DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 28, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $871 million to improve critical community facilities to benefit 3.5 million rural residents in 43 states and Guam.
“Rural America needs safe, modern community infrastructure to help residents and businesses achieve greater prosperity and have access to essential services,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner to rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Background:
USDA is funding 256 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. These investments will be for such purposes as to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities. Listed are the three investments in Iowa:
· Sioux Center Health will use a $25 million loan to update and add to the hospital's clinics and elder living facilities. The project will expand the clinic by adding 18 exam rooms and support space for family practice and specialty physicians; construct a retail building for durable medical equipment, occupational health and space for visiting physicians; construct an addition to the skilled nursing facility to add 32 units; and construct an addition to the assisted living facility to add 16 memory care and 24 assisted living units, update the main entrance, and add garages and common areas. These updates will help the hospital to better assist their clients and the community, and provide quality-of-life improvements for rural Iowans.
· The city of Clarinda and Clarinda Regional Health Center will use a $9.5 million loan to assist with the cost of constructing a new outpatient therapy facility. Funds will also be used to cover the cost of constructing a new addition and renovating the existing critical access hospital for surgery, pharmacy, imaging, clinics and emergency departments. Equipment and furnishings will also be purchased as part of this project.
· The Van Buren County Hospital will use a $5 million loan to to assist with a 1,200 square-foot addition and a 4,100 square-foot, major renovation of the emergency department to improve safety, security and privacy. Additional internal renovations within the critical access hospital's existing footprint will allow the rural health clinic to expand by moving the physical therapy/rehab department. Food and nutrition services will be enlarged to accommodate storage and address compliance issues and critical infrastructure will also be replaced including boilers, chiller, domestic hot water and sprinkler systems. This project will allow for efficient, updated medical facilities that provides the necessary health care services to the community of Keosauqua and the surrounding area.
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 their USDA Rural Development state office 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/ia.
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