http://www.usda.gov/2009/07/0344.xml
Release No. 0344.09
Contact:
Office of Communication (202)720-4623
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $15.3 MILLION FOR 145 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN RURAL AREAS
Recovery Act Projects Funded Include Business Expansions, Education and Training, Community Development and Technical Assistance
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 145 recipients for more than $15.3 million in grants to start or expand businesses in rural communities. Through Recovery Act funding, businesses will be able to access to critical capital that will help with start-up and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation improvements, project planning and other business needs.
"These Recovery Act grants represent the Obama administration's ongoing efforts to ensure strategic investments and increased economic opportunities in rural America," said Vilsack. "Small businesses play an important role in building strong communities while providing vital products and services to local residents. This funding will help spur economic development to strengthen communities in dozens of states around the country."
In addition to the $15.3 million that USDA Rural Development is providing for the 145 projects announced today, recipients have raised $16 million from other sources.
For example, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe in rural northern Minnesota has been selected to receive an $83,149 grant to help The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's Business Development Center provide training for area businesses to expand, thereby creating new jobs and spurring economic growth in the region. The funding also is expected to help lower chronically high unemployment and poverty rates among Native Americans who live in the region. Since 1980, the Business Development Center has helped Native American-owned businesses grow, secure financing, write business plans and conduct market feasibility studies. Four Native American-owned businesses already have been selected to use the Rural Development funding to expand their operations. Businesses in the 12-county region that are not owned by Native Americans also expect to benefit from the jobs created by the tribe's business development center.
Loup City Public Schools in rural Nebraska has been selected to receive an $8,800 grant to install a 1.8 kilowatt wind turbine on the school site to educate students on the importance of wind as an alternative energy source. Students will gain knowledge on wind energy as well as learn about career opportunities in the alternative energy field and wind energy's role in the economic future of rural America. Loup City Public Schools is one of the first six school jurisdictions in Nebraska to partner with the National Renewable Energy Lab's Wind for Schools program.
The funding announced today is being is being provided through USDA Rural Development's Rural Business Enterprise Program (RBEG), which helps finance new and existing businesses as well as employment-related adult education programs. RBEG funds can be used for start-up and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation improvements, project planning and other business needs. Additional information on the RBEG program may be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/rbeg.htm.
Grants announced today include:
Alabama:
Auburn University; $100,000
Alaska:
Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AMEP), Inc.; $71,000
Arkansas:
East Arkansas Enterprise Community; $96,400
Arizona:
City of Maricopa; $30,000
California:
Siskiyou Training & Employment Program Inc.; $80,000
Connecticut:
Community Involved in Sustain Agriculture (CISA); $60,620
Delaware:
YWCA Delaware, Inc.; $41,000
Georgia:
East Athens Development Corporation (EADC); $99,500
Okefenokee Technical College; $98,000
City of Fort Valley; $99,999
Early County Development Authority; $99,999
City of Shellman; $99,999
South Georgia Tech College (Commercial Driving Program); $99,999
South Georgia Tech College (Nursing Program); $99,999
South Georgia Tech College (Criminal Justice/Enforcement Academy); $75,000
Arlington Downtown Development Authority; $95,000
City of Oglethorpe; $99,999
Fort Valley Downtown Development Authority; $99,999
City of Dawson; $56,000
Fort Valley State University Foundation, Inc.; $99,352
Hogansville Downtown Development Authority; $50,000
Appalachian Community Enterprises, Inc.; $99,999
City of Tifton; $36,121
East Central Technical College; $99,999
East Central Technical College; $99,999
McDuffie Co. Dev. Authority; $54,755
Heart of Georgia Technical College; $98,525
North Georgia Technical College (NGTC); $98,764
Tifton Downtown Development Authority; $99,000
Idaho:
Ida-Ore Winery Incubator Equipment; $9,000
Illinois
Southern Illinois Stimulus Corporation; $79,650
Lena Economic Development Corporation; $99,000
Iowa:
Maquoketa Industrial Development Assistance Service; $99,000
Iowa Falls Area Development Corporation; $99,999
Manson Economic Development Corporation; $50,000
Central City Main Street; $99,000
City of Tipton; $94,000
Kansas
City of Cherryvale; $95,000
Kentucky:
Bath County Agricultural Extension Foundation, Inc.; $400,000
