Funding Will Increase Access to Public Safety for the People Who Call Rural Communities Home
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 1, 2022 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director for Indiana Curtis Johnson today announced that USDA is investing $83,300 to build and improve critical community facilities in rural Indiana. This infrastructure funding will increase access to public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural areas.
“Assisting rural communities with modern infrastructure like the public safety services being announced today is something USDA has long been dedicated to,” Johnson said. “These projects are a great example of how crucial investing in community facilities is, especially for remote, rural areas. USDA looks forward to its continued commitment to the partnerships that help rural America build new opportunities and prosperity.”
Johnson highlighted two projects that USDA is making through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants that will fund essential community services to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before. The projects will finance emergency response vehicles and equipment; build or improve hospitals and clinics and help fund other essential community facilities.
For example:
- The city of Mitchell will use a $33,300 grant through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant program to purchase a law enforcement vehicle. The new vehicle will help to update their aging fleet and add more patrols to increase public safety services for the community’s 4,350 residents.
- The town of Roachdale will use a $50,000 Community Facilities Direct Grant to purchase two SUV law enforcement pursuit vehicles with modern equipment and graphics. The new vehicles will provide more space, increased reliability and additional safety features not available on the department’s current fleet.
Background:
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. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program/wi.
Interested parties should contact their local Indiana Rural Development office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.
Today’s investments are in coordination with USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh’s nationwide announcement that USDA is investing $1 billion to build and improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam.
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/in. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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