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Ohio Among 28 States to Benefit from Recent USDA Investments in Rural Community Facilities

Name
Heather Hartley
Phone
City
COLUMBUS
Release Date

U.S. Department of Agriculture Ohio Rural Development State Director David L. Hall today announced Ohio is among 28 states in which USDA is investing $394 million to improve critical community facilities through its Community Facilities Direct Loan Program.

“Ensuring access to modern facilities and the equipment necessary to support essential community services is the mainstay of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s mandate to improve rural quality of life,” said Hall. “Every project is important, whether it’s a snow plow or a police cruiser, or a new firehouse or health and wellness complex. This is what Rural Development does best, and we are proud to be a partner in prosperity for Ohio’s rural communities.” 

In Ohio:

  • The Village of Amsterdam (Jefferson County) will use its combined $50,000 loan and grant to purchase a police cruiser and backhoe. This is the village’s first collaboration with USDA Rural Development.
  • Morgan Township (Morgan County) will use its combined $64,500 loan and grant to finance the purchase of a truck with a salt spreader attachment, helping maintain more than 30 miles of roads in this hilly region of southeast Appalachian Ohio. This is the first collaboration between Morgan Township and USDA Rural Development.
  • The Port William-Liberty Township Joint Fire and Emergency Services District (Clinton County) will use its $1.5 million loan to finance construction of a new building to house its volunteer emergency services department, adding enough additional square footage to include a training area and ample space for equipment storage and maintenance. Previously, USDA and PWLT collaborated on a $228,760 loan and grant to purchase a new medic unit.
  • Muskingum University (Muskingum County) will use its $28 million loan to finance construction of a 119,536 square-foot Health & Wellness Complex, bolstering its focus on healthcare and allied fields – the fastest-growing majors at the university. This is Muskingum University’s third collaboration with USDA Rural Development.

In addition to Ohio, these investments will benefit 1.6 million people in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.

More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities program 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.

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

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 www.rd.usda.gov.