TOGETHER,
PROGRESS IS POSSIBLE

The Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) partners with policy thinkers and doers to amplify their efforts and bridge gaps in policy infrastructure. We act as a connector, convener, and policy entrepreneur across issues and states, translating good ideas to the Southern context. Our goal is to advance policies that improve economic security, healthcare access, and environmental justice for all Southerners. SEAP focuses on 12 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. 

NEW RESEARCH & FEATURED PROJECTS

THE ARP TOOLKIT
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides $130 billion in federal funding directly to local governments. This unprecedented level of aid will help communities across the US shape their recovery from the COVID-19 recession. Local leaders should view the arrival of ARP funds as a critical opportunity to make investments that both encourage recovery and accelerate progress towards long-term goals. In the Southeast, the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 exacerbated structural inequalities. Our region’s local governments should direct their ARP funds towards strategic and sustainable recovery initiatives that benefit all community members. Our goal is to advance policies that improve economic security, healthcare access, and environmental justice for all Southerners.
ACCESS TOOLKIT HERE
ARP SURVEY RESULTS REPORT
The Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) releases the first phase of results from its American Rescue Plan (ARP) Community Needs survey. The ARP was signed into law in 2021 to assist communities in recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Affordable Housing tops the list a main personal and community challenge.
READ REPORT AND RESULTS
NEW: GEORGIA POLL RESULTS
PerryUndem, a nonpartisan research firm, commissioned a statewide survey to gain a deeper understanding of how Georgia residents feel about their state, challenges in their communities and on a personal level, and policy priorities. Conducted May–June 2022, the poll reveals widespread challenges and concerns among Georgians and their support for state policy actions that would expand opportunities.
FIND FULL RESULTS HERE
NEW: NORTH CAROLINA POLL RESULTS
PerryUndem, a nonpartisan research firm, commissioned a statewide survey to gain a deeper understanding of how North Carolina residents feel about their state, challenges in their communities and on a personal level, and policy priorities. Conducted May–June 2022, the poll reveals widespread challenges and concerns among North Carolinians and their support for state policy actions that would expand opportunities.
FIND FULL RESULTS HERE
NEW CLIMATE REPORT
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), formally named the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, made historic levels of funding available for investments in transportation, climate mitigation and resilience, environmental protection, and broadband access. To accompany the comprehensive guidebook and data released by the White House, this guide offers a step-by-step approach to identifying funding for initiatives that work synergistically to lower carbon emissions, build resiliency, and prioritize equity.
ACCESS REPORT HERE
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Together, we can solve the South's deepest challenges.

The highest rates...

of infant mortality are concentrated in the Southern states.

Source: CDC 2019

68% of Southerners...

live in a county that has experienced one climate disaster since March 2020.

Source: Pandemic to Prosperity Oct. 2021

60% of two million...

Americans in the coverage gap are people of color, and most live in the South.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Jan. 2021

8 of the 10...

states with the highest poverty rates are in the South.

Source: Talk Poverty 2020

The Black Farmer's Guide

In 2020, the SEAP partnered with the Black Belt Justice Center, a fiscal sponsor for the Acres of Ancestry Initiative/Black Agrarian Fund, to launch narratives and advocacy works to bring justice for Black farmers.​

Access Guide