In the shadow of central Montana’s Crazy Mountains sits Wilsall, a picturesque community of 200 rural residents who – with a little help from USDA Rural Development – now have a safe, reliable water supply.

Nearly six years ago, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) mandated improvements to address nitrate contamination and ensure Wilsall’s two wells met water quality and safety standards. For the last few years, only one of the two wells has been operable. 

Hand-me-downs are a right of passage in many large families but aren’t a great approach to public safety in rural communities. The Alberta Volunteer Fire Department was making do with engines procured from nearby communities when the nonprofit decided to pump the brakes on costly repairs.

When we turn on the water faucet in our homes, most of us take for granted that water will pour out. It seems almost unimaginable to think that there might be a time when water would not flow. But three years ago, this situation became a reality for residents of a small community just south of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

While modern homes have been equipped with circuit breaker-style electrical panels for decades, many older homes may still have screw-in fuse panels that were commonplace from the early-to-mid 20th century. Jeannie Feickert’s home in Leola was one such home.

For the last 20 years, one small New Jersey town nestled along the bank of the Delaware River spends an entire weekend preparing for something you’d pull out of an adventure book – an all-out Viking invasion.

Hundreds of locals line the water’s edge as the river’s current guides hordes of homemade boats, each packed full of shouting passengers covered in face paint and body armor, toward civilization. And slowly, before they reach their destination -- the boats begin to sink.

All of them, one by one. It’s inevitable.

Ever since moving pictures began, Main Street U.S.A.’s neon-lighted movie theaters have provided a beloved escape for small town residents.

As Rosebud County’s only theater, the Roxy has been a cultural mainstay ever since it replaced Forsyth’s old silent film theater back in 1930.

Owner Michael Blakesley’s history with the Roxy doesn’t go back quite that far; he started working as a projectionist there in 1975 and bought the theater with his brother-in-law four years later. He became the sole owner in 1992 after his brother-in-law moved to Havre. 

Little did lifelong animal lover Stephanie Smotherman know her affinity for critters would lead to a barnyard full of animals and a thriving small business in the rural eastern community of Jordan. 

Named for daughters Brook and Belle, BB Farms and Soap Company produces “Made in Montana” lotions, soaps, and lip balms using goat’s milk.

Alternus Energy Americas Inc. (Alternus) is applying for financial assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for the development of a solar farm located in Loudon, Loudon County, Tennessee. 

Environmental Assessment

In May 2022, Tim and CJ Wyman thought all might be lost when the Yellowstone River crested its banks, flooding their modest Fromberg neighborhood. 

This 100-year flood event wreaked havoc up and down their quiet street, and if not for a grant from USDA, they might have had to abandon their home of more than 15 years.

“We saw cars, trailers, and cattle sheds floating in the river, and I felt bad for the farmers and ranchers because it tore down fences and their cattle were everywhere,” said Tim.

Spend time with anyone involved in economic development in rural Kentucky, and you’ll hear different ideas about what will bring meaningful prosperity to the region. Some hang their hat on recreation activities like motorsports and responsible use of natural resources (activities like hiking, biking, camping, hunting, and fishing). Others point to traditional manufacturing and industry as the solution. One idea that’s gaining more and more traction revolves around the so-called digital economy and tech-based jobs.