The Oklahoma Department of Commerce helps communities through federal and state grants awarded to communities and planning organizations to improve both physical and social infrastructure. We also provide services directly to communities, organizations, and to individual Oklahomans.
Oklahoma’s Main Street program helps return vitality to the heart of communities across the state while preserving our history and culture.
Forming an effective local BR&E program is a community’s best and most economical method to grow the local economy. Assisting business with expansion projects demonstrates that a community places a high value on their local businesses and fosters solid relationships between government and the business, making them partners in economic growth.
Often called the “regional approach,” regional economic development seeks to advance the development of economic regions through coordinated efforts that benefit of all member communities in the region.
Commerce manages a portfolio of competitive grant and funding programs supported by state and federal funds which enable communities to leverage local resources to ensure a better quality of life. These programs address infrastructure, housing, emergency shelters, energy-efficiency initiatives, self-sufficiency programs, and more. Together, by meeting the basic needs of citizens and industry alike, such programs enhance the capacity of communities to compete for talent and investment.
Decision-makers in business want to remove as many “unknowns” as possible before committing financial resources. Two certification programs offered by Commerce – Work Ready and Site Ready – remove unknowns by providing reliable, pertinent information. Participating communities use these programs to enhance their competitive advantage in attracting human and financial capital.
In addition to planning, implementing, and monitoring programs that are offered in every part of the state, our dedicated team has excellent long-standing relationships with private non-profit organizations serving every county of the state and strong, on-going relationships with local government officials, making “partnership” the way we do business.
Using state and federal funds to provide services that help individuals and families become financially stable and self-sufficient supports the mission of Commerce by strengthening the health of local economies.
The Community Developer is the official newsletter of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The monthly publication keeps over 4,000 subscribers informed about economic development and important commerce-related events in Oklahoma.