Economic Development Districts represent multiple municipalities (or counties) to coordinate planning and investments that build upon existing regional strengths and infrastructure to cultivate local competitive advantages and long-term economic development. An organization that requests federal designation to be an EDD must be able to serve and represent the entire geographic area of the region and the region must include at least one geographical area within the designated service boundaries that meets the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA’s) regional distress criteria as set out in 13 C.F.R. § 301.3(a).

After gathering information to assess which municipalities met the distress criteria, researchers looked for the places where regional economic development opportunities exist. Following are examples of the data used to determine that the six municipalities of Guánica, Yauco, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Ponce, and Juana Díaz could form Southern Puerto Rico’s Pilot EDD.