Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP)

Director: Brenda McCarty

The Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) Grant was designed by the legislators in 1996 to assist small communities, towns, and counties that have little or no funding capabilities.  REAP funds may be applied for and used on various projects including street repairs, infrastructure improvements, economic development, rural fire departments, and other projects that improve the quality of life in rural Oklahoma.

According to the newly enacted REAP legislation of House Bill 3291 passed in 2010, 80% of REAP funds must be spent for projects appearing in the first six (6) categories listed below.  

1. Rural water quality projects, including acquisition, treatment, distribution and recovery of water for consumption by humans or animals or both
2. Rural solid waste disposal, treatment or similar projects
3. Rural sanitary sewer construction or improvement projects
4. Rural road or street construction or improvement projects
5. Provision of rural fire protection services and public safety services
6. Expenditures designed to increase the employment level within the jurisdiction of the entity
7. Provision of health care services, including emergency medical care, in rural areas
8. Construction or improvement of telecommunication facilities or systems
9. Improvement of municipal energy distribution systems; and
10. Community buildings, courthouses, town halls, senior nutrition centers, meeting rooms or similar public facilities

The REAP funding program is a simplified application process with a minimum of paperwork which allows applicants to do the paperwork themselves thus avoiding outside costs that would otherwise deter participation in the program.

This program in many instances is the only program that some of the small communities can qualify for.

Because of our area legislators and their commitment and dedication to the REAP program, we are seeing significant improvement in the quality of life in rural Oklahoma.

REAP Application Website   http://reap.soda-ok.org/

To see the last two years of Reap projects funded click on the REAP Application Website above and look under the Resources Box for Prior Years Funding.