Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants to help rural communities expand their capacity to access financial resources for economic development.
USDA is making grants available under the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training program. These grants help rural communities with limited resources and staff access USDA funding for essential community facilities.
Eligible recipients are public entities, private nonprofit organizations and federally recognized tribes that have experience in providing technical assistance and training to rural entities. Eligible projects include those involving multi-jurisdictions and collaborations among rural communities.
Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by June 10, 2019, at midnight EDT. Paper applications must be submitted to the applicant’s nearest USDA office by June 17, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Additional information is available on page 12190 of the April 1, 2019, Federal Register.
USDA encourages applications that will support recommendations made in the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB) to help improve life in rural America. Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable economies through strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships and innovation. Key strategies include:
- Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
- Developing the Rural Economy
- Harnessing Technological Innovation
- Supporting a Rural Workforce
- Improving Quality of Life
USDA also encourages applications that will support the Administration’s goal to combat substance use disorder, including opioid misuse, in high-risk rural communities by strengthening the capacity to address prevention, treatment and/or recovery.