USDA Rural Development

2015 PROGRESS REPORT

USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 1 

A Rural Economy Built To Last 

This has been a year of historic accomplishment for the United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), particularly in the area of rural economic and community development. 

In 2015, USDA’s Rural Development (RD) employees across the Nation have continued to 

work closely with partners to drive investment in rural small businesses and entrepreneurs; 

help rural families achieve the dream of homeownership; grow the biobased economy; 

support renewable energy and efficiency; make critical upgrades to electric, water, and 

telecommunications infrastructure; and expand opportunity in rural communities. 

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Rural Development Progress Report outlines our work on behalf of hundreds of thousands of 

projects for individuals, families, farmers and ranchers, rural entrepreneurs and small business owners, municipalities, 

developers, and utility providers in 2015. Since passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, which 

infused billions of dollars into infrastructure and other essential community development projects in small towns 

across the country, and continuing today through innovative programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and executed 

in collaboration with partners across the public and private sectors, Rural Development has targeted much-needed 

investment to rural businesses, projects, and communities. I am pleased to say that in FY 2015, USDA Rural Development 

invested $29.75 billion in nearly 171,000 projects across the Nation. Taken with investments made since FY 2009, USDA 

Rural Development has now invested more than $224 billion in more than 1.2 million projects in rural communities across 

the country over the course of the Administration, including 1.1 million direct loans, guaranteed loans, and grants to 

support housing; 11,931 loans and grants to support community facilities; 10,623 loans and grants to support rural water 

and wastewater services; 2,491 projects to support broadband and rural electric services; and nearly 24,000 projects to 

support rural businesses and entrepreneurship.

The stories in this year’s report illustrate how USDA programs make meaningful, lasting investments in rural communities. 

For instance, Manning, Iowa — population 1,500 — was named Iowa’s small business community of the year by the Small 

Business Administration in 2015, thanks, in part, to USDA Rural Development investments in entrepreneurs and businesses 

in the community. In Pennsylvania, Rural Development Business and Industry investments helped a business move its 

manufacturing back to the United States from China, supporting jobs in the local community. And Rural Development 

investments in broadband have opened up a world of educational, cultural, and commercial opportunities to rural Americans 

who had been on the wrong side of the digital divide.

These are just a few examples of what investments in rural America can mean in real terms for families and businesses 

across the country. USDA is proud to lead the Administration’s effort to drive investment in rural people and places. This 

work truly makes a difference in the lives of the proud men and women who live, work, and raise families in rural America.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Vilsack

Secretary of Agriculture
2 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Strengthening Rural America, 

Town by Town

USDA Rural Development transformed lives in small-town rural America in 2015, as we have 

done throughout our 80-year history.

We are the primary Federal agency responsible for creating opportunities and improving 

the quality of life in rural areas. Today, there are 46 million people living in rural America 

who provide the food, fiber, fuel, and durable goods the rest of the Nation, and the world, 

depend upon. Consequently, the economic well-being of all Americans is indelibly tied to 

rural growth. USDA Rural Development investments nurture that growth to fuel the national 

economy. We are proud to serve the needs of rural people and places to ensure that rural America continues to thrive and to 

drive the economy. Our investments in rural communities run deep — we manage a portfolio of loans and loan guarantees of 

more than $212.9 billion.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, Rural Development invested more than $29.75 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and grants for a 

diverse range of worthwhile projects in rural communities. These investments represent the hard work of our employees who 

strive each day to support the hopes and plans of rural Americans.

For example, we helped grow approximately 12,500 rural businesses through about $1.5 billion in targeted investments. 

I had the great pleasure of meeting and spending time with Ijeoma Uwakwe of Wilson, North Carolina, who today owns 

her own drug store and pharmacy thanks to a Business and Industry loan guarantee from USDA Rural Development and 

lending partner Southern Bank. Uwakwe, originally from Nigeria, exemplifies the American spirit. She pursued two advanced 

degrees while raising four children, no small feat. With USDA’s help, today, as the owner of a small healthcare business, she is 

providing high-quality care to her neighbors in the small rural community of Wilson, where healthcare options, and economic 

resources, are scarce. Her story is just one of many such stories of personal achievements featured in this report, all made 

possible through USDA Rural Development direct action and competitive financing.

On other fronts, we awarded $900 million in direct single-family housing loans and made more than $18.6 billion in loan 

guarantees to provide homes to more than 141,000 families in rural America.

We also celebrated a major housing milestone in partnership with many of you — 50 years of USDA’s Mutual Self-Help 

Housing Program and 50,000 homes built through it. We were honored to raise walls together with families who are putting 

in hard work to build their own homes and achieve the dream of homeownership. Through our multi-family loans and grants 

of $278 million, we helped almost 250,000 households with the construction and rehab of over 10,000 rental housing units.

Through our Community Facilities program, we provided a record level of support — $1.8 billion — to build more than 

970 essential healthcare centers, schools, libraries, public safety facilities, and more across rural America. In the tiny 

agricultural town of Big Sandy, Montana, I visited Big Sandy Activities, a center that helps people who are developmentally 

disabled build skills that allow them to live and work in the community. This nonprofit started in 1975 and used to be run 

out of a garage by only two people; Community Facilities funding helped transform it into a specially designed facility that 

provides a safe and professional learning environment and offers jobs to local residents.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 3 

Delivery of high-speed telecommunications and broadband service is another area where USDA Rural Development has 

shined. Since the start of the Obama Administration and continuing through FY 2015, we have supported new or improved 

telecommunications and broadband service for 2.8 million rural residents, bringing the world to their doorsteps and opening 

the door to global e-commerce for rural businesses.

We are particularly proud that loans under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act Broadband Improvement Program 

have been extremely successful, and offer the potential for exponential rural growth in the future. We have successfully 

invested nearly $3 billion in 254 projects in 45 States and territories to deliver high-speed Internet to rural areas otherwise 

unable to acquire service at competitive rates and terms from the private sector. As companies build out these services, 

260,000 rural households, 17,500 businesses and 1,900 schools, libraries and healthcare facilities have new service.

Other 2015 achievements include improving rural electric infrastructure for 5.5 million customers, protecting the health of 

about 2.3 million rural people though water and wastewater system improvements, and providing more than $343 million 

in guaranteed loans and grants for projects to develop renewable energy sources such as advanced biofuels and to make 

rural farms, ranches, dairies, and rural businesses more energy efficient. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has supported 

President Obama’s strategy to provide energy that’s affordable, clean, and drives innovation through $2.1 billion in strategic 

investments for more than 14,000 energy projects nationwide.

I am proud of the difference that Rural Development makes in the lives of real people. In the time that I’ve been with USDA, 

I’ve witnessed this on a very personal level. I watched the townspeople of Floresville, Texas, turn out in force to launch their 

improved water treatment system. I visited the Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative in Jackson County, Kentucky, which built 

a state-of-the-art broadband network that offers locals the same online economic, educational, and social opportunities as 

those enjoyed by urban residents. Each of these investments in rural communities is an investment in our country’s future.

USDA Rural Development is a lending agency that cares deeply about the rural people and communities we serve. We are 

proud to share these stories and successes with you.

Sincerely,

Lisa Mensah

Under Secretary for USDA Rural Development
4 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Rural Development is a grassroots catalyst for rural economic growth through direct 

financial assistance and partnerships with public and private providers. Affordable direct 

credit from Rural Development makes the difference when private loans are unavailable or 

impractical. And with USDA Rural Development’s backing, private lenders are empowered to 

increase the supply of rural credit even more. Our nationwide network of 400 offices enables 

Rural Development employees to engage directly with local leaders and partners to solve 

problems and explore options for sustainable economic development. Today, our portfolio is 

about $213 billion strong and growing.

USDA Rural Development: 

The Federal Investment Engine for Rural America

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, Rural Development provided 

more than $29.7 billion in direct and guaranteed loans 

and grants for 170,730 awards to rural individuals, 

families, business owners, agricultural producers, and 

communities. Each loan or grant’s effect extended 

not just to its direct beneficiaries, but helped improve 

the quality of life for the entire local community. And 

through technical assistance and partnerships with local 

governments and development agencies, we multiplied 

our impact even more.

Broadband Transforms Rural Lives

Modern high-speed telecommunications are a necessary 

ingredient for prosperity and growth anywhere. 

However, small rural communities, however, largescale infrastructure development can be challenging. 

So USDA Rural Development is partnering with rural 

telecommunications utilities across America to bring highspeed broadband to rural communities, even remote, poor, 

and underserved areas.

USDA Rural Development provided South Texas’ Valley 

Telephone Cooperative, Inc., with $78.5 million through 

the Recovery Act to build a high-speed broadband 

network in 11 small, rural communities where there was 

no broadband and where most people are struggling with 

due to persistent poverty. Today, access to broadband 

is helping to make a difference: In Raymondville, Texas, 

locals are using the fast Internet access at their library to 

apply for jobs and file their taxes, and students and adult 

learners are taking advantage of Web-based education 

programs. In the tiny town of Delmita, Texas (population 

of about 215), the Economy Awards Company is also 

benefitting from the new broadband network. Company 

co-owner Hilario Alvarado says that annual sales have 

grown to more than $500,000 thanks to the broadband 

services from Valley Telephone Cooperative.

Renewable Energy Benefits Rural Places

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), USDA 

Rural Development’s most popular source of renewable 

energy financing, provides loans and grants to agricultural 

producers and rural small businesses to make energy 

efficiency improvements or install renewable energy 

systems. REAP helps farmers, ranchers, and small 

businesses save money on their energy bills, cuts carbon 

pollution, and also helps create or save rural jobs. REAP is 

one of the reasons the number of farms using renewable 

energy production has doubled in the last 5 years. 

USDA Rural Development provided Concord Blue Energy, 

Inc., based in California, with a $5 million REAP loan 

guarantee to develop a renewable energy system in rural 

Apache County, Arizona. 

This innovative project will generate energy from smalldiameter timber, forest slash, and other green plant waste 

which typically is just burned instead of repurposed. 

Processing will generate a byproduct called biochar, 

which can be used as an additive to enrich organic soil.

The bio-based renewable energy system will create 

enough energy to power about 120 households per year.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 5 

Protecting People’s Health, 

Safety, and the Environment 

Good water and sanitary waste systems are a basic 

requirement for health, a clean environment, and 

for encouraging business investment. But building 

modern water and waste systems is often very difficult 

for financially limited rural communities. USDA Rural 

Development is a lifeline in such cases, providing 

technical assistance and financing to build or improve 

drinking water and waste disposal systems in small rural 

communities of 10,000 or fewer people.

Mingo County, in southwest Appalachian West Virginia, 

is an area that has grappled with pervasive poverty for 

decades. USDA is providing targeted assistance there 

through the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity

initiative to combat rural poverty. In FY 2015, Rural 

Development provided the county with more than $1.9 

million for a second phase of construction on the Ben 

Creek water system to extend service to 110 households 

without access to public water. Additionally, the town of 

Gilbert, in Mingo County, received about $1.5 million to 

extend service to 33 homes and small businesses that 

urgently needed safe, reliable water. Rural Development 

provided initial funding to build both municipal water 

systems in prior years. These critical investments to 

start and expand public water systems in Mingo County 

are helping to protect the well-being of residents and 

preserve the natural resources of this economically 

distressed region.

USDA Rural Development: 

A $213 billion rural 

investment engine.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

FISCAL YEAR 2015 FAST FAC TS

Broadband Results

Recovery Act broadband funds is helping 

more than 279,000 rural households, 

businesses, schools, libraries and 

healthcare facilities receive new or better 

broadband service. 

Rural Energy for America Program Results

Over $244 million in REAP funds is 

helping 1,945 farmers, ranchers, and 

rural businesses buy/install renewable 

energy systems and make energy 

efficiency improvements.

Environmental Results

$15 million in grants is helping more 

than 50 very small economically 

distressed communities make 

emergency repairs to their water or 

waste disposal infrastructure.

