"When you talk to us, you talk to all of Kentucky"

KCADD is an organization representing all ADD Board members throughout the state. Helping local officials and citizens unite to provide for the planned growth of their area and provide technical and management assistance to local communities on a broad range of topics.

 

 

About the Area Development Districts


Area Development Districts in Kentucky have been in existence over thirty-five years. Conceptually, they grew out of the efforts of local elected officials and citizens in the Commonwealth to try and find collaborative means with which to deal with problems that beset their communities. The combination of federal programs and state enabling legislation provided a national strategy and funding mechanism that allowed the concepts to become reality in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

The Area Development Districts, as they now exist, serve as forums, clearinghouses, technical centers and as conveners for the region. Unlike many other organizations structured along multi-jurisdictional lines, the ADDs have both federal and state statutory authority.

The ADDs share some common characteristics with other regional councils throughout the United States:

  • Extensive program and service delivery experience
  • Fiscal Accountability
  • Technical and Professional Staff
  • Non-partisan approach
  • Flexibility
  • Broad-based partnership development
  • Established capacity

While they do share the traits listed above, the regional approach in Kentucky has also been tailored to the needs of the Commonwealth. The Area Development District network is best characterized by the following distinctions, unique among regional organizations:

  • The fifteen ADDs provide a system of complete coverage to all 120 counties.
  • ADDs provide systematic linkage between local leadership, the Governor's office, state and federal agencies, and private organizations.
  • The ADDs deal with all program areas within the Commonwealth.