# Presentation: 810131

## 2001:  A Community Development Odyssey

- State of the OCD Union

## A Newly-Consolidated Community Development

- With Plenty of Work to Go Around

## Statutory Authorities

- Rural Development Acts of 1972 & 1980 (7 USC 2204)
- Community Development technical assistance
- Outreach
- Coordination within Executive Branch
- Design tools & systems for removal of impediments to local action

## Statutory Authorities (cont.)

- Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 USC 1921)
- Statewide rural community development strategic planning
- Tribal strategic planning
- Community-level strategic planning technical assistance for small and economically distressed communities

## Statutory Authorities (cont.)

- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993; Taxpayer Relief Act 1997; Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000
- Round I, Round II, and Round III respectively of Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

## Why CD is Important

- Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) includes CD measures
- Overall (BMS data shows impact)
- Value of TA in communities without funding (CCs, REAPs) = $8 million/FTE
- Your SRDC enables RD resource stretching through cross-program collaboration

## CD Program Elements

- RD Community Development Program
- EZ/EC, Champions, REAP Zones
- RCAP Communities
- National RD Partnership/State RD Councils
- National Centers of Excellence/Tribal Colleges

## Community Development Program

- Provide technical assistance to rural communities and tribes
- Administer EZ/EC grants
- Identify emerging rural issues
- Coordinate strategic planning efforts
- Develop and implement community development projects
- Design, maintain and monitor strategy formulation

## CD Program Geography

## EZ/EC Program

- The EZ/EC program works by focusing community efforts on achieving four basic principles:
- Economic Opportunity;
- Sustainable Community Development;
- Community Based Partnerships; and
- Strategic Vision for Change.

## EZ/EC Program Particulars

- 57 communities in 34 states
- Average poverty rate 36%
- $15 million/year Round II grants
- Zone designations end 2009
- Leveraging ratio of 13.3 ($2.2 billion, $950 million Federal Money
- Over 20,000 Jobs Created; 4680 houses constructed or rehabilitated

## Champion Communities

- Invitations to all EZ/EC applicant communities with strong, community-supported strategic plans that are willing to continue implementation with some support from Rural Development (technical assistance & priority points).

## CC Particulars

- 120 communities in 33 states
- Benchmarking their way to success
- RD provides Technical Assistance
- USDA preference points in funding
- 800 jobs created, 144 farmers markets established, 136 new businesses, 53 education programs
- $283 million raised, $118 million Federal money by 66 communities

## REAP Zones

- The Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones are characterized by geographic isolation, low-density settlement patterns, over-dependence on agriculture, population loss, migration, and economic distress that has led to disconnection from markets, suppliers, and centers of information and finance.  They have strategic plans similar to EZ/EC/CC.

## REAP Zones Particulars

- Pilot Program
- 5 communities - 2 each in ND and NY and 1 in Vermont
- Technical Assistance, Priority in funding
- 541 jobs created, 166 houses rehabbed, 1074 new water hookups
- $118 million raised, $50 million Federal

## Communities Produce Dramatic Results in Just Last 12 Months!

- 70 New/Improved Water & Wastewater Systems
- 4,630 New Utility Hookups
- 443 Business Loans Made
- 115 Businesses Started or Attracted
- 20,310 Education Program Participants
- 12,601 Youth Participating in programs

## Communities Produce Dramatic Results in Just Last 12 Months!

- 7,153 Jobs Created or Saved
- 605 Houses Constructed
- 1,313 Houses Rehabilitated
- 7 New Health Care Facilities
- 30 New/Improved Recreation & Tourism Facilities
- 13 Environmental & Natural Resources Projects

## RCAP Communities

- Rural Development has committed to identify and establish a working relationship with a limited number of needy communities which have potential for success, but could profit from technical assistance available from the mission areas and our rural development partners.  These communities are part of the mission area's Rural Community Advancement Program (RCAP).

## RCAP Communities Particulars

- Established - 1996 Farm Bill
- Over 200 small & low-income communities
- RCAPs are designated by each RD State Office
- Priority points in RD funding
- Task Force is developing national guidance

## National Centers of Excellence/ Tribal Colleges Program

- Begun in 1997, NCE is built around one-year cooperative partnerships between ten institutions of higher education, USDA RD State Offices, and rural communities with** **EZ/EC designations.**  **
- NCEs receive $25,000-$50,000 of RD funds to develop/maintain community & economic development projects relevant to their local communities

## NCE/Tribal Colleges Program

- Located in remote rural communities
- Focus is on building capacity
- 26 partnerships created
- $7.58 million leveraged
- 91 grant-writing seminars held
- 1,583 jobs created through business assistance, Zone business directories created

## Regional Initiatives

- Created by Executive Orders
- Southwest Border Initiative
- Federal task force whose mission is to coordinate and better leverage existing Federal efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border
- Central San Joaquin Valley Initiative
- Federal task force whose mission is to coordinate and better leverage existing Federal efforts in California’s central San Joaquin Valley

## National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP)

- NRDP enables rural institutions to work together more productively -- through communication, cooperation, collaboration
- Ultimate aim of NRDP is to improve the quality of life in rural America
- Mechanism is State Rural Development Council (SRDCs)

## SRDC Key Partners

- Federal government
- State government
- Local governments
- Tribal governments
- Private for-profit organizations
- Private non-profit organizations

## SRDC Guidelines

- Participation by any institution with interest in or some responsibility for the state’s rural areas
- No single individual, organization, agency, sector, political party, nor interest group has control

## Community Development Programs -- Summarized

- _Counting up all our various features and programs, CD people work:_
- 21 separate programs or initiatives;
- 8 distinct delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture;
- 11 statutory authorities; and
- 2 Executive Orders.

## Rural Community Development, We Love What We Do!