Through a myriad of rural housing, community and business 

programs, Rural Development provides the financing and techn

assistance that makes a difference to communities and citizens 

across our state. Our customer base is diverse: it is the commun

that needs to upgrade its wastewater system to ensure a healthy local environment and econom

is the school teacher who helps shape our children’s future and needs an affordable home; it is 

manufacturer hoping to expand its business and create 10 more good-paying jobs. 

In fiscal year 2002, Rural Development had the opportunity to invest $62,225,043 in New 

Hampshire. When your tax dollars are spent through a Rural Development program, each 

beneficiary must demonstrate their commitment to wisely use these federal resources. Through 

combination of grants, loans and loan guarantees, Rural Development helped low-income

residents, 

non-profit organizations, communities and businesses realize dreams and goals which otherwi

would not have been possible. 

Rural America faces numerous challenges, many of which are mirrored and sometimes magnif

in New Hampshire's backyard. Our partnerships between federal, state and non-profit agencie

and private sector enterprises help us stretch our valuable resources and effect change. For the 

second time, Rural Development recognized a ‘Partner of the Year’, an organization which wo

closely with our agency and staff to make life better wherever we can. This year, AHEAD, In

received the award for their commitment in providing safe and affordable housing to residents 

the North Country. 

I am pleased to share USDA Rural Development’s 2002 Annual Report, highlighting our 

achievements in New Hampshire’s backyard. 

 Sincerely, 

 

 

 JOLINDA H. LA CLAIR 
partnerships we enjoy with AHEAD in the North Country, the New Hampshire Community 

Loan Fund, the Laconia Area Land Trust, Southwest Community Services in Cheshire and 

Sullivan Counties, Tri-County Community Action Program in the North Country and 

Neighborhood Works. 

Home Repairs: For very low-income homeowners who need essential repairs, access 

modifications, or weatherization, we offer 1% loans up to $20,000, and can make grants to 

elderly households based on need and availability. This past year we helped 72 households 

and provided $356,140 in loans and grants to people in need of critical home repairs such as 

furnace and roof replacements. 

Multi-Family Housing: We provided $750,000 in rehabilitation loans for two multi-famil

facilities consisting of 40 units. The Multi-Family Housing staff also made a $1,000,000 loan 

construct and rehab 20 units of a multi-family project in an area designated on the national 

priority list. $5,896,738 was provided in Rental Assistance to 1792 renters across NH. A 

$50,000 Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) was awarded to Southwest Community Services 

in Keene, NH to rehab 20 single family homes in Cheshire County.

Rural Development Staff from New Hampshire

celebrate Homeownership Week by helping

new homeowner Tammy Royea move into and

spruce up her new home. Royea, a single moth

of three, received a Rural Development Housin

Loan in May 2002.
Bear Camp Valley School and Children's

Center in Tamworth, NH received a

$15,540 Community Facility Grant to

make renovations to their building and

parking lot, bringing it into compliance

with the Americans With Disabilities Act..

Community Facility Loans, Grants and Loan Guarantees: In Fiscal Year 2002,

Community Facilities direct and guaranteed loans and grants provided $5,894,954, 225% of

NH's original allocation, for 14 projects including child and adult day care facilities, health

services, and emergency services. Active guaranteed lenders include Meredith Village Saving

Bank, Citizens Bank, Providian Bank, Mascoma Savings Bank and Community Guarantee Ban

Home Again, an assisted living

facility in Northfield, NH, for 

elderly and disabled, received 

$1,035,000 Direct Community

Facility Loan from USDA Rural

Development to purchase and

rehab their building.
Grant to provide technical assistance and education related to waste reduction and recycling. 

Funding from the 2002 Farm Bill was provided to upgrade four community water systems in N

Lisbon received a $523,700 loan and a $751,300 grant to replace old water lines. North Have

received a $1,050,500 loan and a $1,621,500 grant to replace water lines and build a new 80,0

gallon storage tank. Berlin received a $1.2 million loan and a $2.4 million grant to replace old 

water lines and install hydrants. Northumberland received a $468,900 loan and a $979,999 g

for distribution upgrade.

