U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Success Stories

A mother and three daughters pose around a dining room table. There are lace curtains and blue wall in the background and some dishes on the table in the foreground.

“This is Home” – A Family Finds Their Forever Home in Calais, Maine

One of the first rooms Heather Gagne and her daughters began redecorating in their new home is the dining room, shown in the top photo. They have been busy repainting and making other updates. Raising a family in coastal Machias, Maine may sound lovely, but for Heather Gagne recent years proved stressful. There were few housing options in the Downeast community, and Heather was glad to find a rental home to…
Read More

Find Stories

Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 873 Stories
Medical staff monitor patients through video.

Rural doesn’t mean less

According to a Bureau of Health Workforce analysis published in November 2024, the average age of registered nurses across the United States was over 43 years old, while the population of Americans over age 65 is expected to increase from 58 to 82 million by 2050.These changes,… [Read More]
South Dakota
Health CareRural DevelopmentTechnology
Fire facility with emergency vehicle

USDA Rural Development loan and grant helps fund Couderay Volunteer Fire Department new fire building

The new fire facility in Couderay is a commercial post frame design.   Photo by Mary Slisz-Chucka Couderay VFDI will use new 50-by-56-foot pole shed for storage and fire suppression training and operationsThe U.S. Department of… [Read More]
Wisconsin
Rural Development
firefighter standing on fire truck at a farm in the evening

New Pumper Truck Enhances Firefighting Efforts and Community Safety

What began as a controlled burn in early May 2025 at Wolsey’s landfill turned dangerous when high winds stoked embers deep in the rubble, igniting a grassfire. The blaze quickly spread to within a quarter mile of the town, charring more than 250 acres in its path.The Wolsey Fire… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community FacilitiesFirst Responders
Colman payloader on Main Street with water tower in the background

Clearing the Way for a Safer Community

When storms hit rural communities, oftentimes fewer resources are available to assist them in cleanup efforts. This is the case for the east-central community of Colman with a population of 600 citizens. The city’s budget is tight, leading to stretched-thin resources.When Grant… [Read More]
South Dakota
Community Facilities
exterior photo of Teachwell Solutions in Sioux Falls

Finding solutions through Distance Learning Technology

Students at the Chamberlain School receive virtual speech therapy with a Teachwell Solutions therapist using distance learning technologies. Finding qualified teachers can be challenging for rural communities. Finding speech,… [Read More]
South Dakota
Distance LearningTechnologyTelecommunications
HCCH Inspection Team wearing reflective hard hat

Expanded Healthcare will Increase Access to Care and Create Jobs in Bethany, Missouri

Big things are happening in Harrison County, and the new Harrison County Community Hospital (HCCH) facility is just the beginning of a transformational era for Harrison and surrounding counties.In the heart of Bethany, Missouri, nestled halfway between Kansas City and Des Moines… [Read More]
Missouri
Community FacilitiesHealth Care
Midwest Medical Center building

New Design Opens the Door to Improved Patient Care at Midwest Medical Center

A well-preserved 19th-century small town in northwest Illinois has a hidden gem. The Midwest Medical Center in Galena provides care close to home to its neighbors. The Center is classified as a ‘necessary provider due to its critical access status in a rural area. Visitors to… [Read More]
Illinois
Health Care
A family stands outside their home.

Home Means Nevada : USDA Rural Development Nevada is Helping Nevadans Achieve Their Dreams

Nevada has had over a century of continuous population growth, creating a unique set of challenges in the housing space. Since 2010, Nevada has experienced a 17% increase in residents, outpacing national trends. The cost of living has increased exponentially, with the average… [Read More]
Nevada
Homeownership
City Hall of Hawarden, Iowa

USDA Rural Development Helps Northwest Iowa Community Recover from Last Summer's Flooding

In 2008, the city of Hawarden in Sioux County, Iowa, established a revolving loan fund (RLF) utilizing funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. In far northwestern Iowa, Hawarden, population 2,700,… [Read More]
Iowa
Small Business
Marshall Browning Hospital Rehabilitation Center_1

USDA Rural Development Provides Grant to Expand Marshall Browning Hospital’s New Rehabilitation Center

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development provided a $1 million Community Facilities Emergency Rural Health Care Grant to help fund the recent rehabilitation center expansion at the Marshall Browning Hospital (MBH) in Du Quoin, Illinois. The 7,700-square-foot… [Read More]
Illinois
Community FacilitiesGrantsHealth Care

Additional Success Stories