Tioga County REAP Zone

In early 1999, through the efforts of United States Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Tioga County was designated as a Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone. The REAP program is a pilot endeavor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tioga County is one of only four REAP Zones in the United States. The program encourages a collaborative and citizen-led effort to stimulate economic and community development in the County. The mission of the REAP Zone is to improve the economic viability, diversity, and competitiveness of businesses in the Zone; assist local communities in developing strategies to maintain and expand essential community functions such as education, health care, housing, transportation, telecommunications, and infrastructure; assist families in crisis; and provide financial and technical assistance to implement a citizen-built Strategic Plan. A REAP Zone Steering Committee comprised of local citizens was established to develop this Strategic Plan and Thoma was hired to assist them in its development. The Plan sets forth a vision for the future revitalization of the County as well as specific projects to bring about that revitalization.

As aforementioned, the REAP program encourages a grassroots effort to identify the unique needs of the County and to chart a course for its future. Thoma facilitated a series of meetings throughout the County to gather citizen input for the development of the Strategic Plan. Working with the REAP Zone Steering Committee, Thoma analyzed the information from these meetings and developed a series of goals, which when realized, will bring about the resurgence of the Tioga County economy. The public meetings, as well as other citizen comments and existing planning documents, assisted in identifying over 200 projects which address the REAP goals. Thoma assisted the Steering Committee in prioritizing 45 of these projects to be pursued in the early years of the ten-year life span of the Zone. These 45 projects were "benchmarked" in the Strategic Plan and included such information as implementation tasks; target dates; identification of "partners" to assist in project development; and potential sources of funding.

The Strategic Plan was completed less than four months after Thoma was hired to assist in its development, testament to Thoma’s ability to provide quality products in a short time-frame.

Thoma has previously assisted Tioga County in securing designation as an Empire Zone; in receiving funding from USDA Rural Development's Intermediary Relending Program; and in administering its Community Development Block Grant award for expansion of a county industry.