Projects are in Bartow, Brantley, Dodge, Lincoln, Pike, Taylor, Toombs and Wilkinson Counties
ATHENS, Ga., Aug. 24, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $46 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit 363,000 rural residents in 16 states. This includes nine public safety investments in Georgia.
“Rural America relies on safe, modern community facilities to ensure access to essential services such as education, health care and public safety,” USDA Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Brand announced projects today in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Background:
USDA is funding 44 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities. For example, in Georgia:
- Lincoln County will use a loan and grant to purchase a new ambulance.
- Three communities will use loan and grant funds to purchase public works and fire department vehicles. A rescue brush fire truck in Allentown, a garbage truck for the city of White and a boom truck will be purchased in Lyons.
- Five communities will be assisted with loans and grants to purchase law enforcement vehicles and equipment, the cities are: Butler, Eastman, Hoboken, White and Zebulon.
For more project details see the linked list of projects funded nationwide.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
Interested parties should contact the Georgia Community Programs Division at (706) 546-2171 for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility details. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants a detailed overview of the application process.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs 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 areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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