Health Clinics and Public Safety Equipment Will Benefit More Than 16,000 People and Help Iowa Communities Thrive
DES MOINES, April 2, 2020 – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand announced that USDA is investing $65 million to improve critical community facilities (PDF, 154 KB) to benefit more than 600,000 rural residents in 14 states. Three of the projects, receiving a total of $43.4 million, are improving community facilities for more than 16,000 rural Iowans.
“Access to modern community facilities and essential services is critical for growth and prosperity in rural communities,” Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner with rural communities to provide essential services, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
USDA is funding 38 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used for purposes such as building or upgrading schools, libraries, clinics, and public safety facilities.
“USDA Rural Development is proud to partner on these transformative Community Facilities projects in Sioux Center, Denison, and Brayton,” said Grant Menke, State Director of USDA Rural Development in Iowa. “From hospitals to assisted-living facilities, to winter weather preparedness projects, our team stands ready to work together with rural Iowa communities to help them meet their needs, achieve their goals, and improve quality of life for their people.”
The projects in Iowa are:
- Sioux Center Health in Iowa will use a $25 million loan to expand its clinic and senior-living facilities. The clinic will add 18 exam rooms, a family practice and support space for specialty physicians. A Main Street addition will be built to include a kitchen, dining room, café, salon, bank, post office and theater area. The nursing facility will add 32 units. The assisted-living facility will update garages and common areas, add a new main entrance, and add 24 assisted-living and 16 memory-care units.
- Eventide Lutheran Home for the Aged, Missouri Synod will use an $18.3 million loan to make improvements to the Eventide campus. An 84-bed skilled nursing facility will be constructed, and 16 beds for memory care support will be added to the assisted-living facility. This project will improve health care options for rural Iowans.
- City of Brayton will use $51,000 in loan and grant to purchase a skid loader and attachments such as a snow pusher, salt and sand applicator, and bucket for snow removal and maintenance. The city does not currently have adequate snow removal equipment. These new pieces of equipment will make snow removal more efficient and allow residents to travel safely during winter weather.
Brand announced projects today in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
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.
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.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Contact USDA Rural Development
Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/ia or by calling (515) 284-4663.
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.