Coulombe Pond Storage is part of 

Berlin Public Water System. The 

of Berlin received $3.6 million to

replace old, undersized water lin

and to install hydrants.

Technical Assistance: Rural Development funding provides free on-site operational assis

and training for rural water and wastewater systems through the Northeast Rural Water Associ

(NeRWA). Rural Development also provides funding support to the Rural Community Assista

Program (RCAP). RCAP provides support to existing and potential water/wastewater and soli

waste systems with project development issues such as forming Fire Districts, public education 

income surveys.
Grant Activities: Rural Development awarded five Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RB

a total of $372,000, 203% of NH original allocation.

Mt Washington Valley Economic Council received 

$46,000 grant to help with the development of Moun

Washington Technology Village, an incubator/resou

center. The incubator will provide space and busine

services including: a revolving loan fund, business 

counseling, business education, workforce developm

and business retention to new, established and emerg

businesses in the region. 

Jac Cuddy, (center) Executive Director of the

Mt. Washington Valley Economic Development

Council, Calvin Hunsicker and Joseph Field of

Emerlyn, a software development company

located at the incubator, look at some of the

technology equipment purchased with the RBEG.

The grant was used to pay approximately 9% of

the overall cost of the project and to install

the telecommunication infrastructure.

Newport Economic Development Corporation received $90,000 to purchase restaurant

equipment at the Eagle Block Building. The restaurant is part of a collaborative effort by seve

organizations to upgrade and expand the use of this historic building and make it the centerpie

of the downtown Newport revitalization.

Rockingham Economic Development Corporation received an $81,370 Rural Business

Enterprise Grant to capitalize their revolving loan fund. Money from this fund was used to

purchase and equip two child care centers in Rockingham County.

.
process takes place in this one machine,

there is a substantial decrease in potential

contamination.

The Women's Rural Entrepreneurial Network (WREN) received a $99,000 Rural Busines

Enterprise Grant to provide technical assistance to local small businesses . WREN offers

business and networking services to women and men both with start-up and established

businesses. Services include workshops on marketing, business development, financial

management and technology applications. Resources such as computers, digital cameras, fax

machines, copiers and other business development equipment are available to their members.

WREN received its third Rural

Business Enterprise Grant from

Rural Development. A portion of

this grant will be used to develop

the WREN Gallery.

A $50,000 Rural Business Opportunity Grant was awarded to the University of New Hamps

This grant, administered by the NH Small Business Development Center (SBDC), will be us

fund a ‘mobile’ business counselor. SBDC delivers technical assistance services to small

businesses from six locations throughout the state. The newly funded ‘mobile’ business couns

position will allow those same services to reach underserved rural businesses by meeting the

business owner at his or her place of business. The counselor, armed with a cell phone and a

laptop computer, will serve Carroll, Coos, and Strafford Counties.
America. USDA

s Rural Development programs are also creating

new opportunities. In 2002, for example, economic grants and lo

provided by USDA helped create or protect more than 150,000 ru

jobs.

As we embark upon a new year, we have a strong agenda and many opportunities to strengthen

America’s rural communities. The Administration will continue to build upon the principles

outlined in our policy publication, “Food and Agricultural Policy: Taking Stock for the New

Century”. Our team at USDA will continue working with all interested parties and build new

coalitions to help families, create jobs and invest in America’s rural sectors.

RD Staff Cares

RD in New Hampshire fielded an

‘all male’ team to participate in

the "MAKING STRIDES Against

Breast Cancer" walk. Their team

collected $2,500 for the cause.
created, home ownership has increased and families and businesses

have been strengthened. New investments and entrepreneurial spirit

will continue to grow, bringing increased opportunity to rural areas.

From fire hydrants to fiber optic cable -- from sewers to symphonies --

USDA Rural Development financial and technical assistance is making a positive difference.

In total, over $12 billion was invested through USDA Rural Development programs in rural

America in Fiscal Year 2002.

We have accomplished much in fiscal year 2002. However, to meet ongoing and future

challenges, USDA Rural Development will focus in 2003 on four critical areas of economic

opportunity:

• Housing - Rural Development has created a Five Star commitment to improving single-fam

housing lending to rural minority families as part of the President’s minority homeownershi

initiative.

