Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this month announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding more than $4 million in grants to 23 organizations to support rural economic development projects. In Virginia, $150,000 will go to Habitat for Humanity Virginia.
Secretary Vilsack also announced that USDA is seeking applications for the next round of program funding. The awards and the request for applications are being provided through the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. RCDI provides funding to help non-profit housing and community development organizations support housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural areas. Applications are due July 22.
"The latest Census data show that last year, rural America's population grew at the fastest rate since 2010," Vilsack said. "USDA stands ready to help rural communities create jobs and continue to be a place where people want to raise their families. We have seen time and again that our community investments are most successful when we partner with folks already embedded in the local fabric. These grants will help bring jobs to our rural small towns, with USDA providing funding and technical assistance to help launch business and development projects specifically tailored to the needs of each local and regional area."
Habitat for Humanity Virginia will use RCDI funds to train Habitat organizations across Virginia in rehabilitating homes as an alternative to their traditional model of building from the ground up. Increasing rural Habitats’ capacities to rehab homes and provide critical home repair to existing homes is a logical organizational evolution and will greatly increase capacity to serve more low-income families in rural Virginia.
In 2011, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development used a $200,000 RCDI grant to help the Virginia Growth Alliance launch a regional community development initiative. The project focused on capitalizing on unique assets such as historic downtowns, natural beauty, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, and history. The Alliance is a consortium of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Greenville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, and Nottaway counties and the city of Emporia.
RCDI grants are not provided directly to businesses or individuals. Instead, awards are provided to public or non-profit intermediaries that are locally-based and skilled in business development and job creation. Recipients must obtain matching funds, which doubles the impact of the grants. For additional information and application details, see page 32277 of the May 23 Federal Register. Interested parties in Virginia may also contact Barbara Hodges, USDA Rural Development community programs specialist, at 804-287-1601 or barbara.hodges@va.usda.gov.
Funding for recipients announced today is contingent upon the grantee meeting the terms of the grant agreement.
USDA Rural Development in 2015 invested more than $1 billion in rural Virginia through 40 loan, grant and loan guarantee programs in housing, business, agriculture, energy, health care and community facilities. It has employees stationed in 14 offices across the commonwealth to better serve residents where they live and to improve the economy and quality of life in rural Virginia.