East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission

What East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission does

East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (EARPDC) is a public regional planning agency established in 1971 under Alabama state enabling legislation (Act No. 584 and Act No. 585 of 1963), and is one of 12 such statutory regional councils in the state. The Commission serves a 10-county service area in northeast Alabama — Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Etowah, Randolph, Talladega, and Tallapoosa counties — with 53 municipalities as members, governed by a 97-member Board of Directors. It is federally designated as an Economic Development District (EDA) and Local Development District (ARC), and serves as the region's Area Agency on Aging, the Calhoun Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the East Alabama Rural Planning Organization.

EARPDC's service portfolio is an integrated set of government programs rather than a unified software platform. Core offerings include: (1) the Areawide Community Transportation System (ACTS), providing fixed-route transit at $1.00/ride and paratransit across 6 counties, operated via a contract with Anniston Limousine; (2) GIS and digital mapping services to member governments, including base, zoning, utility, and environmental limitation maps; (3) a Revolving Loan Fund providing small business loans from $10,000 to $250,000 with $100/$200 application fees; (4) a federally funded Brownfield assessment program ($1.5M EPA grant); (5) the Aging and Disability Resource Center; (6) cooperative purchasing (EACPA) for member governments; (7) hazard mitigation planning; and (8) data services as an Alabama State Data Center affiliate. The agency publishes GTFS transit data and hosts a MySidewalk-powered CEDS dashboard.

EARPDC's business model is grant-dependent and quasi-governmental rather than commercial. Revenue mechanics are mixed: federal and state grants (EPA, EDA, ARC, FTA, FHWA) administered as pass-through and program funding; Revolving Loan Fund application fees and recycled principal/interest; modest transit fares ($0.50-$1.00/ride); and fee-based demographic data services ($50-$70/hour for extensive research, free for under 2 hours). The go-to-market motion is direct-to-government, reaching 53 municipalities and 10 counties through board representation, annual government training programs with Jacksonville State University, and public MPO/RPO committee meetings. There is no disclosed pricing for grant-funded services, no commercial sales motion, and no traditional revenue model.

Name

East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission

Legal name

East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission

Website

https://earpdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EARPDC is a public regional planning agency serving 10 counties and 53 municipalities in northeast Alabama, delivering federal grant administration, GIS mapping, public transit, aging services, and small business financing through a statutory 97-member board structure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Planning and Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Public transit services
• GIS mapping services
• Small business lending
• Aging services coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Anniston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants Administration: EARPDC receives and administers federal grants from agencies including the EPA (Brownfield Program $1,500,000 Coalition Assessment Grant), EDA, Appalachian Regional Commission, and Federal Transit Administration for various regional development, transportation, and aging services.
2. Revolving Loan Fund: The RLF program provides loans to small businesses with application fees ($100 for $10,000-$99,000 loans, $200 for $100,000-$250,000 loans). Interest and principal repayments are recycled into new loans.
3. Data Services: Free data services for simple requests (under 2 hours). Fee-based services for extensive research requiring over 2 hours: $50/hour for local governments/nonprofits, $70/hour for for-profit businesses.
4. Transportation Services: Fixed-route transit at $1.00 per ride (general public) and $0.50 for children, elderly, Medicare and Medicaid recipients. Paratransit service at $1.00 each way.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EARPDC is a public regional planning and development agency serving 53 municipalities and 10 county governments across East Alabama. It delivers an integrated portfolio of programs including public transit (ACTS), GIS/mapping, aging and disability resource services, a Revolving Loan Fund for small businesses, economic development district administration (EDA/ARC), brownfield assessment, cooperative purchasing, hazard mitigation planning, and statewide demographic data access.

