Welcome to the website of the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD). We are located in Cookeville, Tennessee, in the heart of the beautiful Upper Cumberland region. Our service area covers fourteen counties and over 5,000 square miles; our population is over 338,000.
The Upper Cumberland contains three distinct physiographic regions: the Cumberland Plateau, the Eastern Highland Rim, and the Central Basin. Our mountains, plateaus, streams and valleys all contribute to the unique character of the Upper Cumberland, and, along with our wonderful people, are the reasons we’ve become a destination for eco and heritage tourists, retirees, and companies seeking a willing work force, friendly neighbors, and a healthy quality of life. We consider ourselves one of the country’s best-kept secrets. When you visit, we’re sure you’ll agree. Come see what we’re all about!
The Tennessee General Assembly established the Upper Cumberland Development District in 1968 to serve as an economic development resource for the Upper Cumberland region. We are still about the business of economic development, but we are also a lot more. Simply stated, our overall mission is to improve the quality of life throughout the Upper Cumberland area, and this ideal guides everything we do. We accomplish our mission through myriad programs and projects designed to meet the needs of our region. We operate housing programs for low-income and other underserved populations; we help local governments and communities plan and prioritize transportation projects; we help families rearing relative children; we offer numerous services designed for older adults and adults with disabilities; we write grants for infrastructure, environmental assistance, and parks and greenways. We work with the local Arts community, and we administer programs and projects designed to protect, preserve and promote the unmatched cultural and natural resources of our region.
Over $65 million a year passes through our agency to provide the kinds of services that UCDD is known for, and we are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to serve our communities. The Upper Cumberland region is on the move, and the Upper Cumberland Development District is staying in step. We’re glad you stopped to look at our website, and we hope you’ll visit us sometime. Come see what we’re all about!
