Southern Oklahoma Development Association

What Southern Oklahoma Development Association does

Southern Oklahoma Development Association (SODA) is a non-profit voluntary association of local governments founded in 1957 and headquartered in Durant, Oklahoma. It is one of eleven Councils of Governments (COGs) in Oklahoma and operates as the statutorily designated Economic Development District (since 1967, pursuant to the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965) and Sub-State Planning District (since 1971, by gubernatorial Executive Order) for a contiguous 10-county service area in southern Oklahoma: Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Johnston, Love, Marshall, Murray, and Pontotoc counties, which fall within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation.

SODA delivers planning and coordination services through four core program divisions: (1) the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), providing senior nutrition services across 13-14 centers, long-term care ombudsman advocacy, Medicare counseling, and information and assistance for adults aged 60+; (2) Regional Planning & Development (RPD), which administers Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Economic Development Administration (EDA), and Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) funding to support infrastructure and economic development projects; (3) Rural Fire Defense, providing technical assistance, equipment, and grant support to 124 rural fire departments across the service area in coordination with Oklahoma Forestry Services; and (4) Transportation Planning through the Southeastern Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SERTPO), which identifies local transportation needs for the statewide planning process. Supporting these programs are online application portals (REAP, CENA), a community planning survey tool, GIS-based Capital Improvement Planning, and a Sidewalk-powered Data Dashboard for regional impact reporting.

SODA's revenue model is grant- and appropriations-driven, with no commercial product pricing. Funding is sourced from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, Oklahoma state legislative allocations, Older Americans Act pass-throughs, the National Science Foundation, and member government contributions. Administrative fees on grant programs (notably REAP) cover operating costs. The 80/20 Rural Fire grant program requires a 20% local match from participating fire departments. The organization employs between 11 and 50 staff and is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from its approximately 80 member jurisdictions.

Name

Southern Oklahoma Development Association

Legal name

Southern Oklahoma Development Association

Website

https://soda-ok.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Oklahoma Development Association is a non-profit Council of Governments founded in 1957 that provides planning, grant administration, and coordination services to 10 counties, 60 municipalities, 10 conservation districts, and 2 tribal nations in southern Oklahoma through its Area Agency on Aging, Regional Planning & Development, Rural Fire Defense, and Transportation Planning programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Government and Community Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (926), Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Grant administration
• Senior nutrition programs
• Rural fire defense
• Transportation planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Durant

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Grants Administration: SODA operates as a non-profit association funded through government appropriations, grants, and administrative fees. Revenue is derived from Oklahoma Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce EDA funding, and Oklahoma state legislative allocations for programs such as REAP, CDBG, and Rural Fire Defense grants.
2. Grant Administration Services: SODA serves as administrator for the Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP), reviewing applications and awarding funds allocated by the Oklahoma Legislature. Administrative costs are covered through program administration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SODA is a non-profit Council of Government that provides regional planning, coordination, and grant administration services to its 80+ member jurisdictions (10 counties, 60 cities/towns, 10 conservation districts, 2 tribal nations) across southern Oklahoma. Core offerings include senior services through the Area Agency on Aging, community/economic development and infrastructure grants through Regional Planning & Development, technical assistance for 124 rural fire departments through Rural Fire Defense, and regional transportation planning through SERTPO, supplemented by online grant application portals (REAP, CENA).

