR | |
Cameron County Champion Community | PA | |
Lowcountry Regional Community Partnership, Inc | SC | |
Eastern Carolina Champion Community | SC | |
Great Pee Dee Champion Community | SC | |
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe | SD | |
County-Reservation Empowerment Advisory Team (CREATE) | SD | |
Day County Area Champion Community | SD | |
Rosebud Empowerment Zone | SD | |
Appalachian United Vision (REACH) | TN | |
TennTucky 4, Inc. | TN | |
Upper Cumberland Circle 4 Champion Community | TN | |
Johnson County Champion Community (County's Home Page) | TN | |
Children and Family Services | TN | |
City of Devine | TX | |
City of Palacios | TX | |
Duval and Jim Wells Counties | TX | |
City of Burnet Champion Community | TX | |
County of Pecos | TX | |
Wharton Economic Development Corporation Champion Community | TX | |
Kittitas County Champion Community | WA | |
Champion Community of Grant County | WA | |
City of Fairmont | WV | |
Barbour County Champion Community | WV | |
Wyoming County | WV | |
Mingo County | WV | |
Mountain Enterprise Community | WV | |
Lincoln County | WV | |
Tri-County Champion Community | WV | |
Last Updated: 08/19/2004 |
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