Southeast KY Economic Development Corporation; $165,000
Community Ventures Corporation; $200,000
Louisiana:
Acadiana Regional Development District; $49,900
Avoyelles Parish Police Jury; $139,432
Maine:
Town of Madison; $50,000
Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Inc.; $75,000
Town of Greenville; $253,000
Maryland:
Denton Development Corporation; $51,850
Maryland Hawk Corp. Inc.; $73,888
Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc.; $52,300
Massachusetts:
Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund; $75,000
Michigan:
City of Fremont; $90,000
Minnesota:
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe; $83,149
Frazee; $90,000
Watonwan County; $99,999
Business Entrepreneur Center; $99,335
Lower Sioux Indian Community; $200,000
Renville County HRA/EDA; $99,999
City of Granite Falls; $99,900
City of Gibbon; $99,000
Mississippi:
Southwest Mississippi RC&D, Inc.; $99,990
Missouri:
City of Doniphan; $99,500
City of Piedmont; $211,150
Missouri State University, Mountain Grove Campus; $20,700
Montana:
Beartooth RC&D; $12,900
Ravalli County Economic Development Authority; $9,300
Eastern Plains Economic Development Corp.; $50,000
Ravalli County Economic Development Authority: $41,374
Nebraska:
Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools; $7,000
Arnold Economic Development Corporation; $50,000
Village of Cody; $75,000
Bloomfield Community Schools; $7,000
Loup City Public Schools; $8,800
Nevada:
Walker River Paiute Tribe; $18,878
City of Wells: $90,000
New Hampshire:
North Country Resource and Conservation District; $46,000
New Jersey:
South Jersey Economic Development District, Inc.; $99,000
New Mexico:
Pueblo of Acoma; $577,750
New Mexico's Own, Inc.; $400,000
New York:
Fort Edward Business Revitalization Program; $90,000
Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency; $94,000
North Carolina:
City of Reidsville; $75,000
Henderson-Vance Downtown Improvement Project; $75,000
Scotland County; $75,000
North Dakota:
Impact Foundation; $181,000
Ohio:
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce; $99,000
Laus Deo Foundation; $499,000
Jackson Co. Economic Development Board; $99,999
Oklahoma:
Fort Towson Industrial Authority; $300,000
City of Antlers; $99,750
Johnston County Industrial Authority ; $399,999
Minco Community Foundation, Inc.; $87,000
Oregon:
Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation; $99,000
Umpqua Community College; $98,936
Chemeketa Community College; $99,000
The Rogue Initiative for a Vital Economy dba THRIVE; $53,620
Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN); $173,246
Valley Development Initiatives, Inc.; $99,000
Pennsylvania:
CAN DO, Inc., of Greater Hazleton; $99,990
Sun Home Health Services, Inc.; $99,500
Puerto Rico:
Rural Business Strengthening/Universidad Sagrado Corazon; $50,000
South Carolina:
Have Faith Community Development Corporation; $99,900
Salkehatchie Arts; $75,000
Williamsburg County Business Development Center; $99,050
City of Manning; $250,000
Western Carolina Higher Education Commission; $199,991
Colleton Improvement Collaborative; $99,920
SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership; $99,500
The Mitney Project; $99,000
South Dakota:
National Enterprise Development Center; $91,660
Whetstone Valley Business Opportunities; $18,288
Clark Area Chamber of Commerce; $99,000
Gate City Development Association, Inc.; $99,900
Tulare Economic Development; $22,735
City of Arlington; $94,000
Tennessee:
Reelfoot Area Chamber of Commerce; $8,500
Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency; $30,000
State of Tennessee; $100,000
City of Bruceton; $30,000
Covington Economic Development Corporation; $25,000
Crockett County Chamber of Commerce; $15,000
Lauderdale County Board of Education; $50,000
City of Friendship; $20,000
Giles County; $40,000
Greene County Partnership; $10,000
Wayne County Government; $199,999
Clay County; $95,000
Texas:
Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation; 300,000
Hidalgo Economic Development Corporation; $300,000
The Development Corporation of Mercedes; $300,000
La Feria Industrial Development Corporation; $300,000
Utah:
Transitions; $99,900
Vermont:
Randolph Community Development; $65,000
Virginia:
Floyd County Economic Development Authority; $ 99,000
Bland County Farmer's Market; $40,000
City of Galax; $99,600
Industrial Development Authority of Danville; $99,000
Town of Pulaski; $99,000
Washington:
Squaxin Island Tribe; $88,873
Wisconsin:
City of Ladysmith; $98,800
Heart of Wisconsin Community Incubator, Inc.; 97,000
Village of Gays Mills; $99,999
Western Pacific:
University of Guam; $50,000
Pacific Islands Microcredit Institute; $65,000
West Virginia
The City of Buckhannon; $200,000
Wyoming:
Converse Area New Development Organization, Inc.; $60,000
Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the grant agreement. More information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is designed to jumpstart the nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at http://www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government's efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.
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