Southern Tier West Regional Planning & Development Board maintains ongoing and active relationships with national, state, and local governments, agencies, and the private sector for-profit and non-profit organizations. Of particular importance are Southern Tier West's ongoing relationships with two specific federal agencies, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA).

In 1969, ARC designated Southern Tier West as one of the Local Development Districts (LDD's) in the Appalachian Region. In this capacity, Southern Tier West coordinates and oversees the direction of all ARC-funded investment in the three-county Southern Tier West region. ARC's mission is to be an advocate for and partner with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

In 1976, EDA designated Southern Tier West as an Economic Development District (EDD). In this capacity, Southern Tier West coordinates and oversees the direction of all EDA-funded investment in the three-county Southern Tier West region. EDA's mission is to create a climate conducive to the development of private enterprise in America's distressed communities, so as to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States.

Southern Tier West accomplishes its role in coordinating the direction of ARC and EDA investment in the Southern Tier West region through its development of an annually published economic development strategy document, the Regional Development Strategy. Through this comprehensive planning process in which Southern Tier West solicits input from the entire region, Southern Tier West identifies and reflects local priorities for development initiatives and projects in the region.

The Southern Tier West Regional Planning & Development Board is a sixteen (16) person Board, with five (5) Board members appointed by each of the three County Legislatures and one (1) Board member appointed by the Seneca Nation of Indians.

Elected officials comprise at minimum 50% of the Board membership of the Southern Tier West Board. Also, the Board traditionally includes representatives of the Cities of Jamestown, Dunkirk, Olean, and Salamanca, plus the Village of Wellsville.

The Southern Tier West Board also maintains a full-time professional staff who actively are engaged in furthering the organization's mission.