Are you interested in buying your first home but don’t have any money saved for a down payment? Do you want to expand your business? Does your community need a new ambulance? USDA Rural Development can be a go-to agency for a large share of federal assistance in Rural America.
Nebraska State Director Maxine Moul said, “Rural Development’s mission is to assist in growing our rural communities, create and maintain jobs and increase economic opportunity.”
Rural Development has prided itself in having programs that can build a community from the ground up. In fact, USDA Rural Development has more than 40 programs available to rural communities for housing, business programs, energy efficiency, community programs, community water and waste, telecommunications, broadband and others. Nebraska has a population of nearly 1.9 million and approximately 897,000 residents live in rural Nebraska.
The following is a quick overview of programs that Rural Development offers:
Rural Development Housing Programs provide for:
- Affordable home ownership opportunities with no down payment.
- Guaranteed home loans that are available through approved lenders.
- Direct home loans that can provide an interest rate subsidy as low as 1% for eligible families.
- Home repair loans that are available for qualifying owner occupied households to repair, improve or modernize their homes.
- Grants that are available to elderly homeowners age 62 or older who are very-low-income and unable to afford repayment of a repair loan, for removal of health and safety hazards.
- Rural rental housing that is affordable.
Housing Programs are available in all Nebraska communities with the exceptions of Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lincoln, North Platte, Omaha and South Sioux City/Dakota City.
Rural Development’s Community Programs provide affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural communities with less than 20,000 population. Examples include:
- Health care facilities--hospitals, medical and dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
- Public facilities--town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements.
- Community support services--child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.
- Public safety services--fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
- Educational services--museums, libraries or private schools.
- Utility services--telemedicine or distance learning equipment.
- Local food systems--community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.
Community Programs are available in all Nebraska communities with the exceptions of Columbus, Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lincoln, Norfolk, North Platte, and Omaha.
Communities with populations under 10,000 can be assisted with long-term loans for water and waste water projects.
Rural Development’s Business Programs are available in communities up to 50,000 population.
The Business and Industry guaranteed loan program bolsters the existing private credit structure by guaranteeing loans for rural businesses, allowing private lenders to extend more credit than they typically could. Eligible uses include but are not limited to:
- Business conversion, enlargement, repair, modernization, or development.
- Purchase and development of land, easements, rights-of-way, buildings, or facilities.
- Purchase of equipment, leasehold improvements, machinery, supplies, or inventory.
- Debt refinancing when new jobs will be created and other conditions are met.
- Business and industrial acquisitions when the loan will keep the business from closing and/or save or create jobs.
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) assists small businesses and farmers with energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects.
Business Programs also offers grants and loans to assist economic development groups in establishing revolving loan funds and providing technical assistance to small and emerging businesses.
This highlights a few of Rural Development’s programs. If you have questions or a project you would like to discuss for funding opportunities, contact the Rural Development office nearest you. You can locate an office by visiting: http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices/ne.
Visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs for information on all of Rural Development’s programs
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.