The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Virginia Rural Development office today announced it has approved a $375,000 low-interest direct loan to Carroll County that will help in purchasing a fire engine for Laurel Fork Volunteer Fire Department
“Laurel Fork Fire Department plays an essential role in keeping Carroll County safe, which is why helping the department become better equipped is important,” said Basil Gooden, Ph.D., Virginia’s USDA Rural Development State Director. “Residents, visitors and the department’s volunteers deserve facilities that will help the area remain a safe place to live, work and play for years to come.”
Funding announced today is made available through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, which provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
In 2015, USDA Rural Development in Virginia invested in 37 community facilities projects totaling more than $11 million in loans and grants. Facilities included cultural and educational institutions, public safety buildings and equipment, and health care infrastructure.
Funding of the award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan.
USDA Rural Development in 2015 invested more than $1 billion in rural Virginia through 40 loan, grant and loan guarantee programs in housing, business, agriculture, energy, health care and community facilities. It has employees stationed in 14 offices across the commonwealth to better serve residents where they live and to improve the economy and quality of life in rural Virginia.