OUR VISION
To be a leader in developing people, businesses, and communities for a globally competitive region.

OUR MISSION
To help businesses expand their markets, generate employment, improve the local economy, and plan for the future development of the Northern Tier Region.

PROFILE
The Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission is one of seven Local Development Districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We serve Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming Counties and our Board of Directors is comprised of the County Commissioners from each of the counties we serve.

Since 1970, NTRPDC has been providing resources to help businesses and entrepreneurs, local governments, and non-profit organizations meet their challenges. Several prominent organizations in the region were initiated by NTRPDC. The Northern Tier Solid Waste Authority; The Endless Mountains Visitor’s Bureau; The Endless Mountain Transportation Authority; the Area Agency on Aging; the Northern Tier Hardwoods Association; and the Endless Mountains Heritage Region all started out as programs under NTRPDC.

Today, programs include business financing, internet and technology assistance, export counseling, government contract assistance, grant writing, site selection, transportation planning, workforce and economic analysis, and micro-grants for small business training and website development.

NTRPDC is also responsible for the administration of the Workforce Investment Act in the Region. We work with other organizations to address the growing need for a skilled workforce. One component of workforce development is finding ways to help youth become aware of opportunities in the workforce. Eligible youth are provided work experience and academic enrichment through our youth program and events such as Health Career Awareness Week are held to make students aware of careers in healthcare.

Many municipalities and non-profit organizations in our region typically lack the time and staff capacity to do the work that is required to obtain grant funding for their communities or organizations. NTRPDC can assess a project and help target the most appropriates sources of funding. Shared municipal services, machinery and equipment, main street revitalization, parks and recreation, and historic preservation are all examples of community development projects.

NTRPDC is the regional transportation coordinator and liaison between PennDOT and our communities. Getting approved for transportation improvement projects can be a time consuming and detailed process and we help make the process more manageable. We also provide Geographic Information System technology for resource management, technology and emergency response planning, and other geographic analysis.

NTRPDC works with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through their Business Retention and Expansion Program. Partners at the local level in each of our counties reach out to businesses through one-on-one visits where data is collected through a survey, which is then entered into a statewide database where patterns and trends are tracked on many different levels. The program has proven to be an important tool for statewide economic development. To date, a total of 1,036 visits have been conducted, resulting in 754 referrals to service providers. These referrals have resulted in industry-specific equipment training, web page development, computer training, marketing skills, as well as services from Northern Tier loan, export, and procurement programs.

In the previous year, ninety-one business clients received assistance which helped to increase sales and employment. Over $572 million in total sales and 3,583 full time jobs were created or retained. Our Loan Program closed 14 loans totaling $2,002,500, which resulted in 136 jobs created and 381 jobs retained. NTRPDC can help businesses expand their businesses internationally through export assistance and over $3.5 million in sales were generated and 72 jobs were created or retained. Our micro-grant programs provided over 52 Small Business Training Grants totaling $33,742, ten Site Development Incentive Grants totaling $30,000, and 132 Municipal and Business Information Technology Grants totaling $60,931.

In an effort to help bring our local governments up to speed with technology use, 132 out of 166 municipalities in the Northern Tier Region have received grants, technical assistance, or training in the past five years through NTRPDC.

Our funding sources include:
Appalachian Regional Commission
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Labor
Pennsylvania State Department of Transportation
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming Counties

For more information please contact:
Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission
312 Main Street
Towanda, Pennsylvania 18848
888-868-8800
570-265-9103
570-265-7585 fax

Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request
to individuals with disabilities.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.

If you would like to contact a Northern Tier staff person, click here for our listing.

2012-2013 County Commissioners:


Bradford County
Mark Smith
Daryl Miller
Doug McLinko

Sullivan County
Darla Bortz
Wylie Norton
Bob Getz

Susquehanna County
Alan Hall
Mike Giangrieco
MaryAnn Warren

Tioga County
Mark Hamilton
Roger Bunn
Erick Coolidge

Wyoming County
Thomas Henry
Judy Kraft-Mead
Ron Williams 

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