Product overview

EARPDC is a regional planning agency providing coordinated government services across ten Alabama counties. Rather than a unified software platform, it offers an integrated portfolio of government programs including public transportation (fixed-route and paratransit via ACTS), regional planning services (metropolitan and rural transportation planning, comprehensive planning), aging services (Area Agency on Aging with information and referral), economic development (Revolving Loan Fund, EDA Economic Development District, Brownfield Program), GIS/mapping services, data center services, cooperative purchasing, and hazard mitigation planning. These programs operate both independently and collaboratively to serve member local governments and citizens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Areawide Community Transportation System (ACTS) Public transit service providing fixed-route bus service at $1.00/ride and paratransit at $1.00 each way, operating across six counties. Serves general public, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and Medicare/Medicaid recipients.
• GIS and Mapping Services Geographic Information System services providing base maps, zoning district maps, street classification maps, utility system maps, and environmental limitation maps to member local governments.
• Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Information and referral service for seniors and individuals with disabilities, providing access to aging-related programs and resources across the 10-county region as the designated Area Agency on Aging.
• Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Small business financing program offering loans from $10,000 to $250,000 to support business development in the ten-county service area, with $100 or $200 nonrefundable application fees and interest/principal repayments recycled into new loans.
• Brownfield Program Environmental assessment and cleanup planning program funded by a $1.5 million EPA Coalition Assessment Grant to redevelop abandoned or underutilized commercial properties in the region.
• Community Development Services Technical assistance for local governments in preparing grant applications including CDBG, LWCF, COPS, and Assistance to Firefighters programs.
• Economic Development District (EDD) Programs EDA-designated economic development district providing grant programs including Public Works, Technical Assistance, Economic Adjustment, and disaster-related funds for the region.
• Cooperative Purchasing (EACPA) Joint purchasing cooperative for local governments in the ten-county region, providing collective bidding on commonly used commodities and services.
• Data Center Services Alabama State Data Center affiliate providing demographic and socio-economic data to governments, businesses, educators, and individuals in the region, with free simple requests and fee-based extensive research.
• Hazard Mitigation Planning Multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation planning for Division G counties including emergency management coordination and FEMA grant applications.
• Annual Government Training Program Annual training seminars presented jointly with Jacksonville State University Continuing Education for local government officials and staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• EDA infrastructure investment expected to create 35 jobs, retain 635 jobs, generate $10 million in private investment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PPM Consultants, Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025PPM Consultants retained by EARPDC to facilitate the EPA-funded Brownfield Assessment Grant program and outreach to the commercial real estate community.
• Jacksonville State University Small Business Development Center (JSU SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024JSU SBDC provides business planning including financial projections at no cost to RLF program participants. Since 1981, JSU SBDC has contributed to Alabama economic vitality by helping generate sales and jobs. SBDC is a resource partner with U.S. Small Business Administration.
• Auburn University SBDCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AU SBDC serves as business advisor providing assistance to small business owners in the EARPDC service area, working with the RLF program.
• Jacksonville State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1971Partnership with JSU for annual government training program through Office of Continuing Education. JSU also provides economic development research through Center for Economic Development and Business Research.
• Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALDOT partners with EARPDC for transportation planning through the East Alabama Rural Planning Organization (EARPO/RPO) and Calhoun Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFHWA partners in metropolitan transportation planning process for the Calhoun Urbanized Area through MPO structure.
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTA provides funding and regulatory oversight for public transit programs including Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program.
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEARPDC serves as ARC-designated Local Development District (LDD), preparing applications and assisting in grant management for economic development opportunities.
• Economic Development Administration (EDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEARPDC serves as EDA-designated Economic Development District (EDD). EDA provides funding through Public Works, Technical Assistance, Economic Adjustment, and disaster programs.
• University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead agency for Alabama State Data Center of which EARPDC is one of 25 affiliates statewide.
• Gadsden Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated Alabama State Data Center location in the EARPDC region.
• Area Agency on Aging NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs the designated Area Agency on Aging for the 10-county region, EARPDC coordinates with state and federal aging services including Administration on Aging, Alabama Department of Senior Services, and National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
• Anniston Limousine, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract provider for Calhoun County urban transportation services including scheduling, driving, and operational transportation needs.
• Various Transit OperatorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent contractors operate demand-response transportation services in Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, and Talladega Counties under EARPDC administration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission: Sister regional council in central Alabama also established under the same Alabama legislative framework (Acts 584/585 of 1963); operates the same mix of EDA EDD designation, RLF, GIS, transportation, and aging services across its own multi-county region, making it the closest structural peer.
• Lee-Russell Council of Governments: Two-county Alabama regional council providing planning, GIS, transportation, and economic development services; comparable in scale and program mix to a single-county slice of EARPDC but operating under the same state legislative framework.
• Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments: Multi-county regional council in northwest Alabama delivering EDA economic development, aging, transportation, and planning services—directly comparable scope and statutory basis as EARPDC.
• Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission: Regional planning commission in southeast Alabama with EDA and ARC designations serving a multi-county region; structurally the closest geographic and functional analog to EARPDC's mission and funding mix.
• West Alabama Regional Commission: Regional planning and development commission for west Alabama counties, offering analogous aging, transportation, workforce, and economic development programs under the same Alabama regional-council legislative framework.
• North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments: Another of the 12 Alabama regional councils with an overlapping service mix—Area Agency on Aging, transportation, EDA-designated EDD status, revolving loan fund, and regional planning—delivered to a different but structurally identical multi-county territory.
• South Alabama Regional Planning Commission: Direct peer regional council for southwest Alabama; provides parallel EDA-designated economic development, GIS, MPO, and aging services across a multi-county service area using the same state-established model as EARPDC.

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National membership association for regional development organizations including the Alabama regional councils; relevant as the trade body that advocates for and sets best-practice standards affecting EARPDC's funding and operating environment.

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state economic development partnership that funds and oversees Local Development Districts including EARPDC; relevant as the upstream funder and policy-setter whose priorities directly shape EARPDC's grant pipeline and program scope.
• U.S. Economic Development Administration: Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that designates and funds Economic Development Districts including EARPDC; upstream funder whose appropriations decisions materially affect EARPDC's program capacity.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/earpdc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earpdc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission