JACKSON, Miss., Aug. 22, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Mississippi Dr. Trina N. George today announced a new round of economic development projects to lower costs, create jobs and upgrade critical infrastructure in rural and Tribal communities participating in the Rural Partners Network (RPN).
The Biden-Harris Administration launched the network in April 2022 to ensure people in historically underserved communities receive their fair share of funding from federal agencies. Since then, USDA has provided more than $1 billion to support thousands of economic development projects in RPN communities.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has fought to win unprecedented resources for rural communities, and the Rural Partners Network gets them to the people who need them most,” said Dr. Basil Gooden, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. “These latest investments help ensure every community in this country has clean water and energy, good jobs and a prosperous future.”
“We’ve had great success here in Mississippi, where the Rural Partners Network was launched in Clarksdale two years ago,” said George. “These latest investments in education, small businesses, and community first responders are just a few examples of the work we’ve done to provide equitable access to resources for all Mississippians.”
USDA is awarding approximately $49 million in grants and loans to support 59 economic development projects that will help rural and Tribal communities address immediate needs and create sustainable economic growth. Many of these projects are the direct result of collaboration between community networks and federal RPN staff living and working in the communities.
Projects will lower costs for families and small businesses, create jobs and expand business opportunities. Communities will use funding to transition to clean energy, modernize infrastructure, provide affordable housing and enhance community water and food supplies.
The funding will support RPN communities in nine states and Puerto Rico.
In Mississippi:
- The Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation in Ruleville, MS will use a $2,250,000 investment build a new educational event center to serve as part of a cancer awareness outreach center.
- Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorehead, MS will use a $2,250,000 investment to construct a law enforcement training facility on campus.
- Cottonseed Co-op Corporation in Jonestown, MS will use a $2,650,000 investment to save jobs and buy new equipment that will be used to create cottonseed derivatives such as oil, meal, and other products.
View the full list of investments online.
These investments come a week after the White House announced a memorandum of understanding that formalizes the relationship between government and philanthropy to provide a strategic focus on rural communities that addresses barriers to accessing federal programs with a specific focus on advancing equity and prosperity in rural America. This partnership will enhance RPN’s work by helping communities develop applications, plan projects, and leverage pre-development expenses and matching funds.
Background: Rural Partners Network
Launched in April 2022 and expanded in November 2022, RPN is now active in 36 community networks in 10 states and Puerto Rico.
Community networks receive support from full-time USDA staff who live and work locally. These staff members provide technical assistance based on each community’s needs, helping them navigate federal programs, build relationships and apply for funding. In addition to USDA staff, there are staff at more than 20 other federal agencies dedicated to RPN and making resources across the government easier to access for people in rural communities.
RPN communities also benefit from coordination through other federal efforts such as the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization and President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative and Investing in America agenda. The Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, co-led by the White House Domestic Policy Council and USDA, advises the RPN program and ensures rural voices are heard and reflected in national policies that will benefit all people in rural communities.
For more information on RPN, visit Rural.gov.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery Subscriber Page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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