Plan implementation is a feature that distinguishes Southern from other rural community developers in the Delta.  Rather than considering the job complete upon the creation of a development plan, Southern works to ensure that the plan is put into action and provides on-the-ground support to make it happen.  Southern employees and their families live, work, and recreate in our target communities, ensuring a real Southern investment in the communities’ future.

Southern helps communities to implement their strategic plans first by helping the community create teams of citizens that can work in an organized way to reach their goals.  This new infrastructure helps communities find alternate ways to break through barriers and allows for the emergence of a new level of leadership involving ordinary citizens.  Southern works with these community groups at every step of the way-- developing a strong action plan for their project, building the capacity to implement the plan, fundraising, connecting to outside stakeholders—and Southern continues to provide technical assistance as needed to ensure that the project is a success. In certain cases, Southern also utilizes development lending to assist groups in carrying out their plans. 

Delta Bridge Project
Clark County Project
Sunflower County Project

Southern’s approach to plan implementation is results-oriented.