City Hall, Fire Station and Public Safety Equipment Will Benefit More Than 7,800 People and Help Communities Thrive
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020 – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand announced that USDA is investing $65 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit more than 600,000 rural residents in 14 states.
“Access to modern community facilities and essential services is critical for growth and prosperity in rural communities,” Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner with rural communities to provide essential services, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
USDA is funding 38 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities.
“Infrastructure investments not only improve the day-to-day quality of life for rural Michigan communities, they add to its resiliency,” said USDA Rural Development State Director for Michigan Jason Allen. “USDA remains a trusted partner helping to strengthen rural areas.”
Michigan has three projects:
- The City of Munising, in Alger County, will use a $170,000 loan to purchase a loader, replacing a 15-year-old unit. The loader will be used for snow removal during the winter and for other public works activities during warmer weather.
- The City of Beaverton Building Authority, in Gladwin County, will use a $545,000 loan to convert a vacant library into the city hall. The new facility will have a chamber room, conference room, offices for city staff, adequate parking and sufficient space for future expansion.
- The St. Ignace Building Authority, in Mackinac County, will use a $250,000 loan to provide additional funding for the construction of the fire station. The authority is comprised of the city of St. Ignace, Moran Township and St. Ignace Township. The new 10,000-square-foot facility will replace the 3,900- square-foot station. There will be three drive-through apparatus bays, offices, a training room, men's' and women's' restrooms with showers, a storage room, a mechanical room and a mezzanine for storage.
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 (PDF, 669 KB), a detailed overview of the application process.
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 key 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/mi.
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