STEVENS POINT, Wis, March 25, 2019 – Wisconsin Rural Development State Director Frank Frassetto announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing funds to build or improve community facilities and essential services through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program.
“Rural prosperity and economic development are our priorities,” Frassetto said. “This project demonstrates our commitment to improve the quality of life and help ensure that Wisconsin’s rural communities continue to thrive.”
In Wisconsin, The Hunger Prevention Council of Pierce County, Inc. will use $127,000 to purchase and improve a facility that will house a food pantry in Ellsworth. The pantry provides healthy and nutritious foods to the community. It will include an outdoor space with raised garden beds that will be used to teach community members how to grow healthy foods.
This funding helps rural small towns, cities and communities make infrastructure improvements and provide essential facilities such as public schools, libraries, courthouses, public safety facilities, hospitals, colleges and day care centers. More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally and state-recognized Native American tribes. Applicants and projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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 http://www.rd.usda.gov/wi.
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