“Rural America needs safe, modern infrastructure to help residents and businesses achieve greater prosperity and have access to essential services,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Background:
USDA is investing in 94 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used to build or upgrade a wide-range of rural community facilities such as schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities. For example:
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital in Lake City, Iowa, is receiving a $29 million loan to build a 24,000-square-foot addition to the emergency department and rehabilitation services area. The expansion will include a helipad and improvements to hospital spaces, the receiving dock, the main entrance, and administrative offices.
Crockett County, Tenn., is receiving an $18.3 million loan to expand and renovate Crockett County Middle and High School. The renovations will expand classrooms and build a new gym, multi-purpose sports complex, stadium press box, bleachers and new school board offices.
Ohio Hills Health Services, in Barnesville, Ohio, is receiving a $735,000 loan and a $172,700 grant to expand the Monroe Family Health Center (MFHC). USDA also is helping to finance new clinic equipment. The new building will improve accessibility and enable more rural residents to receive care. MFHC served 3,500 rural residents in 2019.
The investments that Brand announced today are being made in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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