OCED: Office of Community and Economic Development

The OCED works under the direction and guidance of the Executive Board and R6 Regional Council Economic Development District Board (SCEDD). The SCEDD Board is mandated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the US Department of Commerce. The Board membership is an appointed commissioner and mayor from each county (usually the same serving on the R6 Executive Board), private business and industry representatives (can be the same commissioners or mayors serving on the Board), county Economic Development Directors and special interest representatives as required by EDA.

Regional Planning Project (RPP) Planner
The core mission of Permanent Community Impact Board’s (CIB) Regional Planning Project (RPP) is to mitigate socio-economic impacts resulting from extraction of coal and oil from mostly public lands. The program provides stability for continuous quality planning throughout the R6 Regional Council Region utilizing the RPP funding source to collect community infrastructure lists, CIB priority project lists, and technical assistance in CIB applications.

Community Development Block Grant
Community Development Block Grant programs as core funding sources to provide technical assistance for CDBG project applications and prepare the Region’s consolidated plan; and provides technical assistance in developing land-use ordinances, maintain statistical data along with area demographics, serve as regional Census affiliates, develop community base maps, provide technical assistance for county land use, regional transportation and hazard mitigation planning.

Economic Development Program
EDA provides an annual federal grant which is used to develop, coordinate, and manage a regional economic development program. County coordination of the program is through the R6 Regional Council Technical Committee. This committee is made up of each county’s economic development director/coordinator, the Board Chair of the SCEDD, and representatives of partner agencies with a regional economic development emphasis. Additionally, staff provides technical assistance to counties as they work toward goal attainment of their economic development endeavors. This includes monthly attendance and participation in county economic development council/board meetings as well as other involvement as requested. Other staff responsibilities include, but are not limited to, organizing bi-monthly meetings, and taking minutes, annual EDA grant development, District reports, audits, correspondence, development and management of a five-year plan known as the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), interface and coordination with partner agencies, training of local officials and board members, and other duties as assigned.

Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)
Under direction of the SCEDD and Loan Administration Board (LAB) the region administers the R6 Regional Council Revolving Loan Program (RLF). The LAB consists of the R6 Regional Council economic development directors/coordinators, the SCEDD Board Chair, an additional member of the SCEDD, and an appointed individual from the finance/banking industry. The RLF provides gap financing in partnership with banks, borrower, and/or other financial resources. This is a long-term finance program for new and expanding businesses with finance needs of $10,000 to $250,000. Job creation is a requirement for qualification. Funding resources include EDA and Community Development Block Grant allocations. Staff involved in the program work in coordination with the county economic directors/coordinators to meet potential client needs. They assist the client in application completion, identifying additional funding and assuring that program guidelines are met. They are also responsible for organizing meetings, taking minutes, program reports, training, loan monitoring, audit participation, correspondence and liaison with partner agencies. The RLF also administers a CARES fund. The CARES RLF will help Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne Counties to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus or respond to economic injury as a result of coronavirus by giving the businesses in the region access to loans. Job creation and/or retention is a key factor in any loan application. Leveraging requirements encourage private investment in the region. A working capital loan from the CARES RLF will likely prevent a business from acquiring a high-interest alternative. This fund allows a business to upgrade or add equipment to meet public health and safety requirements.