The Value-Added Producer Grant or VAPG program can help emerging industries take the next steps to becoming viable and expand their markets.

Just ask Drew Oberholtzer, the co-founder of Coexist Build, which was the 2021 recipient of a VAPG for hemp blocks. Coexist, located in Blandon, Berks County, Pa., used a grant of $49,135 to process and test hemp blocks for the construction industry. 

USDA Rural Development awarded a Community Facilities Grant worth $133,200 to a childcare center in Rensselaer, Indiana. This grant will fund Appletree Rensselaer, a licensed childcare center providing services to 72 children between six weeks and five years old. The center will cater to a community that previously did not have access to licensed childcare services.

Patrick Johnson had always envisioned a day when he could own a home, but he felt that it was beyond his reach due to his circumstances as a renter. However, during a conversation with a close friend who resided in a USDA self-help home, Patrick became aware of a program that could help him achieve his dream.

With the support of the Warrick County Habitat for Humanity Restore and USDA Rural Development Indiana, Patrick secured a loan and began constructing his new home. The feeling of joy and pride that he experienced when he finally became a homeowner was indescribable.

Scott Le

Rush Memorial Hospital is at the heart of the close-knit community of Rushville, Indiana. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the hospital faced unprecedented challenges, but they rose to the occasion and worked tirelessly to provide the medical care that their community needed.

In 2017, Union City, Indiana, started working on a project to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility. A visit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management revealed that the city's treatment facility was not in compliance with several health and sanitation policies, prompting the need for improvements. After a long and arduous journey, the city secured a loan of $8,344,000 and a grant of $4,685,000 from the USDA Rural Development for the Water and Waste Disposal Project. This was a much-needed relief for the city and a huge victory for everyone involved.

On Friday, December 15, 2023; we made Christmas wishes come true for more than 1,100 K-8 students, faculty, and staff at Jonesborough K-8 Elementary School. The elementary school hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand new 147,000 square foot K-8 school. The Town of Jonesborough received more than $42 million in Community Facilities loans to construct this new building.

When team at the Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) polled area businesses, they heard a consistent message. Asked what they needed to thrive, business owners made it clear. They were looking for more training opportunities and resources right in the community. Washington County, Maine (often called “Sunrise County,” as the eastern most county in the continental U.S.) has seen some difficult economic changes over the last decade or two.