$70 million in grants is helping 

more than 40 under-served Tribal 

communities, Colonias areas and 

Native Alaskan villages improve water 

and waste systems to protect residents’ 

health and the environment.
6 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Rural Development Programs FY 2009 - FY 2015 Yearly Totals 

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $7,562,165,318 2,805 $1,084,020,173 349 $1,044,112,539 369 $9,690,298,030 3,523

IRP $121,162,073 255 $18,889,403 26 $18,889,610 30 $158,941,086 311

Renewable Energy $720,202,540 11,649 $117,120,533 1,354 $258,748,518 2,675 $1,096,071,591 15,678

Business Grants $207,239,593 2,931 $30,423,439 472 $27,834,362 465 $265,497,394 3,868

REDLG $222,356,557 426 $94,879,524 107 $47,860,985 70 $365,097,066 603

VAPG $83,380,784 616 $16,264,787 146 $45,024,541 364 $144,670,112 1,126

SFH Direct $6,451,521,651 54,595 $809,060,301 6,575 $900,735,248 7,077 $8,161,317,200 68,247

SFH Guaranteed $91,401,130,192 704,561 $19,051,253,068 139,828 $18,623,238,191 134,254 $129,075,621,451 978,643

SFH Repairs $259,694,961 45,550 $42,094,976 7,042 $44,123,370 7,238 $345,913,307 59,830

SFH Self-Help Grants $151,442,295 280 $12,362,875 22 $32,226,125 74 $196,031,295 376

MFH Direct $506,812,217 861 $85,143,917 132 $134,402,756 176 $726,358,890 1,169

MFH Guaranteed $451,057,207 321 $136,162,031 98 $113,912,328 89 $701,131,566 508

Farm Labor Housing $164,981,257 175 $50,595,384 36 $25,766,716 17 $241,343,356 228

Rental Assistance $4,576,633,857 45,521 $1,109,913,034 10,311 $1,088,500,000 10,376 $6,775,046,891 66,208

CF Direct $5,353,765,974 2,943 $929,512,201 418 $1,676,048,368 530 $7,959,326,543 3,891

CF Guaranteed $1,071,411,388 342 $125,610,650 28 $135,455,969 25 $1,332,478,007 395

CF Grants $319,589,160 5,976 $33,672,783 900 $30,059,622 769 $383,321,565 7,645

WWD Direct $6,614,124,089 3,788 $824,364,570 542 $1,105,989,139 566 $8,544,477,798 4,896

WWD Guaranteed $70,944,064 31 $7,248,840 5 $14,673,500 8 $92,866,404 44

WWD Grants $3,538,034,510 4,043 $656,417,510 780 $517,825,144 860 $4,712,277,164 5,683

Telecom $6,363,155,753 1,225 $285,612,608 195 $280,977,675 102 $6,929,746,036 1,522

Electric $28,258,729,889 765 $2,768,319,938 97 $3,398,112,000 107 $34,425,161,827 969

All Other Programs $1,316,067,530 1,616 $240,490,709 287 $189,332,302 4,489 $1,745,890,541 6,392

GRAND TOTAL $165,785,602,858 891,275 $28,529,433,254 169,750 $29,753,849,009 170,730 $224,068,885,121 1,231,755

Rural Development Loan Portfolio as of September 30, 2015

Loan Portfolio # of Loans Amount of Principal Outstanding

DIRECT PORTFOLIO

Housing and Community Facilities

Single Family Housing 284,790 $15,276,645,659

Multi-Family Housing 24,071 $10,785,002,000

Community Facility 5,864 $5,515,017,000

Total Housing & Community Facilities 314,725 $31,576,664,659

Utilities

Water & Waste 16,200 $12,507,893,000

Electric 2,617 $43,127,004,160

Telecommunications 1,387 $4,402,469,153

Total Utilities 20,204 $60,037,366,313

Business and Cooperative

Business Programs 34 $14,825,000

RMAP 111 $29,538,913

Intermediary Relending Program 1,058 $408,046,000

Rural Economic Development 402 $182,744,943

Total Business & Cooperative 1,605 $635,154,856

TOTAL DIRECT PORTFOLIO 336,534 $92,249,185,828

GUARANTEED PORTFOLIO

Housing and Community Facilities

Single Family Housing 942,524 $112,124,987,457

Multi-Family Housing 743 $868,287,756

Community Facility 666 $1,284,964,511

Total Housing & Community Facilities 943,933 $114,278,239,724

Utilities

Water & Waste 77 $112,137,701

Electric/Other 16 $215,834,193

Total Utilities 93 $327,971,894

Business and Cooperative

Business Programs 3,175 $6,095,311,014

Total Business & Cooperative 3,175 $6,095,311,014

TOTAL GUARANTEED PORTFOLIO 947,201 $120,701,522,632

TOTAL LOAN PORTFOLIO 1,283,735 $212,950,708,460

Data tables in the report reflect funding levels for USDA Rural Development programs as of Sept. 30, the close of each respective fiscal year. These figures can be subject to change 

based on de-obligations or other adjustments that may occur after the close of the fiscal year.

6 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 7 

Key to Table Categories and Abbreviations

B&I Business and Industry Loan Guarantees1

IRP Intermediary Relending Program

Renewable Energy Renewable Energy Grants and Loans2

Business Grants Rural Business Enterprise and Rural Business Opportunity Grants

REDLG Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants

VAPG Value-Added Producer Grants

SFH Direct Single-Family Housing Direct Loans

SFH Guaranteed Single-Family Housing Loan Guarantees

SFH Repairs Single-Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants

SFH Self-Help Single-Family Housing Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants

MFH Direct Multi-Family Rural Rental Housing Direct Loans

MFH Guaranteed Multi-Family Housing Loan Guarantees

Farm Labor Housing Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants

Rental Assistance Rental Assistance

CF Direct Community Facilities Direct Loans

CF Guaranteed Community Facilities Loan Guarantees

CF Grants Community Facilities Grants

WWD Direct Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loans

WWD Guaranteed Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees

WWD Grants Water and Waste Disposal Grants

Telecom Telecom Loans and Grants3

Electric Electric Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees

Other Programs All other funding4

Supplemental Information

1 For all loan guarantee programs, Rural Development backs the loans, which are made by private- sector lenders that partner with USDA 

to participate in the programs.

2 Renewable energy awards include Rural Energy for America Program guaranteed loans and grants, Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, 

and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program loans, and payments made under the Repowering Assistance and Advanced 

Biofuels Programs.

3 Telecom includes Farm Bill broadband loans, Recovery Act broadband loans, Community Connect grants, Distance Learning and 

Telemedicine grants, Public Television Digital Transition grants, Telecommunications Infrastructure loans, and 911 access loans.

4 Other programs refers to smaller scale programs: RHS Rural Housing Site Loans, Housing Application Packaging, Individual Water and 

Waste, Technical and Supervisory Assistance, Housing Preservation Grants, Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Revitalization Loans 

and Grants, and Tenant Vouchers; RBS Rural Business Investment and Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Programs, Rural Cooperative 

Development, Delta Health Care Services, and Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants; and RUS Bulk Fuel, High Energy Cost Grant, Rural 

Alaska Village Grant, and Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Programs.
8 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Housing Service (RHS) offers a variety of programs to build 

or improve housing and essential community facilities in rural areas. We offer loans, grants 

and loan guarantees for single- and multi-family housing, child care centers, fire and police 

stations, hospitals, libraries, nursing homes, schools, first responder vehicles and equipment, 

housing for farm laborers, and much more. We also provide technical assistance loans and 

grants in partnership with nonprofit organizations, federally recognized tribes, State and Federal 

government agencies, and local communities. We and our partners are working together to 

ensure that rural America continues to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Rural Housing Service: Creating Homes for Families 

and Rural Community Organizations

RHS Administrator Tony Hernandez in Oklahoma with a new self-help homeowner. 

USDA celebrated 50 years of self-help and 50,000 self-help homes in 2015.

Single-Family Housing Results

In FY 2015, RHS invested $19.5 billion to help more than 

148,500 families with modest incomes buy, refinance, 

or repair their homes through its direct and guaranteed 

single-family housing loan programs, including 28,356 

low- and very low-income borrowers. Since 2009, RHS has 

invested $137.5 billion to support rural homeownership, 

helping more than 1.1 million rural families buy, refinance, 

and maintain homes.

This year, USDA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 

Mutual Self-Help Housing program, a program that 

exemplifies the American dream. Self-help housing 

provides very-low- and low-income families the 

opportunity to build and buy their own homes. In the 

past 50 years, USDA has partnered with more than 100 

nonprofit self-help housing organizations to help 50,000 

rural American families achieve homeownership.

The program provides grants to qualified organizations to 

help them carry out local self-help housing construction 

projects. Grant recipients supervise groups of verylow- and low-income individuals and families as they 

construct their own homes in rural areas. Participants in 

this program contribute most of the construction labor 

required to build each other’s homes. The hard work, 

sweat, and dedication of the soon-to-be homeowners 

reduce construction costs and, when paired with an 

affordable mortgage from RHS, make homeownership 

possible for families that would not otherwise be able to 

have their own homes.

Since the inception of the self-help program, USDA has 

invested nearly $3.5 billion to secure homeownership for 

50,000 families.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 9 

Multi-Family Housing Results

In FY 2015, RHS helped 10,840 families by building or 

renovating about 450 multi-family housing apartment 

complexes in rural areas through $277.2 million in direct 

loans, guaranteed loans, and grants. Additionally, RHS 

provided $1.1 billion in 2015 for rental assistance to help 

248,970 very-low- and low-income rural families pay 

their rent. Since 2009, RHS has invested $8.7 billion to 

offer rental housing opportunities to rural families, senior 

citizens, people with disabilities, and farm laborers and 

their families.

Alturas de Castañer, a small mountainous community in 

Puerto Rico, is home to 24 “agricultores” and their families. 

These agricultores, or farmworkers, work hard year-round 

to grow and produce coffee, bananas, root vegetables, 

and citrus fruits. But the housing available to them 

was often run-down and dilapidated and still relatively 

expensive, until RHS stepped in.

With financing from USDA Rural Development, the 

regional government built an affordable 24-unit 

apartment complex for the farmworkers in Alturas de 

Castañer — the first housing of its kind in Puerto Rico. 

This investment from USDA is helping agricultores from 

the community, like Maria Rodriguez and her husband, 

enjoy affordable, safe housing. USDA Rural Development 

is helping farmworkers and their families realize a better 

future by working with community developers and 

affordable housing advocates to create more communities 

dedicated to the farmworkers who are essential to the 

success of American agriculture.

Community Facilities Results

In FY 2015, RHS served more than 21 million rural 

residents through $1.8 billion in Community Facilities 

direct loans, guaranteed loans, and grants to develop 

essential community facilities such as hospitals, healthcare 

clinics, schools, police and fire stations, food banks, 

and community centers. Since the start of the Obama 

Administration in 2009, the agency has improved the 

quality of life for rural residents by investing $9.6 billion in 

more than 9,000 community infrastructure projects.

USDA Rural Development provided Clarion University, 

in Clarion, Pennsylvania, with a $45 million Community 

Facilities direct loan to help build two new dormitories for 

up to 720 students. They feature modern suites with private 

bathrooms, sleek architectural and interior design, and 

well-appointed laundry facilities. Each room is outfitted for 

Internet and cable access. Additionally, central heat and 

air is provided through an energy-efficient LEEDS-silverstandard (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) 

geothermal heating and cooling system.

USDA Rural Development employees joined town 

and university leaders in September 2015 to celebrate 

completion of the first student residence. The second is 

scheduled to open in January 2016. 

RURAL HOUSING SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR 2015 RESULTS

Single-Family Housing

Over 148,500 families served

$19.5 billion to build, 

repair, and refinance 

Multi-Family Housing

Over 10,840 families served

$277.2 million to build, 

renew, and refinance

Community Facilities

Over 21 million rural residents served

$1.8 billion to build, equip, and modernize
10 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) offers assistance to support 

business development and job training opportunities for rural residents. Our programs help 

provide the capital, technical support, educational opportunities, and entrepreneurial skills 

that can give rural residents the boost they need to start and grow businesses or get jobs in 

agricultural markets and in the bio-based economy. We also support sustainable renewable 

energy development, help develop regional food systems, and help support agricultural and 

other types of cooperative enterprises through financing, education, technical assistance, and 

training. These investments support the Nation’s long-term prosperity by ensuring that rural 

communities are self-sustaining, repopulating, and thriving economically.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service: 

Boosting Businesses for Economic Growth

Business Programs Results

In FY 2015, RBS helped more than 12,500 rural businesses 

through $1.5 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and grants. Since 

the onset of the Obama Administration in 2009, USDA has 

helped more than 103,000 rural businesses start or expand 

their operations through about $10.9 billion in investments.

USDA Rural Development partnered with southern lender 

Community Bank & Trust to help two manufacturing plants 

in Lenoir, North Carolina, expand operations. Each plant 

received a $5 million Business and Industry (B&I) guaranteed 

loan for working capital and equipment. The two facilities 

are subsidiaries of Exela Pharma Sciences, which develops 

and produces specialty ophthalmic pharmaceuticals.

Exela employs more than 100 people at its manufacturing 

plants in Lenoir. As part of its business expansion, Exela 

plans to create about 40 more high-quality jobs at the 

plants, where the average salary is about $48,000 — well 

above typical local wages. Lenoir is located in Caldwell 

County, where the local economy has struggled to 

recover after the furniture industry — formerly the major 

employer in the region — moved manufacturing overseas 

some years ago. This investment is part of USDA’s targeted 

assistance to the county through its StrikeForce initiative 

to combat rural poverty.

Thanks to Exela, USDA, and Community Bank & Trust, 

more opportunities are on the horizon for rural residents 

in this part of western North Carolina.

Energy Programs Results

In 2015, RBS provided more than $343 million in guaranteed 

loans, grants, and advanced biofuels producer payments 

for projects to develop renewable energy sources such as 

advanced biofuels and to make rural farms, ranches, dairies, 

and rural businesses more energy efficient. Since 2009, 

USDA has provided financing and producer payments for 

more than 11,000 energy projects nationwide through 

$2.1 billion in strategic investments to support rural 

businesses and American energy independence.

In 2015, RBS awarded Wellons Farm, LLC, in Johnson 

County, North Carolina, a $4.3 million Rural Energy for 

America Program (REAP) loan guarantee to provide 

financing to install a 6.5 megawatt photo-voltaic solar 

array on the farm.

Once the system is up and running, the solar panel system 

will generate enough energy to power 1,000 averagesized homes per year.

REAP is part of the Obama Administration’s “all-of-theabove” energy strategy to increase the use of renewable 

energy and reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and 

foreign sources of oil. REAP is one of the vehicles that is 

contributing to significant increases in renewable energy 

production on farms across rural America.

USDA and Community Bank & Trust helped two rural North Carolina pharmaceutical 

manufacturing plants increase production. This means more jobs for local workers.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 11 

Cooperative Programs Results

RBS provided approximately $59 million in grants to support 

more than 4,000 businesses and cooperative enterprises. 

Grant award recipients include agricultural producers, 

nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, 

and socially disadvantaged groups. Since FY 2009, RBS has 

helped more than 15,000 farmers, ranchers, and businesses 

through approximately $224 million in awards.

Fifer Orchards, Inc., in Delmar, Delaware, a fourth-generation 

family farm in operation for almost a century, received a 

$200,000 working capital Value-Added Producer Grant 

(VAPG) to expand the local market for its asparagus, 

strawberries, and tomatoes. The company will use the funds 

to increase its marketing efforts and process, package, and 

deliver produce to six grocery stores and its farm-to-school 

customers. The Fifer family expects to increase revenues by 

$528,000 through the VAPG-funded project. 

