Release No. 0364.09
Contact:
Jay Fletcher (202) 690-0498
DEPUTY AGRICULTURE SECRETARY MERRIGAN ANNOUNCES $6.25 MILLION AVAILABLE IN RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Individual Grant Awards Range from $50,000 to $300,000
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2009 - Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced that USDA is accepting applications for more than $6.25 million in competitive grants under the Rural Community Development Initiative program administered by USDA Rural Development. These funds underscore the importance the Obama Administration places on helping rural business to develop the capacity to address critical housing, community and economic development needs.
"The funding announced today will improve the ability of local organizations to deliver enhanced services in housing, community facilities and economic development and strengthen America's small cities and towns," said Merrigan. "These grants will increase economic opportunity and the quality of life in rural areas as the Obama Administration continues working to rebuild and revitalize rural America."
To be eligible for the Rural Community Development Initiative, applicants must provide matching funds equal to the grant they receive. This leveraging requirement increases the impact of the funding received from USDA. Grant awards are contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant award. Eligible applicants include public or private (including tribal) organizations at least three years in existence that have experience working with eligible recipients. Recipients can be private non-profit organizations, community-based housing and development organizations, low-income rural communities, or federally recognized tribes.
An example of a project that was previously funded under the Rural Community Development Initiative program includes the "Maine Keeping Seniors Home" program, which is managed by the Western Main Community Action Program. This program was recently renamed the SEE ME program, which stands for Safety, Security, Energy Efficiency for Maine Elders. SEE ME received $261,475 in 2007 to help senior citizens live actively in their homes and participate in their communities longer that they might otherwise without this assistance. To date, more than 1,240 seniors have been helped by this program.
Another example of how this program helps rural communities can be seen in Fayette, Iowa, where Upper Iowa University in Fayette is using Rural Community Development Initiative program funding to help recipients through the Fayette County Economic Development, a local nonprofit organization serving businesses in the cities of Fayette, Oelwein, and Maynard. Recipients will receive training to assist microenterprises with marketing and branding, use of technology, and long-term business planning and development. Plans also call for the establishment of an e-commerce center that will help showcase and market the region's strengths and assets.
For more information, please see the June 26, 2009 Federal Register, page 30510. The deadline to apply for funding is Sept. 24, 2009. Applicants may also visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/rcdi/index.htm to obtain an application and program guidelines. Application information for electronic submissions can be found at www.grants.gov . Paper application packages are available from any USDA Rural Development state office. Please visit www.rurdev.gov for a listing of state offices.
USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development fosters growth in homeownership, finances business development, and supports the creation of critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA Rural Development's web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
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