Claeys Announces $294.2 Million Invested Across West Virginia Communities

(Morgantown, W. VA., March 12, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Rural Business & Cooperative Services Administrator J.R. Claeys and West Virginia State Director John Reisenweber sat down with business and economic partners today to discuss the state’s strong economy, and potential for growth. 

(Des Moines, Iowa, March 11, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Iowa State Director Michael Sexton today participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at the worksite for Guthrie County Hospital’s expansion and renovation. Last August, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Department would lend the hospital $37 million through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Guaranteed Loans program to help make the project possible.

(Columbus, Ohio, March 9, 2026) - U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Ohio State Director Charles Tassell today presented a $345,000 check to the Village of McArthur to purchase a new mini-pumper fire truck. The Village of McArthur’s Mayor Steve Hammond and McArthur Fire Department Chief Evan Knox were on hand to accept the check on behalf of the village. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Michigan State Director Dom Restuccia has closed a $6,960,000 loan for sewer system upgrades with the Village of Vicksburg in Kalamazoo County.

A $7 Million Loan from Rural Development Will Fund Neuse Charter School Expansion

(Smithfield, N.C., March 9, 2026) — As part of its commitment to strengthening rural communities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is investing $7 million through its Community Facilities Loan Program to expand Neuse Charter School in Smithfield, North Carolina.

Project Description: Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative (Flint Hills REC), located in Council Grove, Kansas, has been awarded a New ERA Grant through the USDA Rural Utility Service (RUS) for the construction of a 1 MW solar farm.

Area Footprint (in acres) – In total, the Project area encompasses approximately 15 acres. 
Project Submittal Date: January 2026
Project Approval Date: 3/4/2026
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

(Tazewell, Tenn., February 27, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Tennessee State Director Patrick Jaynes today announced a $982,670 Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant with Claiborne County Board of Education. This investment in modern distance learning technology will expand educational opportunities for rural students in Claiborne County. 

(Huntsville, Tenn., February 27, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Tennessee State Director Patrick Jaynes today announced a $38,000 Community Facilities grant for the town of Huntsville to purchase a new skid steer. 

The skid steer will support maintenance of the town’s water and wastewater systems as well as park services, significantly improving the efficiency of both departments. 

(LaFollette, Tenn., February 27, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Tennessee State Director Patrick Jaynes today announced a $49,000 Community Facilities Persistent Poverty Grant to the Campbell County Rural Fire Service for the purchase of a new brush truck. 

For many rural homeowners on a fixed income, a leaking roof or a failing furnace is more than an inconvenience, it can be life altering. The USDA Rural Development Home Repair Program can help with these situations and provide a critical lifeline for homeowners through low-interest loans and grants to modernize homes and remove health and safety hazards.