Community Economic Development Results

Community Economic Development (CED) is a new USDA 

Rural Development effort to combat rural poverty and deliver 

assistance to rural places most in need of the capacity and 

funding to jump-start or sustain economic development. CED 

staff provide hands-on assistance at the local level to connect 

people, programs, and partners to increase economic 

opportunities for rural communities and regions.

In 2015, Rural Development identified 100 target CED rural 

communities, most of which were in persistent-poverty 

counties, and invested a total of $2.13 billion in these areas.

Another significant CED accomplishment in 2015 included 

implementation of a new program, authorized under Section 

6025 of the 2014 Farm Bill, to fund multi-jurisdictional or 

regional development project plans. The goal is to help 

high-poverty rural communities have greater access Rural 

Development funding opportunities. Twenty-five applicants 

received “Regional Development Priority” consideration and 

received a combined total of $13.2 million in assistance.

RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE 

SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR 2015 RESULTS

Business Assistance

Over 12,500 rural businesses assisted

$1.5 billion for business startup, expansion 

Energy Assistance

Over 2,172 energy projects supported

$343 million for renewable energy 

and energy efficiency

Local Foods Assistance

Over 1,400 producers, others assisted

$88 million for local and regional 

food systems

Co-op Assistance

Over 4,000 ag projects supported

$59 million to grow co-ops and 

other businesses in the agricultural, 

energy, and healthcare sectors
12 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) administers programs that finance important infrastructure 

or infrastructure improvements in rural communities. Those include water and waste treatment, 

electric power, and telecommunications services. 

Utilities programs connect rural residents to the global economy by increasing access to 

broadband and 21st century telecommunications services, funding sustainable renewable 

energy development and conservation, financing reliable and affordable electric systems 

and electric smart grid technologies, and developing reliable and affordable rural water and 

wastewater systems. These investments support the Nation’s long-term prosperity by ensuring 

that rural communities have the infrastructure they need to compete in the global economy.

Rural Utilities Service: Strengthening Electric, 

Telecommunications, and Water Infrastructure

Electric Programs Results

In FY 2015, RUS awarded $3.4 billion in electric loans to 

help 5.5 million rural residents receive improved electric 

service. Since the start of the Obama Administration 

in 2009, USDA has invested $34 billion in nearly 1,000 

projects to strengthen rural electric infrastructure systems 

throughout rural America, including more than $1.2 billion 

in renewable energy projects.

North Dakota’s Central Power Electric Cooperative 

received a $46 million loan from USDA to make critical 

infrastructure improvements and expand the capacity 

of its electrical grid to keep up with increasing consumer 

demand for power. Serving more than 56,000 customers 

across 25 counties, Central Power will use the financing 

to build 51 miles of transmission line and make system 

improvements to deliver reliable and affordable 

electricity. The loan also includes $171,000 for digital 

smart grid technology that will make the electric power 

delivery more reliable, cost effective, resilient, flexible, and 

energy efficient.

“With this investment, Central Power will increase output 

while modernizing operations to better serve customers,” 

USDA Rural Development North Dakota State Director 

Ryan Taylor said.

Telecommunications Programs Results

In 2015, RUS awarded $256.6 million to improve 

telecommunications services — including broadband 

delivery, distance learning and telemedicine 

systems, expansion of rural 911 systems, and other 

telecommunications infrastructure — for 2.8 million rural 

customers. Since 2009, USDA has awarded $6.7 billion 

for almost 550 projects to improve telecommunications 

infrastructure in rural communities. This includes 

$2.9 billion through the Recovery Act to build-out 254 

successful broadband projects, and $77.4 million in 

Community Connect grants for 74 broadband projects in 

rural areas that previously did not have broadband service.

In 2011, RUS awarded the Ralls County Electric Cooperative 

a $9.5 million loan through the Recovery Act to build a 

high-speed broadband network in a very rural corner 

of northeast Missouri. One of the customers benefitting 

today from that high-speed Internet access is Spring Lake 

Pork, a hog farm north of Curryville, Missouri.

In 2015, the owners of Spring Lake Pork implemented 

the “Nedap System,” a state-of-the-art online system, to 

manage their hogs. It electronically customizes each pig’s 

feeding regimen, individually weighs and places them into 

groups, monitors them, and sorts them as they grow, all 

through frequency-identified ear tags. Immediate feedback 

available through the online management system is 

helping the family provide better care for their hogs and 

run a more efficient livestock operation.

These on-farm improvements would not have been 

possible without the high-speed broadband network 

provided through the Recovery Act. New opportunities 

exist for thousands of Ralls County Electric customers 

like Spring Lake Pork because of the communications 

power linked to local homes, schools, businesses, and 

community centers.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 13 

Water Programs Results

In FY 2015, RUS invested more than $1.6 billion in rural 

water and wastewater projects to protect the health and 

safety of rural residents and protect the environment in 

about 960 rural communities. Since 2009, RUS has invested 

$12.3 billion in new and improved water and wastewater 

infrastructure benefiting 17.7 million rural residents.

USDA Rural Development provided Storey County, 

Nevada, with more than $13 million in loans and grants 

in 2015 to replace about 13 miles of dilapidated sewer 

pipes, repair the aging community septic system serving 

the Virginia City and Gold Hill areas, and build a septic lift 

station in Gold Hill.

The aging septic system was crumbling, and untreated 

sewage was seeping into the groundwater in some parts 

of the county, posing a significant health risk to local 

residents. The system improvements will protect the local 

environment and the health of Storey County families and 

children for many years to come.

“From the county’s perspective, all is in good hands and 

we are grateful to be working with such a great group of 

professional public servants,” Storey County Manager 

Pat Whitten said.

Project engineer Lucas Tipton shows Rural Development's Water Program Director 

Kent Evans a map of the wastewater collection system replacement project for 

historic Virginia City. Virginia City is a registered national landmark and the Storey 

County seat. USDA funded the entire project in FY 2015, simultaneously saving 

money and protecting the environment.

Electric Utilities

Over 5.5 million rural customers served

$3.4 billion for utility system 

upgrades, improvements

Telecom Systems

2.8 million rural subscribers served

$256.6 million for telecom 

and broadband service

Water and Waste Disposal Systems

Over 2.3 million rural residents served

$1.6 billion for safe water and 

sanitary waste systems

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR 2015 RESULTS
14 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Alabama Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $154,502,284 47 $16,685,350 6 $27,160,100 7 $198,347,734 60

IRP $1,171,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,171,000 4

Renewable Energy $3,198,633 57 $221,493 15 $1,905,139 59 $5,325,265 131

Business Grants $4,366,371 48 $691,052 9 $703,000 9 $5,760,423 66

REDLG $2,740,000 7 $1,900,000 4 $0 0 $4,640,000 11

VAPG $259,773 5 $300,000 1 $664,000 4 $1,223,773 10

SFH Direct $110,277,342 1,024 $13,559,151 130 $17,752,898 156 $141,589,391 1,310

SFH Guaranteed $2,230,918,915 18,348 $432,632,326 3,551 $447,382,138 3,672 $3,110,933,379 25,571

SFH Repairs $8,269,267 1,374 $1,604,568 255 $1,826,123 277 $11,699,958 1,906

SFH Self-Help Grants $333,916 1 $0 0 $0 0 $333,916 1

MFH Direct $287,932 2 $8,598,000 8 $4,528,388 7 $13,414,320 17

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $2,493,000 4 $1,729,000 1 $4,222,000 5

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $128,705,632 1,397 $29,500,800 323 $29,314,560 316 $187,520,992 2,036

CF Direct $26,407,132 53 $1,131,300 7 $23,479,100 15 $51,017,532 75

CF Guaranteed $9,360,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $9,360,000 1

CF Grants $4,187,213 68 $335,400 8 $534,334 20 $5,056,947 96

WWD Direct $95,756,087 75 $20,834,000 12 $8,166,850 7 $124,756,937 94

WWD Guaranteed $1,260,630 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,260,630 1

WWD Grants $53,420,623 52 $12,240,000 9 $7,529,580 15 $73,190,203 76

Telecom $59,529,157 16 $854,098 3 $1,267,197 3 $61,650,452 22

Electric $351,959,000 11 $0 0 $115,884,000 1 $467,843,000 12

All Other Programs $91,012,670 26 $687,061 6 $393,572 35 $92,093,303 67

ALABAMA TOTAL $3,337,923,577 22,617 $544,267,599 4,351 $690,219,978 4,604 $4,572,411,155 31,572

Town of Geraldine Undergoes Transformation

With USDA Rural Development’s help, people living 

and working in Geraldine, Alabama, are benefiting from 

modern high-speed telecommunications and a brand new 

wastewater system, making the town much more attractive 

to new businesses.

Geraldine city leaders teamed up with USDA Rural 

Development to fund a new sewer system to resolve 

environmental and health hazards stemming from aging 

septic tanks and the lack of a sewer system — a major 

obstacle in attracting new businesses to this small rural 

town in DeKalb County. “Most restaurants won’t even talk 

to you if you don’t have a sewer system,” town Mayor 

Chuck Ables explained. 

USDA Rural Development provided more than $3.4 million 

in grant and loan assistance for a new sewer system and 

wastewater treatment plant. A groundbreaking ceremony 

was held on Earth Day 2015.In the early 1950s, Farmers 

Telecommunications Cooperative (FTC) partnered with 

USDA to provide telephone service for customers in the 

area, and Geraldine resident Ralph Everett Ables was the 

first person who enrolled as a member of the co-op back in 

1952. Today, the co-op is bringing high-speed broadband 

to DeKalb and Jackson counties through a $24 million 

telecommunications loan from USDA Rural Development. 

In early 2015, the Ables family home was the first site FTC 

linked to its new high-speed Internet network.

The network is delivering access speeds of up to 1 Gbps 

(gigabit per second), an attractive amenity for prospective 

businesses and families looking to relocate to the area. The 

broadband and water infrastructure improvements will 

provide benefits to local residents in northeast Alabama for 

many decades to come.

ALABAMA

Utilities Programs

For over 60 years, the Ables family in Geraldine has been at the forefront of advances in 

new technology, from the telephone to high-speed broadband.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 15 

USDA Brings High-Speed Internet 

to Arctic Alaska Village

A remote Arctic village in upper northwest Alaska will soon 

have a modern, high-speed Internet connection, thanks to 

a $1.4 million Community Connect Grant from USDA Rural 

Development. The new network will bring a world of online 

social, educational, and business opportunities to one of 

the most remote rural places imaginable.

Point Hope is a remote, Arctic village on the Chukchi Sea 

coast with about 670 residents. Current telecommunications 

services in the village are delivered by satellite, which is 

extremely expensive. It also has limited capacity and slow 

response times.

USDA Rural Development provided the Arctic Slope 

Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC) with the grant 

to build a fiber optic broadband network. In the future, 

Point Hope’s network will be linked to an international 

project currently underway to provide broadband across 

north Alaska through undersea cable connections. 

ASTAC will also use the USDA grant funds to build a 

community center with free broadband access and provide 

free broadband service for critical community facilities in 

Point Hope, both for at least 2 years.

“For a small, insular Alaska Native village on the Arctic coast, 

this is their superhighway to the world,” said ASTAC CEO 

Steve Merriam.

ALASKA

Utilities Programs

Alaska Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $79,587,666 53 $3,727,500 3 $24,502,677 13 $107,817,843 69

IRP $350,000 2 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $1,350,000 3

Renewable Energy $1,535,002 72 $143,504 10 $730,209 14 $2,408,715 96

Business Grants $3,383,858 31 $456,449 6 $417,552 4 $4,257,859 41

REDLG $300,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $300,000 1

VAPG $181,438 2 $91,100 1 $48,150 1 $320,688 4

SFH Direct $63,029,158 366 $10,848,503 56 $11,384,806 58 $85,262,467 480

SFH Guaranteed $325,875,686 1,680 $67,730,368 346 $102,667,747 460 $496,273,801 2,486

SFH Repairs $722,082 93 $167,790 20 $260,950 34 $1,150,822 147

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,585,808 3 $944,014 2 $53,690 1 $2,583,512 6

MFH Direct $2,950,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $2,950,000 1

MFH Guaranteed $10,450,000 7 $0 0 $0 0 $10,450,000 7

Farm Labor Housing $93,602 1 $0 0 $0 0 $93,602 1

Rental Assistance $23,765,184 115 $6,966,432 31 $5,182,548 27 $35,914,164 173

CF Direct $86,611,200 20 $0 0 $176,393,000 21 $263,004,200 41

CF Guaranteed $10,200,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $10,200,000 3

CF Grants $5,481,668 55 $344,802 7 $124,900 3 $5,951,370 65

WWD Direct $1,716,000 2 $0 0 $339,000 3 $2,055,000 5

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $203,282,703 177 $24,481,932 23 $26,352,006 34 $254,116,641 234

Telecom $146,159,634 31 $3,248,905 9 $3,756,743 7 $153,165,282 47

Electric $432,351,000 7 $0 0 $0 0 $432,351,000 7

All Other Programs $41,874,442 27 $5,239,486 4 $4,752,716 9 $51,866,644 40

ALASKA TOTAL $1,441,486,131 2,749 $125,390,785 519 $356,966,694 689 $1,923,843,609 3,957

Cell tower technicians work in rugged conditions in northwest, Arctic Alaska.
16 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Brings Better Healthcare, 

Jobs to Rural Arizona Town

A new health center will restore access to critical surgical 

services for the residents of Wickenburg, Arizona, thanks 

to a $16 million Community Facilities loan from USDA Rural 

Development. The project is expected to create nearly 

30 much-needed healthcare-related jobs in this small 

community of about 6,300 people, in addition to the new, 

state-of-the-art medical facilities.

