WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is awarding $3 million in cooperative agreements to 13 organizations. These organizations will provide technical assistance to people living in rural and Tribal communities so they can apply for and access government resources for projects that will attract jobs and people, rebuild the economy and pave the way for rural America to build back better. In West Virginia, the Conservation fund has been selected to receive funding.
The Department is making the awards under the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC). Placemaking is a collaborative planning and technical assistance process that helps leaders from rural communities create quality places where people will want to live, work, visit and learn.
“Under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, USDA is investing in ways to help people in our nation’s smallest towns and communities access the government funding they need to create more jobs, deploy critical infrastructure, repair their homes or build more and better homes for the community, and so much more,” Torres Small said. “As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on people living in rural places, the Department is targeting resources and leveraging partnerships to enhance the quality of life in rural towns and Tribal areas who need it most. Community and economic development strategies like placemaking are critical to helping the people of rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before.”
USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Alan L. Harris said, “I am pleased USDA Rural Development can make this key investment which supports West Virginia’s vibrant outdoor recreation economy. This effort will contribute to our state’s growing tourism industry while supporting rural businesses and the overall economy in West Virginia.”
In West Virginia, the Conservation Fund will receive a Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge Grant in the amount of $113,000. This Rural Development investment will be used to help the Conservation Fund assist the city of Madison and Boone County in West Virginia engage with USDA Rural Development and other partners to meet community needs and overcome barriers to developing an outdoor recreational economy. The Madison/Boone Resource and Recreation Action Plan will strengthen recreational options and community health, protect natural and cultural resources and enhance the community's character.
Other organizations receiving funding across the country are: Auburn University, Greater Applegate Community Development Corporation, County of Hawaii, Enterprise Center Partners, Kentucky Highlands Center for Development, Multicultural Initiative for Community Advancement (MICA) Group Inc., Bowling Green State University, Foundation for Puerto Rico, Center for Habitat Reconstruction Inc., University of Tennessee, Communities Unlimited, and Housing Assistance Council.
The organizations will work directly with people in rural communities to develop plans that will ensure people have access to high-speed internet in their homes, are able to live in affordable houses, have access to safe and reliable transportation to go to school and work, and more. This assistance will support the communities for up to two years.
USDA will announce in the coming months additional communities that will receive placemaking assistance. For more information, email RD.RPIC@usda.gov, or visit www.rd.usda.gov/rpic.
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. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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