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Success Stories

Investing in Wastewater Infrastructure is Key to Preserving Smith Island, Maryland

For the people living on Smith Island, the water matters. But it’s about more than the beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay from the picturesque island ten miles from the mainland. The multi‐generational residents depend on the surrounding Chesapeake Bay for their livelihoods. For many, crabbing, oystering, and ecotourism are what puts dollars in their bank accounts, and food on their tables. In rural communities…

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Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 154 Stories
Logo for Appletree Rensselaer, Indiana

Appletree Rensselaer: Bringing Smiles to Little Faces in Indiana

USDA Rural Development awarded a Community Facilities Grant worth $133,200 to a childcare center in Rensselaer, Indiana. This grant will fund Appletree Rensselaer, a licensed childcare center providing services to 72 children between six weeks and five years old. The center will… [Read More]
Jonesborough K-8 Elementary School Ribbon Cutting

Happy Holidays Jonesborough!

On Friday, December 15, 2023; we made Christmas wishes come true for more than 1,100 K-8 students, faculty, and staff at Jonesborough K-8 Elementary School. The elementary school hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand new 147,000 square foot K-8 school. The Town of… [Read More]
Photo of a freshly paved East Washington Street in Gillett, Wisconsin

City of Gillett Paves the Way for State Highway Reconstruction

Whether we like it or not, orange barrel season is right around the corner in Wisconsin. Roads across the state will soon come under construction and orange barrels will pop up like bulbs in the garden. Depending on the type of project, communities can prepare in advance for… [Read More]
A woman with a bag walks towards the door of a newly built childcare center.

Lasting Legacy: How a Vision for Childcare Was Built in Griswold, Iowa

Since 1869, the Noble Center United Methodist Church stood on a hill at the corner of Highway 71 and Victoria Road in Noble Township, Cass County, Iowa. Four years ago, the last remaining members gathered. “We had to make final decisions on where and how to gift the remaining… [Read More]
Cane Bay Fire Station

A Significant Milestone for the Community

Whitesville Rural Volunteer Fire Department has received $3,300,000 through the USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program to construct the new Cane Bay Fire Station in Berkeley County's Cane Bay community. Berkeley County, known for its rapid growth, houses over… [Read More]
The Moulton volunteer fire department station with the US flag flying in front of in lies along the main street in town.

Moulton, Iowa, Modernizes Fire Department

In the southernmost tier of Iowa counties lies the quiet town of Moulton in Appanoose County. Far from an urban area, the town, population 607, is small, but offers several convenient services along Main Street. The local telecommunications company, Moulton city hall, and a… [Read More]
A group of adults sit in a community meeting room, listening to a speaker. Several members of the audience have their hands raised to ask a question.

USDA Rural Development Helps Rural School District Provide More than Education to Communities

In the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley lies a remote area sparsely dotted with unincorporated towns. Each town is small, where most of the residents are Latino farmworkers and low-income, and where community resources are limited. In lieu of a local government, the… [Read More]
Librarians present and past, Tina Peterson (L) and Kathleen Schreiber (R) in Harlowton's Library.

Local Library “More than Just Books” for Rural Montana Town

“The Light Lies on the Farther Hills,” was the motto of the Harlowton Women’s Club at is founding in 1921. The club’s first project was to establish a public library for the town to “stimulate intellectual development and promote fellowship.” That same year, the Harlowton… [Read More]
Bennett County Hospital

What if the ambulance never comes?

Audio file Your browser does not support the audio element. What-if-the-ambulance-never-comes-Bennett-County-Hospital.mp3 Download files: What-if-the-ambulance-never-comes-Bennett-County-Hospital.mp3… [Read More]
A picture of Barbour County Deputy Sheriff's wearing their new body cameras and standing in front of their new cruisers.

Barbour County Sheriff's Department and USDA: Partners in Prosperity

At USDA Rural Development West Virginia, we are advocates for, investors in, and partners to rural communities and the people, businesses, local governments, and organizations within those communities. We’re here to help rural communities overcome obstacles and work with them to… [Read More]