For nearly 60 years, the Wickenburg Community Hospital 

has met residents’ healthcare needs. However, for the last 

14 years, the hospital has been unable to offer surgical 

services. Patients needing surgery have had to travel 60 

miles to Phoenix, a burden that often resulted in treatment 

delays and added risk for patients. Folks decided it was time 

to modernize.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has made increasing 

access to quality, affordable healthcare — which many 

rural communities lack — a priority. In 2015, USDA 

Rural Development provided more than $16 million 

in Community Facilities affordable loan financing to 

help hospital build a surgical center and health clinic. 

Construction is underway, and the new, 10,700-squarefoot surgical center will include two operating rooms, 

a suite for gastrointestinal procedures, equipment to 

expand diagnostic capabilities, and space to accommodate 

additional staff and specialists.

ARIZONA

Community Programs

Artist’s rendering of the new rural surgical center and health clinic for Wickenburg, AZ. 

Image used with permission, courtesy of Highton Company, LLC, Tucson, AZ.

Arizona Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $102,980,698 41 $25,158,000 8 $29,563,000 6 $157,701,698 55

IRP $488,000 2 $0 0 $415,000 1 $903,000 3

Renewable Energy $6,525,458 67 $195,930 11 $6,191,939 17 $12,913,327 95

Business Grants $3,185,502 36 $421,000 6 $890,950 9 $4,497,452 51

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $39,500 1 $209,206 2 $546,594 4 $795,300 7

SFH Direct $94,834,751 895 $10,457,188 95 $16,290,960 135 $121,582,899 1,125

SFH Guaranteed $1,903,570,356 14,793 $382,668,867 2,589 $278,000,028 1,883 $2,564,239,251 19,265

SFH Repairs $4,086,011 601 $567,908 80 $639,270 105 $5,293,189 786

SFH Self-Help Grants $10,083,813 16 $297,000 1 $1,823,549 4 $12,204,362 21

MFH Direct $2,961,922 7 $0 0 $0 0 $2,961,922 7

MFH Guaranteed $5,647,071 6 $968,300 2 $2,400,000 2 $9,015,371 10

Farm Labor Housing $726,911 3 $0 0 $0 0 $726,911 3

Rental Assistance $63,566,436 437 $16,803,360 108 $16,502,496 104 $96,872,292 649

CF Direct $70,435,907 26 $0 0 $26,401,000 5 $96,836,907 31

CF Guaranteed $26,840,296 9 $0 0 $0 0 $26,840,296 9

CF Grants $2,603,538 40 $290,604 2 $133,400 3 $3,027,542 45

WWD Direct $26,838,436 15 $9,700,000 2 $2,005,000 1 $38,543,436 18

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $88,668,578 270 $6,184,329 7 $8,081,435 51 $102,934,342 328

Telecom $45,784,674 22 $637,493 3 $0 0 $46,422,167 25

Electric $488,204,742 9 $0 0 $0 0 $488,204,742 9

All Other Programs $3,307,635 18 $293,575 3 $456,234 31 $4,057,444 52

ARIZONA TOTAL $2,951,380,235 17,314 $454,852,760 2,919 $390,340,855 2,361 $3,796,573,850 22,594
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 17 

ARKANSAS

Community Programs

New Facility for More Students and Degrees

An $8.5 million USDA Rural Development Community 

Facilities loan will help a Pocahontas, Arkansas, community 

college increase enrollment with a new health and science 

complex. The expansion will accommodate about 140 more 

students each year.

Black River Technical College is a 2-year college that today 

serves about 3,000 students per year. The college has 

outgrown its existing health and science facility — it’s 

outdated and too small to meet current needs. For example, 

in just the registered nurse program alone, there are over 

100 people waiting to sign up for classes. 

The new 41,400-square-foot facility is more than twice 

the size of the original. It has cutting-edge science labs, 

including simulation labs to let students experience real 

world conditions. It also includes an outdoor courtyard 

and greenhouse that will allow the college to expand its 

agricultural programs. Construction is almost complete. 

Randolph County, Arkansas, where the college is located, 

is receiving assistance through USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural 

Growth and Opportunity initiative to increase economic 

opportunities for residents and is just one more example 

of how this initiative targets USDA assistance to persistentpoverty areas.

Arkansas Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $90,920,550 30 $33,531,357 6 $9,217,000 3 $133,668,907 39

IRP $1,344,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,344,000 4

Renewable Energy $7,734,803 172 $596,077 14 $762,710 18 $9,093,590 204

Business Grants $3,798,703 33 $509,000 6 $461,760 8 $4,769,463 47

REDLG $500,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $500,000 1

VAPG $283,000 4 $30,000 1 $249,488 2 $562,488 7

SFH Direct $137,807,495 1,466 $11,447,486 113 $13,619,394 129 $162,874,375 1,708

SFH Guaranteed $2,230,210,143 20,701 $392,006,726 3,538 $366,935,387 3,297 $2,989,152,256 27,536

SFH Repairs $6,805,370 1,190 $517,652 89 $717,396 124 $8,040,418 1,403

SFH Self-Help Grants $7,672,698 24 $486,984 2 $677,576 3 $8,837,258 29

MFH Direct $3,043,805 3 $0 0 $0 0 $3,043,805 3

MFH Guaranteed $3,845,391 3 $0 0 $0 0 $3,845,391 3

Farm Labor Housing $3,603,200 40 $281,800 3 $328,000 2 $4,213,000 45

Rental Assistance $95,327,764 1,114 $22,269,060 264 $22,209,936 266 $139,806,760 1,644

CF Direct $82,561,000 38 $92,000 1 $0 0 $82,653,000 39

CF Guaranteed $4,000,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $4,000,000 3

CF Grants $13,263,955 319 $1,732,784 53 $1,310,069 39 $16,306,808 411

WWD Direct $138,003,200 135 $16,538,900 19 $20,548,000 18 $175,090,100 172

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $95,707,479 108 $11,415,698 20 $9,982,000 19 $117,105,177 147

Telecom $254,621,846 42 $25,150,709 3 $25,744,925 3 $305,517,480 48

Electric $1,584,790,000 26 $72,270,000 3 $147,590,000 4 $1,804,650,000 33

All Other Programs $1,570,222 22 $241,022 4 $2,264,743 28 $4,075,988 54

ARKANSAS TOTAL $4,767,414,624 25,478 $589,117,255 4,139 $622,618,384 3,963 $5,979,150,264 33,580

Artist’s rendering of the new health and science facility. Image used with permission, 

courtesy of Allison Architects, Inc., Little Rock, AR.
18 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

CALIFORNIA

Housing Programs

Thanks to a grant from USDA, Red Bluff, CA, affordable water well upgrades helped 

homeowner Joel Hensley get his household water back on again.

Turning the Water Back On, One House at a Time

A USDA Rural Development Home Repair Grant of $7,500 

helped a Korean War veteran in rural California get a clean 

supply of water for his home.

Californians are suffering through the fourth year of severe 

drought, and residents have experienced more than their 

fair share of dry taps, living on water from jugs, and long 

waits for a well driller. Some families have lost their homes 

because they can’t afford to drill a new well, while others 

have even experienced bankruptcy.

Korean War veteran Joel Hensley lives in the small, northern 

California town of Red Bluff. Unfortunately, like other 

homeowners in his area, his well started to fail. His home 

is just one of at least 25 houses in the neighborhood with 

water well issues. “The water just started turning brown,” he 

said. “The well here is pretty old — over 40 years old. It was 

only about 50 feet deep.”

After the tap ran muddy water, it stopped working 

altogether. Hensley, who has lived in his home for 20 years, 

spared no effort to re-drill his well. By the time he found a 

driller, he already had been to the county office for a well 

permit and plot plan, something the driller normally does. 

However, staring down a 4-month waiting list and a serious 

bill, he needed financial help.

Hensley learned about USDA Rural Development home 

repair loans and grants from a friend, so he applied at the 

Rural Development local office in Redding. Single-family 

housing specialist Cheri Skudlarek helped him apply for 

the program, which provides low-interest repair loans and 

grants to homeowners age 62 or older to remove health 

and safety hazards from their homes. The last time she 

stopped by, it was to hand him a check for a $7,500 grant to 

drill his well down to 140 feet.

“I want to give Cheri a lot of credit because she really, really 

helped me,” Hensley said. “I have plenty of real good water 

now. Considering all the bad things, everything has turned 

out really good.”

California Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $461,951,620 210 $57,007,695 22 $29,727,545 13 $548,686,860 245

IRP $8,860,000 19 $1,000,000 1 $1,000,000 1 $10,860,000 21

Renewable Energy $11,059,587 257 $5,280,143 73 $7,085,243 102 $23,424,973 432

Business Grants $8,449,631 99 $914,816 11 $1,113,000 16 $10,477,447 126

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $6,033,281 38 $200,000 1 $2,344,494 17 $8,577,775 56

SFH Direct $397,085,342 2,598 $65,241,381 396 $100,559,697 569 $562,886,420 3,563

SFH Guaranteed $3,569,343,177 21,067 $658,140,936 3,485 $562,996,706 2,965 $4,790,480,819 27,517

SFH Repairs $2,051,278 291 $482,009 72 $518,024 73 $3,051,311 436

SFH Self-Help Grants $36,108,583 27 $737,804 1 $8,536,979 5 $45,383,366 33

MFH Direct $15,836,439 19 $0 0 $4,147,500 1 $19,983,939 20

MFH Guaranteed $186,216,648 115 $18,833,471 15 $35,265,246 22 $240,315,365 152

Farm Labor Housing $68,278,506 33 $20,994,943 10 $16,612,892 8 $105,886,340 51

Rental Assistance $324,890,621 1,638 $85,547,808 386 $91,089,279 381 $501,527,708 2,405

CF Direct $135,859,611 63 $10,902,542 5 $74,036,150 15 $220,798,303 83

CF Guaranteed $9,891,255 12 $0 0 $0 0 $9,891,255 12

CF Grants $13,505,652 252 $1,492,302 31 $1,586,577 27 $16,584,531 310

WWD Direct $286,336,128 88 $10,627,844 8 $15,297,742 8 $312,261,714 104

WWD Guaranteed $346,100 1 $0 0 $0 0 $346,100 1

WWD Grants $88,047,879 112 $22,279,745 44 $22,098,610 40 $132,426,234 196

Telecom $44,663,899 22 $1,501,905 5 $462,894 2 $46,628,698 29

Electric $78,960,000 3 $8,000,000 1 $0 0 $86,960,000 4

All Other Programs $26,110,839 85 $9,003,759 32 $7,169,985 27 $42,284,583 144

CALIFORNIA TOTAL $5,779,886,076 27,049 $978,189,103 4,599 $981,648,563 4,292 $7,739,723,741 35,940
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 19 

Preserving the Local Foods Heritage 

of the San Luis Valley

A $50,000 Community Facilities grant made it possible 

for a Colorado community to promote local foods and 

encourage natural farming.

The Costilla County Economic Development Council 

wanted to help natural and organic farmers process fruits, 

vegetables, domestic and wild game, and increase the 

availability of fresh, locally produced foods for consumers. 

The answer was a community kitchen.

USDA Rural Development provided a $50,000 Community 

Facilities grant to equip the commercial kitchen, which will 

be located at the San Luis Sangre de Cristo Heritage Center. 

The project was also supported through a State grant and a 

long-term lease for the building from the school district.

Founded in 1851, San Luis is Colorado’s oldest town, with 

a long, rich history of farming and agriculture. Staff at the 

community kitchen will teach residents the local custom 

of cooking in outdoor adobe ovens (called hornos) and 

how to handle and store heirloom seeds. Cooking classes 

for all ages and genders will be offered. Project leaders are 

focusing their efforts on school-age children with the hope 

of nurturing their interest in continuing the food traditions 

of the San Luis Valley.

USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity

initiative targets USDA assistance to persistent-poverty, 

high-need areas. In Costilla County, USDA is using 

StrikeForce to help farmers and provide better nutrition 

for rural families and children. 

COLORADO

Community Programs

The center in historic, downtown San Luis, CO, where the USDA-financed community 

kitchen will be located.

Colorado Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $96,269,196 32 $16,354,108 8 $1,771,100 2 $114,394,404 42

IRP $2,798,296 7 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $3,798,296 8

Renewable Energy $3,505,669 80 $257,036 16 $794,364 28 $4,557,069 124

Business Grants $2,128,360 44 $318,000 8 $246,000 8 $2,692,360 60

REDLG $2,060,000 4 $550,000 1 $0 0 $2,610,000 5

VAPG $1,518,914 12 $110,800 2 $0 0 $1,629,714 14

SFH Direct $98,909,516 716 $17,944,440 117 $19,777,103 130 $136,631,059 963

SFH Guaranteed $1,240,656,775 7,180 $313,382,316 1,704 $306,930,684 1,597 $1,860,969,775 10,481

SFH Repairs $1,520,389 220 $304,830 50 $260,295 31 $2,085,514 301

SFH Self-Help Grants $3,631,760 7 $539,990 1 $1,115,880 3 $5,287,630 11

MFH Direct $3,163,799 5 $0 0 $0 0 $3,163,799 5

MFH Guaranteed $2,004,874 2 $0 0 $0 0 $2,004,874 2

Farm Labor Housing $3,000,000 2 $5,424,076 4 $0 0 $8,424,076 6

Rental Assistance $51,826,032 477 $13,334,400 115 $11,963,200 111 $77,123,632 703

CF Direct $33,818,810 32 $10,158,923 3 $25,871,748 7 $69,849,481 42

CF Guaranteed $2,674,837 3 $0 0 $5,750,000 1 $8,424,837 4

CF Grants $4,076,710 117 $362,977 16 $846,839 19 $5,286,526 152

WWD Direct $53,574,300 34 $1,253,000 4 $4,479,000 1 $59,306,300 39

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $21,002,236 39 $1,541,400 9 $3,239,236 7 $25,782,872 55

Telecom $84,806,955 26 $965,450 3 $259,428 1 $86,031,833 30

Electric $1,503,095,000 30 $260,346,000 2 $260,849,000 2 $2,024,290,000 34

All Other Programs $2,588,101 25 $580,000 5 $274,216 9 $3,442,317 39

COLORADO TOTAL $3,218,630,529 9,094 $643,727,746 2,068 $645,428,093 1,958 $4,507,786,368 13,120
20 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Helps Increase Access to Local Foods 

A cooperative venture in Northeastern Connecticut is 

increasing access to local foods with the help of USDA Rural 

Development.