Product overview

Southern Oklahoma Development Association (SODA) is a regional development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and online service tools. The core programs include the Area Agency on Aging providing senior services (nutrition, ombudsman, Medicare assistance), Regional Planning and Development for economic and infrastructure grants, Rural Fire Defense for fire department coordination, and Transportation Planning through SERTPO. Supporting these are online application portals (REAP, CENA) and a Community Planning Survey tool. SODA operates as a unified service organization rather than a technology product company, with all programs serving the 10-county southern Oklahoma region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Advocacy and coordination program providing services for older adults including information and assistance, long-term care ombudsman, nutrition services, Medicare assistance, and supportive services across 10 counties in southern Oklahoma.
• Regional Planning and Development (RPD) Technical assistance division providing grant writing, project administration, and infrastructure planning to improve jobs and local economies through CDBG/EDIF, EDA, and REAP programs for member local governments.
• Rural Fire Defense Coordination and technical assistance program for rural fire departments providing equipment support, grant assistance, and ISO/CRS advisory services across 124 fire departments in the service area.
• Transportation Planning (SERTPO) Southeastern Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SERTPO) that identifies local transportation needs and conducts planning to support the statewide transportation planning process in south-central Oklahoma.
• REAP Application Portal Online application portal for the Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant program, enabling communities under 7,000 population to apply for infrastructure and equipment funding.
• CENA Application Portal Online application system for the Community Expansion of Nutrition Assistance (CENA) program, enabling senior centers to apply for funding for meals and facility improvements.
• Community Planning Survey Online survey tool for gathering community input on economic development priorities, strengths, challenges, and infrastructure needs for regional planning, supporting the CEDS planning process.
• Senior Nutrition Program Congregate and home-delivered meal services for seniors across 13 nutrition sites in the 10-county service area, providing one-third of Recommended Daily Allowance nutrients.
• Ombudsman Program Long-term care advocacy program with supervisors and volunteers who monitor and advocate for quality of care and life for seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the 10-county service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 10 counties covering Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Johnston, Love, Marshall, Murray, and Pontotoc counties
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSODA RPD provides technical assistance to member governments primarily through ODOC funding. ODOC provides the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program that offers public infrastructure financing to help communities grow jobs and enable business expansion.
• U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDA provides funding through the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965. SODA was designated as an Economic Development District by EDA in 1967. The CEDS plan prepared by SODA qualifies communities for EDA funding.
• Oklahoma Forestry Services Division (Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOklahoma Forestry Services provides leadership and support for the SODA Rural Fire Defense program, including technical assistance in fire prevention, suppression, and fire planning. They also supply excess property and purchase fire-fighting tools for distribution to local fire departments.
• Office of the Oklahoma State Fire MarshallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides licensing and permits for fireworks, code assistance and enforcement, and building plan reviews for fire departments in the SODA service area.
• Big Five Community ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for aging services in Bryan, Carter, Coal, Love and Pontotoc Counties within the SODA AAA service area.
• INCA Community ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for aging services in Atoka, Johnston, Marshall and Murray Counties within the SODA AAA service area.
• Legal Aid of Southern OklahomaminorOthersResource referral for seniors needing legal assistance, listed as a resource for senior citizens through the AAA Information & Assistance program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Northern Oklahoma Development Authority (NODA): Another Oklahoma Council of Government serving northern Oklahoma counties. Directly comparable as a peer COG providing regional planning, economic development, and grant administration services under the same Oklahoma sub-state planning framework as SODA.
• Eastern Oklahoma Development District (EODD): Eastern Oklahoma Council of Government delivering planning, economic development, and Area Agency on Aging services across its member counties. Operates the same multi-program regional service model as SODA and competes for the same state and federal funding streams.
• Central Oklahoma Economic Development District (COEDD): Central Oklahoma Council of Government providing community and economic development planning, transportation planning, and grant administration. Direct peer in scope and statutory designation as an EDA Economic Development District.
• Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA): Southwestern Oklahoma Council of Government with analogous structure and programs to SODA, including EDA designation and Area Agency on Aging services. One of the 11 Oklahoma COGs that competes with SODA for state appropriations and regional programs.
• Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG): Tulsa-area Council of Government serving multiple counties and tribal nations including overlaps with SODA's tribal partners (e.g., Cherokee, Muscogee). Comparable as a multi-jurisdictional COG with overlapping tribal coordination responsibilities.

Others

• Oklahoma Association of Regional Councils (OARC): Umbrella association representing Oklahoma's 11 Councils of Governments including SODA. Industry/ecosystem peer providing shared advocacy, training, and coordination for the same network of COGs SODA belongs to.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National membership association for the 500+ regional development organizations including EDA-designated districts like SODA. Provides research, advocacy, and peer benchmarking for organizations structurally identical to SODA.
• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a): National membership association for the 600+ Area Agencies on Aging across the U.S., of which SODA's AAA is one. Comparable as an ecosystem/industry peer for SODA's largest social services program division.

Regional players

• Big Five Community Services: Community Action Agency serving Bryan, Carter, Coal, Love, and Pontotoc counties within SODA's service area. Comparable as a regional non-profit delivering social and community services with overlapping aging services and federal funding dependencies.
• INCA Community Services: Community Action Agency serving Atoka, Johnston, Marshall, and Murray counties — directly overlapping with SODA's AAA service territory. Peer as a non-profit social services and aging services provider co-located in the same region.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southernoklahomadevelopmentassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Oklahoma Development Association