Montgomery, Ala., August 9, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced today that the USDA is investing $495,055 in grants to support entrepreneurs and businesses in 5 different counties in rural Alabama, creating approximately 235 jobs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in rural Alabama,” Acting Alabama State Director for Rural Development Allen Bowen said. “Rural Alabamians and people across rural America depend on our small, ‘mom-and-pop’ businesses to provide goods and services for everyday life. Through programs such as the Rural Business Development Grant Program, we can help America’s rural businesses to recover and help our rural communities to build back better and stronger than ever before.”
Background:
USDA is funding 4 projects through the Rural Business Development Grant program in Alabama. This program is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. These projects are:
- In Butler County, USDA’s investment of $99,000 will be used by the Butler County Commission to establish a revolving loan fund to assist entrepreneurs. This new fund will help new and existing entrepreneurial businesses in Butler County by establishing a revolving loan program that can be used to provide additional capital for businesses to cover additional expenses, and to grow.
- In Lamar County, USDA’s investment of $163,000 will be used to attract a new industry to the city of Sulligent. The funds will be used by Sulligent to purchase machinery and equipment for a new business facility, which will then be leased to Resource Fiber LLC, a manufacturer of bamboo products. Through this investment, approximately 111 jobs will be attracted to Sulligent.
- In Perry and Jackson counties, USDA’s investment of $19,199 will be used by Main Street Alabama to develop branding assets for the city of Marion and the city of Scottsboro to develop branding and marketing plans in order to increase interest in both city's downtown areas, benefiting small businesses located in both town’s downtown core. The funds will be used to hire consultants to work with businesses located in the cities, with an aim toward marketing establishments located in the downtown area. This exposure will help small and emerging businesses, will attract shoppers to both of these downtown areas, and will further economic development in both of these areas.
- In Macon county, USDA’s investment of $213,856 will be used to construct an access road in a new business development area in the city of Tuskegee, with immediate access to Interstate 85. This access road, to be named Airman Legacy Drive after the famed Tuskegee Airmen, will bring access to newly opened businesses which will provide essential services to the citizens of Tuskegee, as well as Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 81 travelers. This project is anticipated to help create approximately 100 new jobs, and will assist in keeping tourism dollars generated by nearby historic landmarks in Tuskegee.
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. To learn more, visit www.rd.usda.gov/al.
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