Nearly 30 percent of the population of Willimantic, 

Connecticut, is below the poverty line. Despite an 

abundance of agriculture, many residents do not have 

reliable access to wholesome, locally produced food.

Workers at the “CLiCK” cooperative wanted to bridge the 

farm-to-table gap and provide fresh, nutritious food to 

local families through a cooperative, community-based 

solution. Their goal was to start a food processing facility 

and commercial kitchen for local farmers, chefs, and bakers 

to prepare and sell their products.

The State of Connecticut provided funding to purchase a 

building, and USDA Rural Development provided CLiCK 

with a $25,000 business grant to purchase commercial 

ovens, refrigerators, and other equipment for the facility. 

Project leaders celebrated the grand opening in June 2015.

“CLiCK is right in this movement of beginning to change the 

way we live, starting right from food, starting locally,” said 

Phoebe Godfrey, CLiCK board president.

Today, the CLiCK processing facility and commercial kitchen 

is up and running and is helping producers and small 

culinary businesses get their products to market. In the 

future, CLiCK plans to open a teaching kitchen to show 

Willamantic residents how to prepare healthy meals using 

local produce and ingredients.

CONNECTICUT

Cooperative Programs

The June 2015 grand opening of the CLiCK food processing facility and 

commercial kitchen.

Connecticut Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $37,226,500 14 $0 0 $6,000,000 2 $43,226,500 16

IRP $1,500,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,500,000 2

Renewable Energy $1,785,365 50 $182,202 17 $934,022 23 $2,901,589 90

Business Grants $1,193,329 20 $257,609 5 $159,000 4 $1,609,938 29

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $334,000 2 $0 0 $250,000 1 $584,000 3

SFH Direct $26,441,084 141 $3,199,824 19 $4,117,255 23 $33,758,163 183

SFH Guaranteed $538,631,719 2,939 $139,033,797 762 $130,921,335 721 $808,586,851 4,422

SFH Repairs $633,463 112 $130,004 23 $142,907 21 $906,374 156

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $8,650,808 14 $673,044 2 $2,330,042 4 $11,653,894 20

MFH Guaranteed $4,179,250 2 $0 0 $0 0 $4,179,250 2

Farm Labor Housing $250,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $250,000 1

Rental Assistance $32,509,584 275 $7,381,920 57 $8,522,796 63 $48,414,300 395

CF Direct $97,793,420 38 $21,386,000 5 $17,817,163 4 $136,996,583 47

CF Guaranteed $27,027,600 5 $0 0 $0 0 $27,027,600 5

CF Grants $1,555,015 38 $309,692 7 $158,000 7 $2,022,707 52

WWD Direct $58,096,000 22 $11,915,000 4 $14,786,000 4 $84,797,000 30

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $33,815,605 29 $7,951,300 8 $4,093,000 5 $45,859,905 42

Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $249,890 7 $50,000 1 $50,000 1 $349,890 9

CONNECTICUT TOTAL $871,872,632 3,711 $192,470,392 910 $190,281,521 883 $1,254,624,545 5,504
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 21 

DELAWARE

Community Programs

Sussex Academy has expanded and improved the school campus several times 

with help from USDA.

Delaware Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $7,493,627 7 $0 0 $1,350,000 1 $8,843,627 8

IRP $1,020,437 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,020,437 3

Renewable Energy $358,695 16 $142,000 4 $935,526 23 $1,436,221 43

Business Grants $733,790 20 $141,800 4 $111,000 8 $986,590 32

REDLG $0 0 $593,120 1 $300,000 1 $893,120 2

VAPG $41,000 1 $0 0 $748,750 4 $789,750 5

SFH Direct $56,901,273 321 $6,288,961 37 $5,298,547 30 $68,488,781 388

SFH Guaranteed $503,193,083 2,702 $124,315,662 661 $133,945,296 676 $761,454,041 4,039

SFH Repairs $394,468 59 $36,000 6 $60,431 10 $490,899 75

SFH Self-Help Grants $3,096,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $3,096,000 5

MFH Direct $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,000,000 1

MFH Guaranteed $1,273,086 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,273,086 2

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $30,387,785 165 $8,265,120 42 $7,622,076 40 $46,274,981 247

CF Direct $31,221,000 15 $18,100,000 4 $31,050,000 5 $80,371,000 24

CF Guaranteed $500,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $500,000 1

CF Grants $2,461,632 45 $277,292 6 $181,400 5 $2,920,324 56

WWD Direct $90,242,065 31 $7,481,000 5 $1,515,000 3 $99,238,065 39

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $22,358,491 22 $3,977,000 6 $3,107,000 7 $29,442,491 35

Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Electric $49,300,000 2 $36,000,000 1 $0 0 $85,300,000 3

All Other Programs $4,104,500 11 $1,507,300 4 $997,464 6 $6,609,264 21

DELAWARE TOTAL $806,080,932 3,429 $207,125,255 781 $187,222,490 819 $1,200,428,677 5,029

Sussex County’s Only Charter School 

Expands With USDA’s Help

USDA Rural Development has invested more than $10 

million to help a pioneering school prepare a growing 

student body for tomorrow’s workforce.

Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences opened its doors in 

2000 as the only charter school in Sussex County, Delaware. 

At the time, it served 225 students. Today, with Rural 

Development’s help, it serves more than 600 rural students 

in grades 6 through 11, and is still the only available charter 

school in the county.

As the student population at the academy has grown, so 

has the size of its campus and its partnership with USDA 

Rural Development. 

The partnership started with an initial investment of 

$1.6 million to build Sussex Academy’s original campus in 

2000. But with increasing enrollments came the need for 

more space. So, Rural Development provided the academy 

with $6.2 million to swap campuses with a smaller, private 

high school that needed to downsize. This innovative swap 

provided both schools with facilities appropriately sized for 

their respective student populations.

In 2015, Rural Development, along with community 

partners, funded a final phase of renovations at the school. 

Improvements include a new library, a warming kitchen, 

a performing arts stage, and a dual cafeteria/auditorium 

space. Sussex Academy now has the facility school leaders 

need to reach their ultimate goal of adding 12th grade 

classes during the 2016-2017 school year and educating up 

to 750 students.
22 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Helps North Florida 

Clam Producer Increase Sales

A USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grant 

has helped one of the largest clam producers in Florida 

expand its sales by 300 percent.

Southeastern Seaproducts, Inc., wanted to increase its 

market penetration. To do that, the company had to extend 

the shelf life of its clams. Fresh clams have a 14-day shelf 

life, but when they are cooked and frozen they can last for 

up to a year. Mark Maynard, Sr., the company president and 

CEO, contacted USDA for help moving into frozen clam 

production and developing new marketing tools.

USDA Rural Development provided a $200,000 grant to 

produce, package, and market the company’s vacuumsealed cooked and frozen clams. Today, the company’s 

frozen clams are part of its “Salty Seas” line of products, a 

trusted brand now recognized by many consumers. 

Southeastern Seaproducts produces millions of clams 

annually. It leases land from the Florida Department of 

Agriculture in Cedar Key, where it has a hatchery, nursery 

system, and growing operation for clam production. 

According to Southeastern Seaproducts, it is the first U.S. 

company to perfect freezing hard-shell clams so they open 

during cooking like a live clam would.

The assistance from USDA has helped this business grow 

significantly. Sales in 2015 have increased by 300 percent 

compared to 2014, and the company’s clients include the 

largest retailer in America. 

FLORIDA

Cooperative Programs

Clam harvesting at Southeastern Seaproducts.

Florida Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $223,636,209 61 $56,280,788 11 $78,712,500 24 $358,629,497 96

IRP $618,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $618,000 2

Renewable Energy $3,992,548 69 $831,879 28 $3,230,961 21 $8,055,388 118

Business Grants $3,996,239 26 $811,000 5 $586,000 5 $5,393,239 36

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $1,333,369 7 $0 0 $557,000 4 $1,890,369 11

SFH Direct $191,175,503 1,699 $24,767,174 223 $28,597,685 244 $244,540,362 2,166

SFH Guaranteed $4,071,979,695 31,844 $666,418,147 4,705 $629,696,186 4,408 $5,368,094,028 40,957

SFH Repairs $7,354,022 1,344 $796,205 153 $1,021,435 175 $9,171,662 1,672

SFH Self-Help Grants $11,174,710 6 $0 0 $2,100,000 2 $13,274,710 8

MFH Direct $39,431,970 59 $0 0 $0 0 $39,431,970 59

MFH Guaranteed $8,348,000 7 $0 0 $1,750,000 1 $10,098,000 8

Farm Labor Housing $6,000,000 4 $7,000,000 6 $0 0 $13,000,000 10

Rental Assistance $228,003,184 1,569 $54,871,741 343 $54,652,241 341 $337,527,166 2,253

CF Direct $57,479,550 27 $671,200 5 $22,692,000 6 $80,842,750 38

CF Guaranteed $14,300,000 5 $860,000 1 $10,300,000 2 $25,460,000 8

CF Grants $3,455,400 37 $544,400 8 $332,700 4 $4,332,500 49

WWD Direct $117,245,800 42 $9,784,100 5 $3,178,000 3 $130,207,900 50

WWD Guaranteed $200,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $200,000 1

WWD Grants $58,417,370 46 $6,318,670 12 $3,678,830 7 $68,414,870 65

Telecom $49,414,932 6 $0 0 $346,831 2 $49,761,763 8

Electric $762,356,000 18 $110,000,000 1 $244,401,000 4 $1,116,757,000 23

All Other Programs $81,989,267 23 $1,135,655 2 $2,307,345 274 $85,432,267 299

FLORIDA TOTAL $5,941,901,768 36,902 $941,090,959 5,508 $1,088,140,714 5,527 $7,971,133,442 47,937
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 23 

Preparing a Technically Skilled 

Workforce in Rural Georgia

A grant of $99,000 from USDA Rural Development is helping 

school districts in five rural Georgia counties promote 

science and math skills.

STEM education is an integrated science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics curriculum. Today’s 

saturation of technology in most career fields means 

that all students — not just those pursuing a STEM 

profession — will require a foundation in STEM to be 

productive members of the workforce. 

To address this need, USDA Rural Development in Georgia 

has been linking universities to rural K-12 public schools 

to provide and enhance STEM education opportunities for 

rural students.

School districts in rural Clay, Colquitt, Quitman, Randolph, 

and Sumter counties are partnering with the Georgia Tech 

Research Institute (GTRI) to build STEM distance learning 

infrastructure for STEM education and outreach. USDA Rural 

Development provided a $99,900 Community Facilities 

grant in 2015 to help purchase teleconferencing and 

online access equipment to facilitate STEM@GTRI program 

outreach. The Georgia Department of Education also 

supported the project.

Now, first-graders will learn about STEM through monthly 

storytelling sessions and high school students will be able 

to dig deep into STEM topics by connecting with professors 

and scientists during courses.

“This will exponentially expand effectiveness of educational 

programs and help ensure rural Georgia is workforce ready,” 

Quinton Robinson, former Rural Development Georgia 

State Director, said.

Since 2013, USDA Rural Development has provided 10 

grants totaling almost $502,000 to educational institutions 

to support STEM education in rural Georgia and give local 

students a competitive edge in the job market.

GEORGIA

Community Programs

STEM education encourages curiosity and problem solving. Here, a GTRI STEM researcher 

is showing grade-schoolers how to use water vapor to make a “cloud in a bottle.” Photo 

courtesy of GTRI.

Georgia Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $410,545,617 112 $9,096,100 4 $22,525,284 4 $442,167,001 120

IRP $1,339,000 3 $500,000 1 $0 0 $1,839,000 4

Renewable Energy $15,420,617 391 $503,864 37 $4,253,597 80 $20,178,078 508

Business Grants $7,676,130 98 $983,879 12 $832,000 11 $9,492,009 121

REDLG $6,990,000 11 $3,081,616 3 $0 0 $10,071,616 14

VAPG $4,666,701 21 $1,194,385 8 $3,230,326 17 $9,091,412 46

SFH Direct $131,281,121 1,217 $10,820,211 104 $10,830,393 103 $152,931,725 1,424

SFH Guaranteed $2,467,014,485 21,312 $525,813,246 4,351 $524,739,336 4,189 $3,517,567,067 29,852

SFH Repairs $9,643,562 1,396 $1,220,634 179 $1,259,450 178 $12,123,646 1,753

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $6,208,293 10 $6,595,712 10 $0 0 $12,804,005 20

MFH Guaranteed $6,843,982 5 $15,824,700 19 $1,650,000 1 $24,318,682 25

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $114,021,060 1,393 $29,814,396 334 $28,577,952 322 $172,413,408 2,049

CF Direct $63,607,803 131 $82,931,515 29 $46,058,950 19 $192,598,268 179

CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Grants $5,843,419 142 $678,200 24 $647,100 21 $7,168,719 187

WWD Direct $95,685,880 44 $10,365,000 5 $23,442,600 7 $129,493,480 56

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $68,579,613 33 $11,245,800 13 $7,588,500 14 $87,413,913 60

Telecom $95,417,944 18 $16,994,727 2 $903,016 2 $113,315,687 22

Electric $2,998,504,000 46 $434,752,000 11 $270,130,000 7 $3,703,386,000 64

All Other Programs $88,049,894 41 $71,840,140 13 $376,021 73 $160,266,055 127

GEORGIA TOTAL $6,597,339,121 26,424 $1,234,256,125 5,159 $947,044,526 5,048 $8,778,639,772 36,631
24 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA and Partners Provide Self-Help 

Housing Opportunities

USDA Rural Development is partnering with Hawaii 

nonprofits to address a serious rural housing shortage with 

“sweat equity” — people building their own homes. To 

date, USDA Rural Development has provided $66 million 

in affordable home loans for self-help housing families — 

and $11 million in technical assistance grants for self-help 

housing projects — in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands.

