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USDA Invests in Arizona Community Infrastructure to Support Rural Health and Safety

Name
Jamie Welch Jaro
Phone
City
Phoenix, AZ
Release Date

PHOENIX, Nov. 19, 2021United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is investing $222 million to build and improve critical community facilities in 44 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. This community infrastructure funding will benefit nearly 2.5 million people in rural communities. It also includes $132 million to support health care, food security, and emergency response services for more than 850,000 rural residents in 37 states.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on its promise to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild our economy,” Torres Small said. “Rural Americans need emergency response, hospitals and medical facilities, and USDA’s loans and grants invest in critical infrastructure to make that possible. USDA Rural Development puts rural people at the forefront of investment and opportunity to help us all build back better, stronger, and more resilient.”

USDA is investing in 536 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The assistance will fund essential community services that will help keep rural America resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects will finance emergency response vehicles and equipment; build or improve hospitals and clinics; and combat food insecurity.

The following projects are awarded in Arizona:

  • The County of Apache will use $81,567 to purchase and install solar lighting equipment for two administration buildings. This project will promote energy efficiency and improve safety conditions.
  • The County of Apache will also use a $81,000 grant to purchase wood cutting and processing equipment to support the Navajo Nation and Fort Apache Indian Reservation elders by providing cut firewood to heat their homes. Owning their own wood cutting equipment allows the county to provide cut firewood earlier in the year and assist 290 elderly families.
  • The County of Apache will use an additional $82,000 to purchase generators in order to supply backup power in the event of emergencies and inclement weather.
  • Tohono O’odham Community College is receiving a $99,975 grant to purchase equipment for a newly constructed wellness center on their main campus in the rural town of Sells, Arizona.
  • Black Canyon Community Health Center Inc. will use a $39,600 to upgrade optical-fiber, internet, and information technology equipment, purchase an automated defibrillator, and renovate the Black Canyon Community Health Center in southern Yavapai County, Arizona. This investment will improve and reinforce the center’s capacity to serve the 2,825 residents of this rural community.  
  • Regional Center for Border Health Inc., a nonprofit care organization, will use a $77,000 loan and $40,000 grant to purchase a single-family home in southwest Arizona for the purpose of providing transitional housing for patients in recovery.
  • Safford Downtown Association will use $90,000 in grant to continue rehabilitation of the historic Safford Theater. These funds will help to complete the stage area and purchase audio and visual equipment. Once complete, the renovated space will support rural business as it draws new clientele to the downtown area.
  • The Town of Parker will use a $38,000 grant to purchase an essential communication system for their law enforcement department. The department will purchase a unified communication system to assist in public safety and first responder coordination, supporting the town of just over 3,000 people.

The investments announced today will support community infrastructure projects in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Background:

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. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program.

 Today’s investments complement the recently announced funding availability under USDA’s Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program, which also is being administered through the Community Facilities program. Through this program, USDA is making up to $500 million available through the American Rescue Plan to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, health care services and nutrition assistance.

 Under the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program, Recovery Grant applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are expended. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/erhc.

 Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. USDA Rural Development is prioritizing projects that will support key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural America build back better and stronger. Key priorities include combating the COVID-19 pandemic; addressing the impacts of climate change; and advancing equity in rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.