LAPDD is a state association of the eight planning districts in Louisiana. A planning district is a multi-service entity with state-defined boundaries that deliver a variety of federal, state and local programs and offer services such as technical assistance and professional planning services to their regions. Louisiana’s Planning & Development Districts are on the frontline of community-based economic development and resiliency, with long-established relationships to the US Economic Development Administration.

As such, we anticipate LAPDD to be engaged early to address economic resiliency and recovery pertaining to the COVID 19 pandemic, and previously with the Great Floods of 2016, and a myriad of prior natural disasters.

Planning districts were founded on the principle that municipalities and parishes working together can accomplish more together than individually. The districts are where  collaboration and cooperation happen which, in turn, creates a cost-effective and efficient way of addressing regional and even statewide and multi-state issues.

The planning districts throughout Louisiana are involved in a variety of programs and projects, which include economic development and resiliency, assisting governmental entities in securing grants and loans for much needed infrastructure improvements, offering workshops and technical assistance to local governments, bringing together and connecting small agencies to resources and being the champion for the region in which they represent and their businesses and industries.

The districts are governed by independent boards which consists of elected and appointed officials from their region. Together, they promote intergovernmental cooperation and planning and help facilitate the dialogue between local, state and federal agencies, to arrive at solutions.