In Hawaii, housing costs are some of the highest in the 

Nation, and many rural families live in crowded, substandard 

housing, pay high rent, or are at risk of becoming homeless. 

Additionally, some are in high poverty areas. 

Fortunately, Hawaii has one of the most active mutual selfhelp housing programs in the country. Under this program, 

USDA Rural Development provides grants to organizations 

to supervise self-help housing construction projects for 

groups of low-income families who help build each other’s 

homes, which significantly reduces the overall purchase 

cost of their homes. Hawaii has three grantees overseeing 

self-help housing development, including projects in 

the Marshall Islands. The Hawaii Island Community 

Development Corporation has helped almost 300 families 

become self-help homeowners. Many are single mothers 

who never thought they would become homeowners. Their 

dreams came true through “sweat equity” labor, which 

also taught them how to repair and maintain their homes. 

Their average monthly mortgage payments are $1,100, well 

below average rents on the island.

Self-Help Housing Corporation of Hawaii, established in 

1984, has helped 627 rural Hawaiian families build their own 

decent, safe, and affordable homes. 

Although there were challenges involved in implementing 

a self-help program in the Marshall Islands, a U.S. Territory, 

Rural Development worked closely with the Marshall Islands 

Development Bank, which today has helped more than 

100 local families in the islands build their own homes. 

HAWAII

Housing Programs

Hawaii Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $53,985,000 11 $4,460,000 2 $7,500,000 2 $65,945,000 15

IRP $180,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $180,000 1

Renewable Energy $1,772,166 52 $159,938 6 $1,104,098 17 $3,036,202 75

Business Grants $1,301,302 22 $154,297 4 $113,000 4 $1,568,599 30

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $500,574 7 $42,322 2 $358,335 2 $901,231 11

SFH Direct $75,561,890 350 $10,626,202 44 $14,896,189 59 $101,084,281 453

SFH Guaranteed $1,118,418,992 3,480 $223,246,628 692 $217,177,497 673 $1,558,843,117 4,845

SFH Repairs $2,111,852 303 $241,876 37 $363,996 55 $2,717,724 395

SFH Self-Help Grants $3,936,090 8 $0 0 $1,409,475 3 $5,345,565 11

MFH Direct $1,624,990 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,624,990 3

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $6,561,428 3 $0 0 $1,876,274 1 $8,437,702 4

Rental Assistance $29,094,612 101 $7,056,000 24 $7,809,120 21 $43,959,732 146

CF Direct $139,901,490 30 $1,000,000 1 $5,029,000 3 $145,930,490 34

CF Guaranteed $23,065,000 7 $0 0 $0 0 $23,065,000 7

CF Grants $1,952,677 33 $275,092 4 $350,000 5 $2,577,769 42

WWD Direct $17,196,100 12 $1,037,000 1 $0 0 $18,233,100 13

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $12,655,174 12 $864,880 1 $35,500 2 $13,555,554 15

Telecom $559,634 2 $1,165,831 3 $0 0 $1,725,465 5

Electric $182,851,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $182,851,000 2

All Other Programs $3,483,332 17 $1,109,856 6 $442,115 4 $5,035,303 27

HAWAII TOTAL $1,676,713,303 4,456 $251,439,922 827 $258,464,599 851 $2,186,617,824 6,134

Self-help housing groundbreaking ceremony on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 25 

IDAHO

Community Programs

Idaho Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $154,821,331 111 $30,077,255 15 $36,226,960 23 $221,125,546 149

IRP $690,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $690,000 3

Renewable Energy $7,255,352 232 $200,811 34 $1,182,472 48 $8,638,635 314

Business Grants $1,728,555 91 $349,611 17 $465,231 16 $2,543,397 124

REDLG $0 0 $2,000,000 1 $0 0 $2,000,000 1

VAPG $1,665,450 12 $0 0 $799,304 10 $2,464,754 22

SFH Direct $126,643,287 955 $7,574,619 60 $5,017,984 38 $139,235,890 1,053

SFH Guaranteed $1,086,747,019 7,966 $220,310,574 1,524 $219,807,145 1,433 $1,526,864,738 10,923

SFH Repairs $2,020,184 344 $222,116 36 $252,304 37 $2,494,604 417

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,442,165 5 $379,899 1 $502,211 2 $2,324,275 8

MFH Direct $13,274,655 27 $0 0 $0 0 $13,274,655 27

MFH Guaranteed $5,465,000 7 $0 0 $4,040,913 3 $9,505,913 10

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $62,290,469 583 $16,528,896 139 $13,519,200 146 $92,338,565 868

CF Direct $26,520,700 32 $3,307,000 4 $21,850,000 4 $51,677,700 40

CF Guaranteed $2,541,000 10 $300,000 1 $0 0 $2,841,000 11

CF Grants $1,556,926 49 $380,492 7 $190,700 5 $2,128,118 61

WWD Direct $90,741,000 48 $3,742,000 6 $38,827,000 14 $133,310,000 68

WWD Guaranteed $1,285,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,285,000 1

WWD Grants $34,213,166 76 $5,788,609 19 $16,181,440 21 $56,183,215 116

Telecom $49,828,449 21 $1,517,215 5 $482,178 1 $51,827,842 27

Electric $85,932,000 4 $0 0 $13,572,000 1 $99,504,000 5

All Other Programs $1,904,033 13 $0 0 $494,120 70 $2,398,153 83

IDAHO TOTAL $1,758,565,741 10,590 $292,679,097 1,869 $373,411,161 1,872 $2,424,655,999 14,331

Century-Old Spillway 

Reopens in the Magic Valley

A $7.5 million Community Facilities loan from USDA Rural 

Development has helped keep an important Idaho dam 

in business.

South-central Idaho’s Minidoka Dam, which irrigates more 

than a million acres, is vital to agricultural producers and 

the rural economy in Idaho’s Magic Valley. Early settlers 

talked about building a dam back in the 1880s, and the 

dam finally came to fruition after Teddy Roosevelt’s 1902 

Newlands Reclamation Act, which set aside money for 

irrigation projects. Construction began in 1904 and was 

completed in 1907.

By 2010, after 103 years of operation, the dam had 

deteriorated and was in desperate need of repairs. The 

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation partnered with USDA Rural 

Development, the Minidoka Irrigation District, and other 

organizations on a major 4-year, $24 million project to 

renovate the dam, replace the irrigation headways, build a 

new concrete spillway, and install mechanically operated 

control gates. USDA Rural Development provided a $7.5 

million Community Facilities loan to help finance the repairs.

Construction was completed in May 2015. The 

improvements will help ensure that rural households and 

businesses in the area can continue to thrive well into the 

next century.

The all-new, improved Minidoka Dam and spillway reopened for business in May 2015.
26 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

ILLINOIS

Business Programs

Illinois Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $162,790,863 53 $11,158,750 5 $6,048,420 6 $179,998,033 64

IRP $4,405,000 7 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $5,405,000 8

Renewable Energy $31,279,013 506 $2,029,158 25 $2,091,945 61 $35,400,116 592

Business Grants $4,802,589 58 $605,000 8 $462,000 7 $5,869,589 73

REDLG $10,410,000 16 $11,809,502 8 $2,550,000 3 $24,769,502 27

VAPG $1,407,681 12 $341,079 2 $630,459 6 $2,379,219 20

SFH Direct $130,019,431 1,650 $18,604,300 241 $19,825,656 257 $168,449,387 2,148

SFH Guaranteed $2,303,225,287 24,533 $369,391,929 3,910 $326,498,446 3,428 $2,999,115,662 31,871

SFH Repairs $11,799,683 2,409 $2,038,020 420 $2,191,932 416 $16,029,635 3,245

SFH Self-Help Grants $283,140 1 $0 0 $0 0 $283,140 1

MFH Direct $6,829,077 25 $2,614,427 4 $2,942,945 8 $12,386,449 37

MFH Guaranteed $30,650,650 8 $0 0 $0 0 $30,650,650 8

Farm Labor Housing $1,643,191 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,643,191 2

Rental Assistance $107,978,772 1,776 $24,129,216 383 $26,840,663 418 $158,948,651 2,577

CF Direct $84,576,554 40 $10,862,500 6 $3,797,900 7 $99,236,954 53

CF Guaranteed $22,115,000 9 $0 0 $0 0 $22,115,000 9

CF Grants $3,334,590 126 $511,175 25 $339,600 19 $4,185,365 170

WWD Direct $171,001,650 150 $25,104,000 23 $33,583,000 34 $229,688,650 207

WWD Guaranteed $756,750 1 $0 0 $8,440,000 4 $9,196,750 5

WWD Grants $52,600,272 111 $11,567,890 28 $12,733,020 30 $76,901,182 169

Telecom $153,836,019 28 $2,005,013 5 $154,497 1 $155,995,529 34

Electric $105,835,000 8 $27,305,000 2 $25,000,000 1 $158,140,000 11

All Other Programs $4,212,464 31 $3,672,075 7 $1,029,612 224 $8,914,152 262

ILLINOIS TOTAL $3,405,792,676 31,560 $523,749,034 5,102 $476,160,096 4,931 $4,405,701,806 41,593

Growing Healthy Businesses in Rural Illinois

For almost 10 years, USDA Rural Development has 

partnered with Champion Community Investments (CCI), 

a nonprofit economic development agency based in Du 

Quoin, Illinois, to boost lending, grow local businesses, 

and create or save much-needed jobs for residents in 

economically distressed communities in southern Illinois.

In 2015, Rural Development provided CCI with a $1 million 

Intermediary Relending Program loan to re-lend funds to 

local businesses and for community development projects. 

Prior awards from Rural Development to CCI include Rural 

Microentrepreneur Assistance Program financing for microlending to micro-enterprises, or very small rural businesses.

CCI loan assistance helped start and expand the Robin’s 

Nest Learning Center in Carterville. Today, it’s southern 

Illinois’s largest infant and toddler learning and care facility. 

Another beneficiary is McPherson Automotive in Du Quoin. 

This family-owned, long-time business worked with CCI 

for the first time in 2015 to expand operations. These 

businesses are providing goods, services, and jobs that 

help improve the quality of life in these communities and 

contribute to economic growth. 

Since 2006, USDA’s financial partnership with CCI has 

enabled the firm to provide more than 80 loans, mostly to 

southern Illinois small businesses. CCI is also a designated 

Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) 

supported through a CDFI grant. CCI leaders attribute the 

company’s success to a solid working relationship with 

USDA Rural Development and area banks. 

“They’ve created an environment in which we can 

successfully get these funds out on the streets and in 

the hands of good borrowers,” Rex Duncan, CCI Board of 

Directors President, said. “We’re using all these programs to 

make our communities a home for the next generation.”

Young children at the Robin’s Nest Learning Center in Carterville, IL.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 27 

A Place To Call Home

In partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Warrick County, 

Inc., Michael Coburn was able to realize his dream of home 

ownership through USDA Rural Development’s Mutual 

Self-Help Housing program. Coburn, who previously lived 

in a one-bedroom apartment, now owns a new threebedroom, two-bath home he helped build with his own 

hands. Coburn’s new home was completed in June of 2015, 

along with five other homes in the same neighborhood in 

Chandler, Indiana. The group worked on the build over the 

winter, persevering despite freezing temperatures, snow, 

and ice.

Under this program, Rural Development provides grants to 

organizations to supervise self-help housing construction 

projects for groups of low-income families who help build 

each other’s homes. Their labor significantly reduces the 

overall purchase cost of their homes. Self-help housing does 

more than just build houses: it stimulates the local economy 

and helps homeowners build credit and new skills.

USDA Rural Development partnered with Habitat for 

Humanity of Warrick County, Inc. on the project.

Coburn’s new home was completed in June of 2015, 

along with five other homes in the same neighborhood in 

Chandler, Indiana. The group worked on the build over the 

winter, persevering despite freezing temperatures, snow 

and ice storms. 

“I knew this was a great path to achieve homeownership,” 

Coburn said. “This has changed my life.”

