Funding Will Increase Access to Health Care, Education and Public Safety for the People Who Call Rural Communities Home
COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 26, 2022 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director for South Carolina Dr. Saundra Glover today announced that USDA is investing $73.7 million to build and improve critical community facilities in South Carolina. This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural communities.
“Essential community infrastructure is important for rural South Carolina,” Glover said. “These projects will ensure that these areas will enjoy the same basic quality of life and services enjoyed by urban areas and provide much needed access for residents living in those areas. When we invest in rural America, we help create jobs in those rural communities, improve the basic infrastructure needs for those residents and help develop and sustain the overall quality of life.
Glover highlighted 54 projects that USDA is making in three programs that will fund essential community services to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before. These programs include Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants, Community Facilities Loan Guarantees, and Community Facilities Disaster Grants.
This announcement highlights that:
- South Carolina invested over $8.1 million in loans and $1.2 million in grant funding for 33 public safety and community projects across the state.
- There were 18 projects with over $58.6 million in loans and $735,400 in grant funding for education projects that enabled schools to build, renovate, and upgrade their facilities in the state.
- Over $5 million loans and $13,800 in grant funding was invested in three healthcare projects which will improve access to primary and specialty care in our rural communities.
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.
Interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state 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.
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, ensuring access to 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.
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