ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 30, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Minnesota Brad Finstad today announced that USDA is investing $50,000 for health and safety infrastructure in the city of Fulda.
“All communities rely on local emergency services to be timely, efficient and safe,” Finstad said. “Rural communities have the added obstacles of smaller populations, wider service areas and varied geography, making projects like these that much more important. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is dedicated to assisting rural communities like Fulda with their long-term commitments to the health and safety of rural communities, because when rural America prospers, all of America prospers.”
The city of Fulda will use a $50,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a new ambulance for the city’s only volunteer ambulance service. The existing vehicle was purchased in 2009 and lacks standard safety features required for modern service. This project will help purchase a new vehicle with upgraded safety features, including seat belts for EMTs while providing patient care, air bags and a smoother ride for transporting patients - an essential feature when transporting injured patients on rough rural roads. In addition to improving the efficiency of service for the 2,534 residents of Fulda and Dundee as well as residents from the 11 surrounding townships, the new vehicle will allow Fulda to expand its volunteer ambulance services to assist Murray County Ambulance in Slayton and Sanford Ambulance in Worthington.
Funding for today’s announcement was made available through the $150 million in grants included in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act that President Trump signed into law on June 6, 2019. These grants are to help eligible rural communities continue their recovery from the devastating effects of natural disasters.
View the complete list of designated communities in Minnesota.
Grants may be used for relief in areas affected by Hurricanes Michael and Florence; wildfires in 2018; and other natural disasters where the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided a notice declaring a Major Disaster Declaration and assigned a FEMA disaster recovery (DR) number. Please check the FEMA website for regular updates and names of additional communities that may be added.
Grant applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are exhausted. Contact your local Area Office for further information or assistance with the application process. Grant assistance will be provided on a graduated scale; smaller communities with the lowest median household income are eligible for a higher proportion of grant funds. For application details and additional information, see page 47477 of the Sept. 10 Federal Register.
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 eligible rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a cornerstone recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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/mn.