INDIANA

Housing Programs

Indiana Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $101,949,593 43 $4,235,000 3 $12,778,000 5 $118,962,593 51

IRP $350,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $350,000 2

Renewable Energy $28,700,936 450 $2,041,698 37 $2,544,443 75 $33,287,077 562

Business Grants $3,568,380 58 $543,000 9 $501,000 9 $4,612,380 76

REDLG $3,504,000 7 $0 0 $2,628,540 3 $6,132,540 10

VAPG $920,295 12 $130,000 1 $610,390 7 $1,660,685 20

SFH Direct $196,692,657 1,828 $20,876,351 174 $22,181,479 179 $239,750,487 2,181

SFH Guaranteed $2,551,267,459 24,235 $540,934,430 5,001 $594,828,396 5,424 $3,687,030,285 34,660

SFH Repairs $6,443,900 1,249 $1,058,433 183 $975,448 177 $8,477,781 1,609

SFH Self-Help Grants $954,132 4 $0 0 $628,275 2 $1,582,407 6

MFH Direct $2,638,089 11 $1,538,176 4 $1,057,051 3 $5,233,316 18

MFH Guaranteed $7,040,000 10 $0 0 $0 0 $7,040,000 10

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $86,725,716 1,499 $20,818,272 342 $19,432,512 363 $126,976,500 2,204

CF Direct $158,901,681 37 $2,184,390 2 $1,432,000 2 $162,518,071 41

CF Guaranteed $19,524,999 5 $2,000,000 1 $0 0 $21,524,999 6

CF Grants $3,841,503 70 $337,604 7 $330,400 13 $4,509,507 90

WWD Direct $193,712,100 86 $39,520,000 11 $3,517,200 5 $236,749,300 102

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $75,830,458 50 $31,410,500 12 $12,307,625 11 $119,548,583 73

Telecom $127,461,982 13 $715,080 1 $0 0 $128,177,062 14

Electric $759,466,000 20 $20,056,000 3 $71,500,000 4 $851,022,000 27

All Other Programs $1,682,318 37 $267,190 5 $986,133 197 $2,935,641 239

INDIANA TOTAL $4,331,176,198 29,726 $688,666,124 5,796 $748,238,892 6,479 $5,768,081,215 42,001

Coburn breaks ground to begin construction on his home, built through USDA’s self-help 

housing program.
28 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

IOWA

Business and Community Programs

Manning Iowa’s Small Business 

Community of the Year

A Community Facilities loan to build a hospital and revolving 

loan funds, both provided by USDA Rural Development, 

have helped create a better environment for business 

development in the small community of Manning, Iowa. 

USDA Rural Development is one of the lead partner agencies 

supporting economic development in Manning, which 

has leveraged many Federal, State, and local programs for 

sources of capital and collaborated with many partners to 

further its development goals.

With a population of about 1,500, Manning community 

leaders are not striving for the city to be one of the biggest 

in western Iowa, just one of the best. Earlier this year, their 

ongoing efforts were recognized when the Small Business 

Administration named Manning “Iowa’s 2015 Small Business 

Community of the Year.”

For example, in 2014, Manning opened a new hospital 

for the community, replacing an outdated facility built in 

1927 that no longer met residents’ healthcare needs. USDA 

Rural Development provided a $21 million Community 

Facilities loan to help finance the construction. USDA Rural 

Development has also helped establish multiple revolving 

loan funds. As the loans are repaid to the local fund, new 

loans are provided to support additional projects and 

ventures in the community.

“There’s always been something special about Manning 

and its residents,” Rural Development Iowa State Director 

Bill Menner said. “Helping to establish revolving loan 

funds is an important way USDA helps improve economic 

opportunities in Manning and throughout rural Iowa.”

USDA Rural Development is supporting economic development in rural Manning, IA, one 

of the best places for businesses in the State.

Iowa Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $257,781,741 84 $41,776,500 8 $45,968,767 17 $345,527,008 109

IRP $2,345,219 7 $500,000 1 $200,000 1 $3,045,219 9

Renewable Energy $117,491,868 1,845 $2,138,911 68 $4,601,732 164 $124,232,511 2,077

Business Grants $3,996,374 60 $519,999 9 $336,200 6 $4,852,573 75

REDLG $27,639,000 66 $12,886,000 21 $11,329,880 17 $51,854,880 104

VAPG $5,960,661 34 $397,056 5 $2,464,580 11 $8,822,297 50

SFH Direct $113,298,537 1,322 $6,029,043 71 $9,068,353 104 $128,395,933 1,497

SFH Guaranteed $1,103,353,753 11,222 $240,684,746 2,339 $237,102,920 2,264 $1,581,141,419 15,825

SFH Repairs $5,472,568 1,292 $739,653 162 $998,751 203 $7,210,972 1,657

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $2,527,665 14 $167,172 3 $0 0 $2,694,837 17

MFH Guaranteed $7,606,600 4 $0 0 $0 0 $7,606,600 4

Farm Labor Housing $1,038,091 7 $0 0 $0 0 $1,038,091 7

Rental Assistance $90,684,448 1,156 $20,476,368 249 $19,650,960 274 $130,811,776 1,679

CF Direct $236,369,699 71 $24,080,200 9 $112,285,060 17 $372,734,959 97

CF Guaranteed $61,474,287 23 $0 0 $341,500 1 $61,815,787 24

CF Grants $15,649,046 326 $1,479,976 53 $265,200 14 $17,394,222 393

WWD Direct $103,797,660 91 $12,175,000 12 $8,671,000 8 $124,643,660 111

WWD Guaranteed $5,300,000 1 $0 0 $4,880,000 1 $10,180,000 2

WWD Grants $60,463,223 91 $11,981,250 22 $8,334,550 31 $80,779,023 144

Telecom $274,735,603 50 $15,480,350 3 $40,918,000 6 $331,133,953 59

Electric $306,982,000 28 $11,500,000 2 $132,173,000 6 $450,655,000 36

All Other Programs $27,445,714 31 $291,741 5 $2,638,064 265 $30,375,518 301

IOWA TOTAL $2,831,413,757 17,825 $403,303,965 3,042 $642,228,518 3,410 $3,876,946,239 24,277
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 29 

KANSAS

Utilities Programs

USDA Helps Kansas Community 

Update Its Aging Water System

More than $5.6 million in water loans and grants from USDA 

Rural Development are helping La Cygne, Kansas, replace its 

deteriorating water system and save its residents about 

$25 per month each in water bills.

Maintenance issues with the municipal water system, built 

back in the 1940s, have plagued the city for years. Over 

the past 5 years, La Cynge has spent more than $250,000 

on repairs.

The city will use the grant and loan funds to replace about 

70,000 feet of water distribution lines, install fire hydrants, 

repair and modernize the water treatment plant, connect 

remote-read water meters, and purchase software to make 

water billing more efficient. 

“The current water system isn’t sufficient, and we can’t 

move forward on other projects until we fix these issues,” 

La Cygne Mayor Terry Weitman said. “We thank USDA Rural 

Development for the financial and technical assistance to 

provide us with safe, affordable water service.”

Without the assistance from USDA, La Cygne residents 

would have been impacted by an increase of about 

$25 more per month on their water bills. The new system 

will provide residents with reliable, clean, and abundant 

water. By updating the water infrastructure, La Cygne is 

also investing in its future and helping to conserve a vital 

natural resource.

USDA employees and city officials celebrate Earth Day with third-graders from 

La Cygne Elementary. USDA financing is helping local families and children have 

safe, reliable water.

Kansas Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $108,315,341 50 $13,043,200 6 $17,990,485 6 $139,349,026 62

IRP $425,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $425,000 2

Renewable Energy $44,228,821 350 $2,988,062 56 $2,862,652 52 $50,079,535 458

Business Grants $2,630,265 35 $257,000 3 $245,000 3 $3,132,265 41

REDLG $21,778,576 41 $10,295,000 7 $2,016,000 3 $34,089,576 51

VAPG $1,024,183 7 $384,397 7 $705,334 9 $2,113,914 23

SFH Direct $70,540,602 837 $7,690,932 86 $5,423,969 55 $83,655,503 978

SFH Guaranteed $1,021,733,714 10,005 $147,276,293 1,359 $142,263,229 1,285 $1,311,273,236 12,649

SFH Repairs $4,281,735 790 $405,095 75 $194,254 38 $4,881,084 903

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,750,000 7 $0 0 $15,000 1 $1,765,000 8

MFH Direct $19,177,547 45 $924,241 3 $484,471 2 $20,586,259 50

MFH Guaranteed $2,447,108 2 $500,000 1 $1,115,386 1 $4,062,494 4

Farm Labor Housing $4,465,223 4 $0 0 $0 0 $4,465,223 4

Rental Assistance $44,807,304 827 $9,672,397 169 $9,531,900 209 $64,011,601 1,205

CF Direct $69,986,555 48 $25,601,800 9 $12,366,850 9 $107,955,205 66

CF Guaranteed $29,360,067 10 $0 0 $0 0 $29,360,067 10

CF Grants $18,874,725 85 $205,550 7 $141,000 7 $19,221,275 99

WWD Direct $162,123,070 112 $32,494,000 22 $16,803,000 14 $211,420,070 148

WWD Guaranteed $4,200,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $4,200,000 2

WWD Grants $66,187,262 74 $24,523,600 24 $8,563,500 14 $99,274,362 112

Telecom $371,790,330 43 $1,273,970 4 $142,157 1 $373,206,457 48

Electric $494,346,000 36 $46,251,938 4 $32,158,000 3 $572,755,938 43

All Other Programs $1,220,263 16 $35,199 1 $390,888 119 $1,646,350 136

KANSAS TOTAL $2,565,693,691 13,428 $323,822,674 1,843 $253,413,075 1,831 $3,142,929,440 17,102
30 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

KENTUCKY

Community Programs

USDA and Partners Make Access to 

Meals for Children Possible Year-Round

A new van made possible by a $46,000 Economic Impact 

Initiative Grant will help an eastern Kentucky nonprofit feed 

hungry children.

In Kentucky, more than 26 percent of children live in 

poverty. Summer meals are a key part of the safety net that 

prevents children from going hungry while school is out. 

So kids come running with smiles and laughter when the 

white cargo van rolls to a stop and the doors swing open. 

It’s not the ice cream truck, but something better — the 

lunch ladies from the Kentucky Communities Economic 

Opportunity Council (KCEOC) Community Action Center 

bringing lunches packed with nutritious fruit, sandwiches, 

juice, and milk.

Volunteers and staff at KCEOC, located in mountainous 

eastern Kentucky, work hard to feed up to 1,800 kids a day 

over the summer as part of USDA’s Summer Food Service 

Program. Success depends upon planning, coordination, 

and an assembly line to prepare sandwiches and pack 

thousands of meals for delivery at dozens of sites on 

multiple routes across Knox, Whitley, and Laurel counties.

The new van will make it easier for KCEOC workers to deliver 

meals throughout its large service area. KCEOC is also using 

a portion of the grant to expand an emergency family 

homeless shelter. 

Two young boys enjoy lunch near their home in Knox County, KY. Last year, KCEOC 

partnered with USDA to deliver more than 1.9 million summer meals for kids in 

eastern Kentucky.

Kentucky Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $231,371,677 50 $27,950,000 5 $22,125,250 10 $281,446,927 65

IRP $3,626,000 6 $500,000 1 $0 0 $4,126,000 7

Renewable Energy $13,004,926 276 $957,850 32 $2,876,214 91 $16,838,990 399

Business Grants $6,088,050 47 $919,918 14 $679,000 15 $7,686,968 76

REDLG $10,483,100 18 $0 0 $2,525,000 2 $13,008,100 20

VAPG $1,658,340 15 $212,065 2 $605,134 10 $2,475,539 27

SFH Direct $198,958,380 2,020 $25,828,023 287 $30,690,632 333 $255,477,035 2,640

SFH Guaranteed $1,968,906,285 17,364 $492,923,634 4,254 $482,003,045 4,071 $2,943,832,964 25,689

SFH Repairs $13,437,773 2,367 $2,796,983 476 $2,689,361 448 $18,924,117 3,291

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,000,000 3 $0 0 $525,000 1 $1,525,000 4

MFH Direct $6,248,113 16 $3,262,907 3 $17,130,589 17 $26,641,609 36

MFH Guaranteed $6,540,193 7 $0 0 $0 0 $6,540,193 7

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $79,711,872 1,272 $20,125,560 312 $19,881,576 287 $119,719,008 1,871

CF Direct $291,077,032 79 $72,088,400 18 $162,054,100 23 $525,219,532 120

CF Guaranteed $34,339,406 2 $0 0 $0 0 $34,339,406 2

CF Grants $10,343,243 176 $1,086,239 26 $1,596,923 28 $13,026,405 230

WWD Direct $237,060,100 136 $49,307,000 27 $58,853,000 25 $345,220,100 188

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $86,079,639 130 $27,080,000 27 $11,443,250 23 $124,602,889 180

Telecom $310,982,101 37 $10,879,841 5 $563,268 3 $322,425,210 45

Electric $967,783,000 26 $114,940,000 5 $332,449,000 3 $1,415,172,000 34

All Other Programs $25,784,543 89 $3,529,076 15 $20,442,881 55 $49,756,500 159

KENTUCKY TOTAL $4,504,483,773 24,136 $854,387,496 5,509 $1,169,133,223 5,445 $6,528,004,492 35,090

 
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 31 

LOUISIANA

Housing Programs

USDA Helps Two Generations 

Become Homeowners

A direct home loan from USDA Rural Development has 

helped a Louisiana single mother with serious health 

problems and a fixed income achieve homeownership.

“This is one of the best moments of our lives,” said 

Desiree Thomas.

Thomas says she always dreamed of owning a home, but 

realizing that dream wasn’t easy. She was battling her 

health condition while trying to raise two children with 

limited resources, and finding a loan with affordable rates 

and terms was difficult. That’s why she turned to the USDA.

Thomas had first-hand experience with USDA Rural 

Development’s home loan program, which helped her mother 

go from being homeless to owning a home in St. Landry 

Parish in Louisiana. Now this same USDA program has helped 

her provide her children with the security she had growing 

up. Thomas qualified for a direct home loan from USDA Rural 

Development — including no downpayment — and built a 

home in the community where she was raised.

“My goal of owning my home is accomplished,” Thomas 

said. “Rural Development helped me become a proud 

first-time homeowner of a three-bedroom house. In addition 

to becoming a homeowner, Thomas has earned a college 

degree and gained better control of her medical condition. 

Her mother Sara Edwards shares her daughter’s enthusiasm. 

“USDA Rural Development has helped my family achieve the 

dream of owning a home,” she said. “It’s a great program, and 

the staff has been great to work with. I am grateful.”

