USDA – Grants And Loans

USDA Celebrates National Homeownership Month

TEMPLE, TEXAS, June 2, 2017 – Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Rural Development Roger Glendenning kicked off National Homeownership Month to celebrate the vital contribution homeowners have made to communities across rural America.

“Owning a home provides rural residents a secure environment where they can raise families, and it helps invigorate local rural economies that are vital to the long-term security and well-being of our nation,” Glendenning said. “Homeownership fortifies communities, creates jobs and strengthens the local businesses that support our towns.”

USDA provides mortgage loan guarantees through partnerships with private-sector lenders to help small- to moderate-income rural homebuyers. In 2016 alone, USDA worked with nearly 1,500 donors to help 116,000 rural individuals and families buy homes.

USDA has helped more than 4.1 million rural residents buy homes since the National Housing Act passed 68 years ago.

“USDA Rural Development strives to make homeownership an achievable dream for all rural Texans,” said Acting State Director Daniel Torres. “Housing is a critical goal of the long-term sustainability of rural families and communities.”

Department of Agriculture employees will celebrate National Homeownership Month throughout June with events across the state that demonstrate the Department’s longstanding commitment to providing affordable housing opportunities for rural Americans. To learn more about USDA’s observance of National Homeownership Month, please visit our Facebook page, follow @USDARD on Twitter, contact the Texas State Office at 254-742-9700.

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; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety and healthcare; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/tx.

USDA Awards Loans to Build and Expand Rural Electric Infrastructure

TEMPLE, TEXAS, May 31, 2017 – Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Rural Development Roger Glendenning announced that USDA is providing more than a quarter billion dollars in loans for rural electric infrastructure improvements.
“These loans will help improve the delivery of reliable electricity, and will assist in ensuring that the countryside nationwide can prosper economically and benefit from today’s technologies to meet tomorrow’s needs,” Glendenning said.

Electric Program of the Rural Utilities Service is providing the loans. They will support the construction or improvement of 1,369 miles of transmission and distribution line. They include $22.4 million for smart grid technologies to increase system efficiency and reliability. Smart Grid improves the reliability of electric power by helping utilities better manage energy needs and supply, and improve operational efficiencies. It includes metering, substation automation, computer applications, two-way communications, geospatial information systems and other improvements.

“USDA Rural Development is pleased to offer the funding through the Electric Program,” said Daniel Torres, USDA Rural Development Acting State Director. “By providing these loans, we promote sustainable economic development and enhance the quality of life in rural communities and regions with exceptional needs.”

The Electric Program is the successor to the Rural Electrification Administration. It makes loans and loan guarantees for nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies and other utilities to help finance the construction of electric distribution and generation facilities in rural areas.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in the countryside. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

USDA Seeks Applications for Community Development Grants

TEMPLE, TEXAS, May 31, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is inviting applications for grants to support economic development in rural communities.
USDA is making grants available under the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program to strengthen the rural economy. Qualified intermediary organizations receiving RCDI grants will provide technical assistance and training to help nonprofit organizations and communities develop their capacity to undertake housing, community facilities or economic development projects. Applicants must have capacity-building experience for these types of projects and must provide matching funds at least equal to the RCDI grant. Grants range from $50,000 to $250,000.

“Rural Development is pleased to offer the funding through the RCDI program,” said Acting State Director Daniel Torres, “This funding provides rural community leaders with the necessary tools to carry out housing, community facility, and community and economic development projects.”

Eligible recipients are nonprofit organizations, low-income rural communities or federally recognized tribes. RCDI grants are not provided directly to businesses or individuals.

Examples of eligible projects include homeownership education, minority business entrepreneurship, strategic community planning or assistance to access alternative funding sources.

For more information on how to apply, see page 24281 of the May 26, 2017, Federal Register. The deadline to submit paper applications is July 25, 2017.

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; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Support the Development of Rural Communities Facilities

TEMPLE, TEXAS, May 31, 2017 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA is seeking applications for technical assistance and training grants in the Community Facilities program.

“Too often, rural community organizations lack the technical expertise they need to access federal dollars,” Perdue said. “These technical assistance and training grants will help rural organizations overcome hurdles that prevent them from fully utilizing the Community Facilities Program. Increased access to federal funding will help build essential community facilities, and will allow rural areas to thrive.”

The grants are being provided through the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program. Congress authorized this new program in the 2014 Farm Bill to help rural communities develop their applications for Community Facilities loans and grants.

“The Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program is a vital funding source available to rural organizations,” said Acting State Director, Daniel Torres. “This funding assists community in identifying and planning for community facility needs in their area.”

Communities can use the grants to hire specialized personnel, pay for feasibility studies, retain consultants to prepare financial assistance applications and identify and plan for long-term community facilities needs.

Providing technical assistance will help more rural communities qualify for loans and grants. Many often lack access to specialized personnel who complete financial and environmental analyses, for example. These analyses often must be included in applications for USDA loans and grants.

Public bodies, non-profit organizations and Federally-recognized Tribes are eligible to apply for this funding. The maximum grant is $150,000.

Interested applicants may find more information about this program on page 23525 of the May 23, 2017, Federal Register.

Community Facilities programs help underserved rural communities develop essential community services, which in turn helps attract investments, create and retain jobs and businesses, and retain residents.

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; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.