Sequoyah-Adair-Cherokee County Empowerment Zone (SACC-EZ)

Member Counties: Adair County; Cherokee County; Sequoyah County; Cherokee Nation, which represents 14 counties; Gore, Sallisaw; Stilwell; Tahlequah; Vian

SACC-EZ Maintains Strong Partnership through Information Sharing

In 2001, Larry Sands at the Center for Rural Development at Northeastern State University developed a coalition representing three counties, five cities, and the Cherokee Nation. The Sequoyah-Adair-Cherokee County Empowerment Zone (SACC-EZ) organized as a non-profit to pursue participation in the USDA's Empowerment Zone & Enterprise Community Program.

As a result, SACC-EZ became a Champion Community, but because of limited funding and overwhelming interest in the program, the USDA funding wasn't received. However, says Anna Knight, SACC-EZ secretary, the group continued to meet quarterly and share information.

"As we continued to meet, we realized that these regional partnerships aren't just about grant application," Knight says. "These partnerships are clearinghouses for information. That's been a true benefit."

Purpose: To build working partnerships with communities throughout Northeastern Oklahoma to assess the region's needs, and develop and implement programs or initiatives to address those needs.

Project Overview: 

SACC-EZ contracted the Oklahoma Community Institute (OCI) to conduct a needs assessment and develop a strategic plan, which recommends and prioritizes specific projects or programs needed to develop the region's economy. Next steps:

• Hire a full-time manager to coordinate efforts as SACC-EZ starts to undertake specific projects and meet additional funding needs
• Complete a regional marketing brochure
• Recruit new members.

Preliminary priorities emerging from the research conducted by OCI:

• Develop new and quality job opportunities
• Improve infrastructure to support future development--for example, Sallisaw needs expanded water distribution and a treatment plant; Tahlequah needs rail spurs and major highway connections.
• Provide entrepreneurial support, which includes providing information, funding, and training
• Sustain the regional communication and collaboration network.

Lessons Learned: 

• Partnership members share many similarities, but they also have varying needs, which makes the bonds of trust and the relationships developed crucial.
• The information shared must move beyond the meeting room to key stakeholders.
• Look beyond all borders to find commonalities--for example, Adair and Sequoyah counties, which border Arkansas, are exploring partnership opportunities with adjacent counties and communities there.
• You have to have champions for regionalism as part of your leadership.