Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced investments to improve rural community infrastructure, provide essential services and improve access to health care across rural America through Rural Development’s Community Facilities (CF) program. Today’s investments in health facilities and support for first responders comes as the department celebrates National Rural Health Week.
“Rural America deserves quality, affordable health care, but too often local communities lack the capital to invest in improving the facilities that deliver that care,” Vilsack said. “I am especially proud of the role that USDA plays in addressing the critical needs for health care facilities, including mental health facilities.”
With today’s announcement, Secretary Vilsack said that the department has eclipsed a goal, set in December of 2013, to investing up to $50 million in CF funds over the subsequent three years to develop or improve mental health facilities and services in rural areas. CF funding in 2015 more than quadrupled that goal in just two years, funding more than $213 million in 80 projects in 34 states.
Michigan has 17 projects totaling more than $53 million in loans and grants:
|
Recipient |
Amount |
Type |
Project Description |
|
Mills Township |
$37,000 |
Grant |
Lighting Along Boardwalk |
|
Tuscola County |
$19,000 |
Grant |
Patrol Vehicle |
|
Beaverton |
$30,000 |
Grant |
Purchase New Patrol Vehicle |
|
Wexford County |
$11,000,000 |
Loan |
Fire, Rescue, & Public Safety |
|
Kimball Township |
$1,000,000 |
Loan |
Fire, Rescue, & Public Safety |
|
Mackinac Straits Area Health |
$525,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
Twin County Community Probation Center |
$2,100,000 |
Loan |
Public Buildings/Improvements |
|
Saginaw County Agricultural Society |
$343,000 |
Loan |
Other Facilities |
|
Munising Bay Healthcare |
$9,230,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
Three Rivers Health System, Inc. |
$1,231,969 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
Frankenmuth Farmers Market |
$1,370,000 |
Loan |
Other Facilities |
|
John Tolfree Hospital |
$12,700,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
City of Harrison |
$2,789,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
City of St. Ignace |
$100,000 |
Loan |
Public Buildings/Improvements |
|
Barry County Community Mental Health Authority |
$4,592,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
Ishpeming Building Authority |
$250,000 |
Loan |
Public Buildings/Improvements |
|
Baruch SLS, Inc. |
$5,800,000 |
Loan |
Health Care |
|
Total |
$53,116,969 |
|
|
Today’s projects were funded from August through September 2015.
Since 2009, USDA has awarded $9.7 billion under its Community Facilities programs, including $4.9 billion for 1,052 health care projects; $266 million for improvements to 206 public schools; $133 million for 555 libraries; $39 million for 240 day care centers; and $791 million to support 4,876 public safety facilities in rural areas.
Funding of each grant and loan announced today, which amounts to more than $1.2 billion in new projects, is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the funding agreement. The funding announced today will bring CF funding up to $1.8 billion over the course of the fiscal year 2015.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has produced historic investments in rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have strengthened America’s small towns and cities and helped improve the nation’s economy.