USDA Community Facilities in Rural Regions Loans & Grants-Ongoing

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development - US Department of Agriculture grants and loans to USA and territories nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and Tribes located in rural areas to support the development of community facilities. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several days to complete. Eligible uses of funds include constructing, purchasing, and enhancing public and essential community facilities, as well as purchasing equipment and paying related project expenses.

An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

• Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities
• Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements
• Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing
• Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment
• Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools
• Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment
• Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses

Funding priority is determined according to a point system based on population, median household income:

• Small communities with a population of 5,500 or less
• Low-income communities having a median household income below 80% of the state nonmetropolitan median household income

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