U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Success Stories

A mother and three daughters pose around a dining room table. There are lace curtains and blue wall in the background and some dishes on the table in the foreground.

“This is Home” – A Family Finds Their Forever Home in Calais, Maine

One of the first rooms Heather Gagne and her daughters began redecorating in their new home is the dining room, shown in the top photo. They have been busy repainting and making other updates. Raising a family in coastal Machias, Maine may sound lovely, but for Heather Gagne recent years proved stressful. There were few housing options in the Downeast community, and Heather was glad to find a rental home to…
Read More

Find Stories

Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 893 Stories
Cindy proudly holds the SOLD sign.

Cindy's Journey to Her Home

Having lived in the small, rural Otoe County community all her life, Cindy Jewell knew that buying a home was something that she wanted to do but she was concerned that her financial situation would be challenging for a conventional loan. Cindy has worked as a hair dresser in… [Read More]
Nebraska
Housing
Well house

Rural Water System Improvements Prove to be Influencer in New Elementary School

The village of Bladen consistently dealt with issues of coliform violations but worked hard and successfully to keep the problem manageable.  The water storage, a 1911 elevated tank, was in need of painting and resurfacing of the interior and exterior along with sanitary… [Read More]
Nebraska
Water
Booster Station

Water System Improvements for the Village of Homer

The village of Homer, is a small town in Northeast  Nebraska located in Dakota County.  The village was experiencing  unaccounted for water reaching nearly 17 percent of the water pumped throughout the system.  Residents in part of the town were not receiving… [Read More]
Nebraska
Water
Photo Chuck's Foodland, Inc.

Small Town Grocery Store Prides Itself on Making Your Shopping Experience the Best it Can Be

Many people in rural communities will agree that having access to a grocery store is very important to the community.  It means easy access to healthy foods, not to mention it provides jobs and tax revenue. A small-town grocery business in Beresford, Chuck’s Foodland, Inc… [Read More]
South Dakota
REAP
Valley Wide Health Clinic

Integrated Health Care comes to Canon City, Colorado

Integrated health care has come to Canon City.  No longer will patients have to travel from location to location to access services, thanks in part to a loan from USDA Rural Development. Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. has been in business since 1976 and has numerous… [Read More]
Colorado
Health Care
Durango Starr KOA

From Oregon to Colorado - USDA Funding Makes Business Possible

Relocating isn't always easy.  Finding a new job and a new home can be challenging.  For Julian and Kachina Starr, it was made a little bit easier with the help of a local lender and the USDA Rural Development Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program.… [Read More]
Colorado
Small Business
Business

Bringing back the Jobs!

Caribbean Crane & Rigging LLC (CCR), is a newly formed entity owned  by Mr. Patrick Vivot. The company was formed to purchase the equipment and will be immediately leased to the Limetree Bay Refinery (LBR). LBR is currently undergoing a $1.3 billion refurbishment of the… [Read More]
Florida and Virgin Islands
Business
Bruce Hanna, owner of Hampton Inn and Suites Roseburg, visits solar panels recently installed on hotel roof.

Rural Hotel Reaps Benefits of Going Green

Guests at most hotels never give a second thought to the roof of the building. But at the Hampton Inn and Suites in the rural town of Roseburg, owner Bruce Hanna is encouraging his guests to learn about the significant environmental impacts being generated out of sight on the… [Read More]
Oregon
REAPRenewable EnergySolar Energy
North wing addition.

Campus Addition for Classroom and Community Cultural Space

The Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC), a federal land grant institution since 1994, serves two tribal nations: the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska at the Macy Campus and the Santee Sioux Nation at the Santee Campus. A third campus site is located in South Sioux City. NICC’s… [Read More]
Nebraska
Community CollegesGrantsTribal
Energy

First Phase of San Felasco Tech City Opens

Mitch Glaeser and Richard Blaser of The Laser Investment Group had a vision of a live-work-play community, with businesses, housing and recreation areas to be run primarily by solar power.  The community would be an environmentally- and tech-friendly development.  San… [Read More]
Florida and Virgin Islands
REAP

Additional Success Stories