Formal Designations

State Development District  

GNRC is designated by the State of Tennessee as the State Development District for thirteen counties in Middle Tennessee. Development Districts were created by the Tennessee General Assembly in order to provide a mechanism for regional cooperation and technical support for planning and economic development initiatives. Today, Development Districts help various state agencies deliver programs and services to local communities within their respective regions.

Federal Economic Development District

GNRC is designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) as the Economic Development District (EDD) for Northern Middle Tennessee.  EDDs are responsible for creating and maintaining a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).   The CEDS serves as a cornerstone of the U.S. EDA’s grant programs, as well as a means to engage community leaders, leverage the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional collaboration on economic development efforts.

Area Agency on Aging and Disability

GNRC is designated by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability as the Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) for thirteen counties in Middle Tennessee. As the AAAD, GNRC provides programs, services, advocacy, inter-agency linkages and coordination, and information-sharing opportunities to improve the quality of life for older or disabled Middle Tennesseans. The AAAD delivers a range of federal and state programs through GNRC’s professional social workers and counselors who work in partnership with local agencies and private-sector organizations.

Metropolitan Planning Organization

GNRC serves as the administrator of the federally-mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Nashville Area in accordance with federal regulations and oversight provided by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Federal Transit Administration. The MPO leads the development of the region’s long‐range transportation plan and short‐range transportation improvement program and contributes to ongoing conversations about issues such as land use, economic development, the environment, safety and security, and public health. The MPO fulfills federal transportation planning requirements to ensure TDOT, local governments, and transit agencies remain eligible for federal transportation grants aimed at improving area roadways and transit systems. MPO policies, plans, and programs are adopted by the Transportation Policy Board which convenes city and county mayors with local, state, and federal transportation officials.