Today, a network of partners is being established and fostered to strengthen the eligibility and capacity of other community-based organizations competing for funding so that they can compete for federal funds in the future.
San Juan, September 10, 2024 – USDA Rural Development's State Director for Puerto Rico, Maximiliano J. Trujillo-Ortega, met today with eight nonprofits to join forces for rural community organizations. The Rural Partner Network (RPN) recognizes the immediate need to improve rural communities' access to federal government resources to create economic opportunities, improve infrastructure, and community development. To achieve this goal, the program collaborates and coordinates between federal agencies, government, municipalities, nonprofits, and the private sector.
During the event, Trujillo-Ortega indicated "with this collaboration between USDA – through the RPN Program – we seek to strengthen the capacity building efforts of community-based organizations and other non-profit organizations so that they are able and in a better position to compete and manage federal funds." Today's announcement is just one of the ways USDA has partnered with Puerto Rico organizations to support rural communities. "We are grateful to the organizations that have agreed to be part of this initiative where, among other things, a referral system will be established, information about funding opportunities will be shared and federal agencies will be connected."
The collaboration charter aims to build an ecosystem of diverse helpdesk service providers targeting community groups, farmers, and other nonprofits.
The organizations that are part of the first phase of the collaborative ecosystem are Foundation for Puerto Rico, HASER, Hispanic Access Federation, Institute of Democratic Training RICCE Program, League of Cities, NCBA CLUSA, League of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico and PROCAFÉ.
There are other efforts RPN is pursuing to provide technical assistance resources to prepare rural communities and municipalities to be better positioned to compete for federal funds for their economic and community development projects.
One of these efforts was under the RPN RCDI Program where four grants, totaling one million dollars, will be obligated to intermediary organizations to build capacity and provide technical assistance to municipalities, non-profit or community-based organizations within the fifteen municipalities that make up RPN. The other effort consists of a cooperation agreement between RPN Nacional and the LISC organization, for the contract of the Puerto Rican firm of All-Grants. With this service, a work plan will be implemented until March 2025 that will benefit municipalities and non-profit organizations to provide mentoring and workshops to seek, apply for, and manage federal funds.
The activity of the signing of the collaboration letters is a preamble to the Second Federal Forum to be held on Thursday, September 19, at C3Tec Caguas, entitled Empowering and Strengthening Rural Communities in Puerto Rico. It will bring together federal agencies and non-profit entities to combine panels with a service fair of technical assistance providers.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/pr.
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