U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced USDA is accepting applications until May 21, 2024, for funding under the ReConnect Program. This is the fifth round of funding under the program, which provides loans and grants to bring high-speed internet to the most remote and difficult-to-serve rural and Tribal communities in America. A total of $700 million is available under four funding categories: Up to $200 million is available for loans. Up to $200 million is available for loan/grant combinations. Up to $150 million is available for gr ..read more

Through REAP Technical Assistance Grants, USDA Rural Development offers hands-on assistance to agricultural producers and small business owners applying for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding, which aims to lower energy costs and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas. This assistance is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. Eligible recipients for these grants include state, Tribal or local governments; colleges and universities; electric cooperatives and utility companies; and nonprofit organizations. Recipients may use the funds to: Help rural agricultural ..read more

Housing continues to be a difficult challenge for rural communities. Often, jobs are unfilled because of a lack of adequate and affordable housing. Attracting builders is a challenge as is an increasing number of units being used as vacation properties. Rikki Epperson Community Rebuilds based in Moab, Utah addresses these challenges by building energy-efficient, affordable homes. The organization has created an innovative social enterprise, building affordable housing by taking several steps to reduce the cost of construction and lowering utility costs. Rikki Epperson is Community Rebuilds’ Ex ..read more

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that USDA is accepting grant applications for community-driven programs that will help create high-wage jobs and new businesses in underserved rural communities. The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) program encourages regional, innovation-driven approaches to economic development by funding job accelerator partnerships in low-income and underserved rural communities. For fiscal year 2024, the program is making approximately $2 million available to partnerships of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of hig ..read more

With the loss of local news media, rural perspectives are at risk of fading away. Several groups in Minnesota are banding together to change that. The United States has lost more than two newspapers per week since 2005, according to Northwestern University’s “State of Local News 2023.”  Over 200 counties around the country do not have a single news source, and most of those communities are rural. Not only does this make critical information more difficult to access, but it also means rural voices are less likely to be heard on both local and national stages.   Recognizing this t ..read more

A community-based organization called the Arkansas Human Development Corporation (AHDC) is bridging resource gaps in rural communities to help small business owners access resources, grow and innovate.   AHDC was founded 52 years ago to provide workforce development services to farm workers displaced by industrialization. Over the years, the organization has expanded into housing development, entrepreneurship resources, health outreach and more. Today it hosts conferences throughout the state to bring rural business owners together so they can network, learn from each other and acces ..read more

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host a series of listening sessions this winter. The agencies invite perspectives on the benefits and challenges of the rapidly increasing levels of clean energy being sited on agricultural lands and in rural communities. USDA and DOE seek feedback directly from a diverse set of stakeholders about what the agencies can do through their leadership, program guidance, or research and information sharing to encourage positive clean energy siting outcomes that benefit farmers, rural Americans, the re ..read more

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced today that it is accepting applications to advance economic development and create jobs for people in rural America. USDA is making this funding available under the Rural Business Development Grant program to support business opportunities or business enterprise projects in rural communities. Organizations eligible to receive funding include rural towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized Tribes, public colleges and non-profit cooperatives. Projects must be consistent with ..read more

The National Rural Grocery Summit Planning Committee is seeking presentation proposals for the National Rural Grocery Summit on June 24-25, 2024 in Montgomery, Ala.   The summit, held every two years, is billed as “the premier networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders.” Past presenters have included grocers, researchers, community leaders and many more. Relevant presentations may include stories of partnership to support rural grocery, innovation in rural food access, approaches to building resilience in a small town st ..read more

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden traveled to Northfield, Minnesota on Nov. 1 to highlight federal investments in Rural America.  During the visit, Biden announced over $5 billion in new investments from his “Investing in America” agenda – including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden, cabinet members, and senior administration officials are visiting rural areas across the country as part of the Investing in Rural America Event Series to highlight how the administration’s investments “are bringing new revenue to farms, increased economic devel ..read more