USDA Invests $2.6 Million to Improve Community Facilities and Essential Services in Rural Georgia
Funding will Help Provide Public Safety and Improve Emergency Response Services
ATHENS, Ga., June 23, 2021 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson today announced that USDA is investing $185 million to equip, rebuild, and modernize essential services in rural areas of 32 states. The investments will benefit 3 million rural residents. Of this total, $2.6 million is being invested in rural Georgia:
| Program | County | Recipient | Loan Amount | Grant Amount | Purpose |
| CF Disaster | Atkinson | Pearson, city of | $ - | $ 50,000 | Police vehicles |
| CF Disaster | Coffee | Coffee Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | Police vehicles |
| CF, CF Disaster | Dodge | Eastman, city of | $ 119,300 | $ 50,000 | Police vehicles |
| CF, CF Disaster | Dodge | Eastman, city of | $ 13,100 | $ 39,200 | Pick up Truck |
| CF | Habersham | Mt. Airy, town of | $ 21,600 | $ 11,200 | Police vehicle |
| CF Disaster | Jefferson | Wadley, city of | $ - | $ 39,000 | Police vehicle |
| CF | Lamar | Gordon State College | $ - | $ 21,300 | Media arts lab equipment |
| CF, CF Disaster | Laurens | Dexter, town of | $ 14,900 | $ 18,100 | Public Works Vehicles and Equipment |
| CF | Lincoln | Lincoln County BOC | $ 213,200 | $ 100,000 | Police vehicle, Ambulance, Defibrillators |
| CF Disaster | Miller | Miller Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | Admin Dept vehicles |
| CF Disaster | Miller | Miller Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | Police vehicles |
| CF Disaster | Miller | Miller Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | EMS Truck |
| CF Disaster | Miller | Miller Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | Ambulance Power Packs |
| CF Disaster | Miller | Miller Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | Road Dept vehicles |
| CF | Pierce | Patterson, city of | $ 112,300 | $ 50,000 | Public Works Vehicles and Equipment |
| CF | Pike | Zebulon, city of | $ 60,100 | $ 49,900 | Police Vehicle |
| CF, CF Disaster | Quitman | Georgetown, unified govt | $ 207,500 | $ 50,000 | Firetruck |
| CF | Rabun | Dillard, city of | $ 15,000 | $ 8,000 | Police vehicle |
| CF Disaster | Screven | Hiltonia, city of | $ - | $ 33,000 | Police vehicle |
| CF, CF Disaster | Terrell | Dawson, city of | $ 109,500 | $ 50,000 | Police vehicle |
| CF, CF Disaster | Twiggs | Twiggs County | $ 274,000 | $ 100,000 | 911 equipment |
| CF | Warren | Warren Co BOC | $ 216,400 | $ 100,000 | Ambulances |
| CF | Warren | Warrenton, city of | $ - | $ 45,000 | Firetruck |
| CF Disaster | Wheeler | Wheeler Co BOC | $ - | $ 5,800 | EMS radio system upgrade |
| CF Disaster | Wheeler | Wheeler Co BOC | $ - | $ 7,000 | Police camera and computers |
| CF Disaster | Worth | Worth Co BOC | $ - | $ 50,000 | 911 equipment |
| CF Disaster | Worth | Sylvester, city of | $ - | $ 50,000 | Police vehicle |
| CF Disaster | Worth | Worth Co BOC | $ - | $ 66,900 | Police vehicle |
Background:
Funding for today’s investments comes from USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.
The Department announced investments in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Below are examples of Georgia’s investments:
• In Twiggs county, a $100,000 grant and a $274,000 loan will be used to purchase E-911 equipment to upgrade their existing outdated system. The equipment will include updated call talking E-911 system, a radio console system, and call accounting software.
• The Warren county Board of Commissioners will receive $216,400 loan and a $100,000 grant from USDA, this Rural Development investment will be used to purchase two ambulances. Warren County does not have a hospital facility so it is imperative they be able to provide emergency services and transportation to the nearest hospital as needed.
• Miller county is receiving five grants of $50,000 each. Funds will be used toward the purchases of gear for ambulances and a number of vehicles for various county departments.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
To learn more about Community Facilities Program funding opportunities, contact a USDA Rural Development state office. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.