Overview Information

The Northeast Oregon Alliance region includes Umatilla, Union and Wallowa Counties. An eighteen member volunteer board, appointed by the county commissions, develops a biennial plan for the region and determines how Oregon Lottery funds, allocated by the state legislature for economic development, will be invested in the region. The region provides funding to projects that will create jobs in the three county region. The mission and goals for the 2003-2005 biennium are detailed below.

Mission

The Northeast Oregon Alliance's mission is the managed development of a dynamic, diverse and viable economic base, through innovation and teamwork, to promote an ever improving quality of life for the region's people and to help rural areas finance projects that address locally-determined economic development needs.

Goals

The region has established a goal of increasing the economic prosperity of the region. The region desires to fund projects which will make a major contribution to the economy, have a high current or potential level of value added to products or services that are produced within the region, or that pay above average wages.

The key economic goals of the region are:

• Create or retain one job for every $5,000 invested - 101 jobs
• Leverage $5 for every dollar invested - $2,525,000 of matching funds
• Positively influence the combined employment and income of the region’s proprietors
• Expand job growth
• Decrease average annual unemployment rate in each of the region’s counties
• Diversify the region’s economy, increasing the total number of business establishments
• Achieve annual increase in the region’s average annual wage rate of growth
• Extend the visitor season through infrastructure and product development
• Grow the visitor industry

Programs

During the 2003-2005 biennium, the region expects to fund projects through two funding programs. The Opportunity Fund will provided grants or loans of up to $100,000 for job creation projects. Pre-applications will be accepted on a year-round basis once the strategy has been approved by the Governor. The Strategic Reserve Fund will be available for urgent, confidential projects. Local economic development organizations and professionals will bring projects to the review committee for this fund.

For more information on Northeast Oregon Alliance programs or activities, contact staff at 541-426-3598 or 800-645-9454, or click on the link below.