Essential Community Facilities Will Benefit Multiple Communities
GAINESVILLE, Oct. 28, 2020 – The Trump Administration along with Florida / U.S. Virgin Islands State Director Phil Leary today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing over $5.9 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit rural residents in Florida.
“Rural Americans deserve to have safe and modern facilities in their hometowns,” Phil Leary, State Director for Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands said. “Often our rural communities have limited access to funds to build or upgrade these facilities, and that is where Rural Development steps in to help. Under the leadership of President Trump, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Funding from today’s announcement includes essential community projects in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Background:
USDA is funding 256 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. These investments will be for such purposes as to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics, and public safety facilities. For example, in Florida:
- Ridgeview Global Studies Academy will use funding to construct a 21,000-square-foot, two-story building which includes classrooms, a science lab, a multi-purpose/dining area, and administrative offices. This facility will connect to the campus by a covered walkway. The construction of this facility will allow for increased capacity of 250 students which will serve grades 9 and 10.
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.
Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility details. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants, a detailed overview of the application process.
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.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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