• Broadband - Rural Development will implement approximately $1 billion in Broadband

programs.

• Bio-Mass - Rural Development will assist in the development of alternative energy

combustibles to replace petroleum-based products through value-added grants and business 

industry loan guarantees.

• Equity Capital - The Farm Bill provides $44 million in operational assistance grants and $

million in debenture guarantees for the Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP). The RB

will increase the amount of capital available for investment in rural businesses and will prov

technical assistance to these businesses.

Through our collective hard work we will continue to increase the economic opportunities in r

communities and improve the quality of life for all rural Americans.
The four Rural Development Specialists have met with many New Hampshire community

leaders and business entrepreneurs during Fiscal Year 2002. They provide a variety of service

including help with grant writing, business planning, strategic planning, facilitation of

community meetings and resource guidance. Following are examples of the assistance they

have provided:

• Worked with the Pine Mountain School, an all volunteer after-school program run in the

underserved area of Alexandria, providing technical assistance in budgeting, operational pl

development, and grant writing.

• Provided non-profit consulting to Carroll County Health and Home Care Services, helping

the organization develop new services, establish a program budget, cash flow projections an

marketing plan.

• Assisted Jaffrey/Rindge Community Works Group with prioritizing and focusing the resource

and efforts of their volunteers, resulting in the completion of several tasks they had schedule

for the year.

• Assisted the Littleton and Lisbon Main Street Programs with work-flow coordination,

grant writing, parking studies, consumer surveys, downtown inventories, business

collaborations and historic walking tour creation.

• Participated in Community Profiles conducted by the New Hampshire Cooperative Extension

Service throughout New Hampshire.

• Facilitated committee activities

• Provided leadership training
Walpole, NH Office 

11 Industrial Park Drive 

Walpole, NH 03608-9744

Cheshire & Sullivan Counties

Andrea Ansevin-Allen, Rural Development Spec

603-756-3241 603-756-2978 (fax)

Andrea-ansevin.allen@nh.usda.gov

Strafford & Rockingham Counties 

Laura Gibson, Homeownership Specialist

603-756-3230 603-756-2978 (fax)

Laura.gibson@nh.usda.gov

Concord, NH Office

Concord Center, Suite 218 

Box 317, 10 Ferry Street 

Concord, NH 03301-5004

603-223-6000 603-223-6061 (fax)

Merrimack & Hillsborough Counties 

Scott Johnson, Rural Development Specialis

Scott.johnson@nh.usda.gov

Merrimack, Belknap & Hillsborough Counti

James Clary, Homeownership Specialist

James.clary@nh.usda.gov

Epping, NH Office

Telly’s Plaza 

Epping, NH 03042

603-679-4650 603-679-4658 (fax)

Rockingham & Strafford Counties 

Carolyn Chute-Festervan, Homeownership Spec

Carolyn.chute-festervan@nh.usda.gov 

Bethlehem, NH Office

The Cottage at the Rocks 

107 B Glessner Road

Bethlehem, NH 03574

603-444-4874 603-444-4863 (fax)

Coos & Grafton Counties

Mark Koprowski, Rural Development Specialist 

Mark.koprowski@nh.usda.gov

Conway, NH Office

P.O. Box 1020 

51 White Mountain Highway

Conway, NH 03818

603-447-3318 603-447-3304 (fax)

Carroll, Strafford & Belknap Counties 

Anne M. Getchell, Rural Development Specialist 

Anne.getchell@nh.usda.gov

Berlin, NH Office

15 Mount Forist

P.O. Box 330 

Berlin, NH 03570 

603-752-1328 603-752-1354 (fax)

Coos & Carroll Counties 

Nancy L. P. Domina, Homeownership Specialist

Nancy.domina@nh.usda.gov

Woodsville, NH Office

250 Swiftwater Rd., Suite 4 

Woodsville, NH 03785

603-747-2777 603-747-3477 (fax)

Grafton County

Richard Roderick, Homeownership Specialist

Richard.roderick@nh.usda.gov
$62,255,043 Invested in New Hampshire

Rural Development is an Equal Opportunity lender, provider and employer. Federal law prohibits discrimination. 

Complaints of discrimination may be filed with the USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250-9410.