Thomas and her children invited USDA Rural Development employees to their home for a 

house-warming celebration.

Louisiana Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $395,449,319 88 $89,983,000 17 $52,976,800 12 $538,409,119 117

IRP $750,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $750,000 1

Renewable Energy $3,247,082 59 $1,010,088 14 $1,961,389 36 $6,218,559 109

Business Grants $3,452,594 25 $559,520 7 $422,000 5 $4,434,114 37

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $342,340 3 $200,000 1 $250,000 1 $792,340 5

SFH Direct $161,513,144 1,329 $21,739,411 174 $26,232,675 195 $209,485,230 1,698

SFH Guaranteed $3,896,090,533 27,457 $694,736,759 4,711 $686,195,947 4,650 $5,277,023,239 36,818

SFH Repairs $8,686,608 1,207 $1,471,230 204 $1,991,998 288 $12,149,836 1,699

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,339,800 5 $279,000 1 $0 0 $1,618,800 6

MFH Direct $9,420,119 13 $6,640,692 13 $8,523,230 14 $24,584,041 40

MFH Guaranteed $3,347,088 4 $1,160,000 1 $702,000 1 $5,209,088 6

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $159,890,045 1,219 $36,585,108 277 $38,090,232 260 $234,565,385 1,756

CF Direct $82,877,984 40 $17,575,000 2 $20,888,200 5 $121,341,184 47

CF Guaranteed $1,526,500 2 $8,000,000 1 $8,000,000 1 $17,526,500 4

CF Grants $4,289,986 79 $369,800 14 $361,100 17 $5,020,886 110

WWD Direct $109,434,271 68 $18,239,400 9 $38,185,000 13 $165,858,671 90

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $59,838,665 53 $6,631,832 8 $8,888,735 15 $75,359,232 76

Telecom $52,043,532 14 $2,785,024 2 $0 0 $54,828,556 16

Electric $412,690,000 8 $200,698,000 1 $0 0 $613,388,000 9

All Other Programs $2,186,852 15 $91,298,745 5 $80,083,571 4 $173,569,168 24

LOUISIANA TOTAL $5,368,416,462 31,689 $1,199,962,609 5,462 $973,752,876 5,517 $7,542,131,947 42,668
32 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

MAINE

Business Programs

USDA Helps Maine Biofuels Company 

Give New Life to Old Cooking Oil

A $63,000 payment from USDA Rural Development has 

helped Maine Standard Biofuels transform used cooking oil 

into valuable, sustainable consumer products. 

The small Maine-owned, renewable energy business in 

Portland is producing biodiesel fuel that can run cars and 

trucks and heat homes. Its biodiesel product is even used 

for a line of soap products called Wicked Strong.

USDA Rural Development has provided Maine Standard 

Biofuels with financing through the Advanced Biofuel 

Producer Payment Program, which helps support the 

production of biofuels from a variety of sources including 

food waste and biomass.

According to owner Jarmin Kaltsas, the business collects the 

used cooking oil from 900 restaurants from Bar Harbor to 

Connecticut, and produces approximately 300,000 gallons 

of biodiesel annually. The biodiesel is a premium fuel with 

lower emissions and higher lubricity than petroleum diesel. 

It can be used in most diesel cars, trucks, and equipment 

without modification. The biofuel is sold in bulk and at the 

pump in the greater Portland area.

Maine Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $44,745,038 29 $18,248,851 6 $0 0 $62,993,889 35

IRP $2,584,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $2,584,000 5

Renewable Energy $5,339,191 113 $269,348 28 $1,911,668 49 $7,520,207 190

Business Grants $6,243,553 55 $473,900 8 $275,000 4 $6,992,453 67

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $403,971 4 $471,571 5 $247,702 4 $1,123,244 13

SFH Direct $174,062,836 1,236 $27,622,493 181 $16,302,962 114 $217,988,291 1,531

SFH Guaranteed $1,354,425,607 9,684 $268,786,078 1,904 $244,169,644 1,721 $1,867,381,329 13,309

SFH Repairs $5,426,489 1,011 $764,446 129 $629,340 114 $6,820,275 1,254

SFH Self-Help Grants $2,180,000 3 $0 0 $793,800 1 $2,973,800 4

MFH Direct $17,340,505 30 $590,416 2 $1,656,591 3 $19,587,512 35

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $134,372,382 1,223 $31,539,960 269 $28,147,812 256 $194,060,154 1,748

CF Direct $35,700,650 46 $768,500 6 $11,227,500 8 $47,696,650 60

CF Guaranteed $21,270,900 11 $3,472,724 2 $5,000,000 2 $29,743,624 15

CF Grants $4,425,128 78 $385,492 9 $478,600 9 $5,289,220 96

WWD Direct $65,535,374 86 $21,645,000 14 $13,325,000 9 $100,505,374 109

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $68,500,816 110 $19,291,500 22 $7,544,000 18 $95,336,316 150

Telecom $20,772,645 36 $2,692,611 8 $2,687,510 7 $26,152,766 51

Electric $18,148,000 5 $593,000 1 $0 0 $18,741,000 6

All Other Programs $10,605,299 45 $1,162,639 5 $1,769,167 42 $13,537,105 92

MAINE TOTAL $1,992,082,384 13,810 $398,778,529 2,599 $336,166,296 2,361 $2,727,027,209 18,770

Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah (second from left) and State Director 

Virginia Manuel (far right) in front of the Maine Standard Biofuels delivery truck with the 

owner and another employee.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 33 

Clean Water and More for Maryland Residents

An emergency grant from USDA Rural Development turned 

the water back on in Henderson, Maryland, after an old pipe 

burst in a hard freeze. And $7 million in loans and grants will 

bring the area a new state-of-the-art wastewater system, 

addressing serious health concerns.

When the temperature dropped to 4 degrees in Henderson, 

the town’s aging water system just couldn’t handle 

it. Without immediate repairs and improvements, the 

residents of this small community would have had to live 

without water in freezing temperatures for an unknown 

period of time. USDA Rural Development was able to 

quickly provide a $175,000 emergency community water 

assistance grant to repair the system and get the water 

flowing again.

The incident in Henderson was a symptom of larger issues 

facing residents of northern Caroline County. Problems 

with the condition of water and wastewater systems have 

plagued the area for years, putting the public’s health at 

risk. The failing septic systems, extremely high nitrogen 

levels, and an outstanding Maryland Department of the 

Environment consent order brought various communities, 

State agencies, and local jurisdictions together with Rural 

Development to identify possible solutions.

As a result of this collaboration, Rural Development joined 

with multiple partners to support the creation of a North 

Caroline County Regional Wastewater System, the first step 

in a more sustainable, long-term solution for area. Rural 

Development has invested more than $7 million in loan 

and grant funding to support the regional system so rural 

residents in northern Caroline County will have access to a 

safe, reliable, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility.

MARYLAND

Utilities Programs

Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah visited Greensboro Elementary School 

in Caroline County for Earth Day 2015. She spoke to students about Earth Day and how 

USDA helps provide water and wastewater systems.

Maryland Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $47,571,485 21 $8,944,000 4 $3,268,400 3 $59,783,885 28

IRP $2,669,000 4 $0 0 $991,657 1 $3,660,657 5

Renewable Energy $2,564,515 60 $292,706 10 $1,326,607 33 $4,183,828 103

Business Grants $6,922,073 39 $1,395,000 7 $966,000 12 $9,283,073 58

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $1,727,201 16 $430,226 5 $1,508,079 12 $3,665,506 33

SFH Direct $64,872,035 341 $7,277,912 41 $9,973,365 58 $82,123,312 440

SFH Guaranteed $1,858,235,437 9,150 $450,629,713 2,197 $506,790,813 2,484 $2,815,655,963 13,831

SFH Repairs $1,302,170 189 $318,525 48 $227,267 35 $1,847,962 272

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $319,995 1 $35,555 1 $355,550 2

MFH Direct $3,138,714 4 $1,901,318 4 $3,761,277 5 $8,801,309 13

MFH Guaranteed $7,979,000 4 $4,495,676 2 $0 0 $12,474,676 6

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $72,195,284 555 $16,378,560 122 $15,451,020 121 $104,024,864 798

CF Direct $36,568,400 23 $7,933,600 5 $6,380,000 2 $50,882,000 30

CF Guaranteed $7,592,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $7,592,000 2

CF Grants $4,833,087 87 $652,584 11 $758,300 10 $6,243,971 108

WWD Direct $98,295,010 49 $16,761,000 18 $17,237,000 11 $132,293,010 78

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $78,033,231 60 $26,592,700 26 $14,279,500 21 $118,905,431 107

Telecom $73,570,487 29 $840,998 2 $99,725 1 $74,511,210 32

Electric $227,623,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $227,623,000 4

All Other Programs $5,351,369 34 $2,046,897 11 $4,569,892 13 $11,968,158 58

MARYLAND TOTAL $2,601,043,498 10,671 $547,211,410 2,514 $587,624,457 2,823 $3,735,879,365 16,008
34 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

MASSACHUSETTS

Community Programs

Chinese characters adorn a third-grade classroom at the charter school. Students begin 

Chinese-language immersion in kindergarten.

Charter School Paves the Way 

for High Achievement

A $10.6 million USDA Rural Development Community 

Facilities loan has helped a rural Massachusetts charter 

school double its capacity.

The Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in 

Hadley, Massachusetts, teaches Mandarin, or “standard,” 

Chinese to area students to help them get a head start 

in the global job market. Chinese is one of the fastestgrowing languages in America, and it is increasingly 

important in both education and the job market.

To help meet growing demand for its programs, school 

administrators wanted to expand to accommodate more 

students and begin a high school curriculum. USDA 

Rural Development provided the school with a $10.6 

million Community Facilities loan to build a 4-story, 

38,400-square-foot addition and double the size of its 

existing facility. The addition includes 19 classrooms, 

a media center, a science lab, an art room, a music and 

theater room, and office space.

Today, construction of the facility is almost complete, 

and school administrators began offering students high 

school-level classes in 2015. The charter school was recently 

designated as an International Baccalaureate World School 

to provide students with college-prep courses and an 

internationally recognized diploma in languages.

Massachusetts Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $52,669,750 17 $4,450,000 3 $0 0 $57,119,750 20

IRP $1,311,000 3 $1,000,000 1 $491,658 1 $2,802,658 5

Renewable Energy $7,170,937 99 $159,942 12 $1,974,056 33 $9,304,935 144

Business Grants $1,393,101 38 $202,000 6 $242,000 7 $1,837,101 51

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $411,000 4 $0 0 $499,869 3 $910,869 7

SFH Direct $70,949,744 362 $7,923,065 42 $6,624,972 30 $85,497,781 434

SFH Guaranteed $869,417,812 4,416 $217,582,874 1,059 $204,993,943 990 $1,291,994,629 6,465

SFH Repairs $1,252,752 208 $188,082 29 $267,124 38 $1,707,958 275

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $8,970,200 10 $1,593,548 3 $579,200 5 $11,142,948 18

MFH Guaranteed $3,801,905 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,801,905 1

Farm Labor Housing $1,844,383 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,844,383 5

Rental Assistance $42,780,921 264 $10,558,848 63 $10,840,968 57 $64,180,737 384

CF Direct $60,868,000 43 $6,174,000 3 $26,353,400 8 $93,395,400 54

CF Guaranteed $13,397,500 13 $0 0 $1,240,000 1 $14,637,500 14

CF Grants $2,779,776 41 $484,084 8 $501,883 6 $3,765,743 55

WWD Direct $73,944,785 50 $11,343,000 10 $9,440,000 10 $94,727,785 70

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $58,681,813 70 $9,423,500 16 $3,534,150 12 $71,639,463 98

Telecom $499,970 1 $0 0 $0 0 $499,970 1

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $3,691,333 23 $935,931 4 $2,712,403 15 $7,339,667 42

MASSACHUSETTS TOTAL $1,275,836,682 5,668 $272,018,874 1,259 $270,295,626 1,216 $1,818,151,182 8,143
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 35 

USDA Helps Michigan Tribe 

Build a Permanent Farmers Market

Farmers markets are an excellent way to support local growers 

and promote economic activity in rural communities. When 

the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe in Mt. Pleasant decided 

to upgrade their market to a larger, permanent structure, 

USDA Rural Development was there to help with a $200,000 

business grant. Today, the tribe has a new farmers market 

with a permanent pavilion and an adjacent parking lot. Rural 

Development Michigan State Director James J. Turner joined 

tribal leaders in June 2015 for the groundbreaking, and again 

in August 2015 for the ribbon-cutting when the project was 

completed about 2 months later.

The Mt. Pleasant Native Farmers Market has been extremely 

successful since its opening. In addition to foods, vendors 

sell a variety of hand-made items such as traditional bowls 

and cups, beads, soaps, and more. People are already 

talking about further expansion.

“The response has been overwhelming,” tribal Chief Steve 

Pego said. He hopes the market will revive interest in 

growing traditional Native American crops and also improve 

the diet of tribal members, moving them away from 

processed foods to more fresh, locally grown produce.

The success of the Mt. Pleasant Native Farmers Market 

shows how USDA Rural Development is improving the 

quality of life and bringing economic growth to rural 

areas. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has provided 

almost $3 million to support 35 local foods-related 

projects in Michigan.

MICHIGAN

Business Programs

Turner and Tribal Chief Pego cut the ribbon during the Mt. Pleasant Native Farmers 

Market grand opening ceremony.

Michigan Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $218,336,830 87 $20,922,000 6 $20,620,494 8 $259,879,324 101

IRP $1,252,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,252,000 4

Renewable Energy $9,579,761 377 $479,051 45 $2,398,482 94 $12,457,294 516

Business Grants $5,857,158 148 $985,000 22 $785,000 23 $7,627,158 193

REDLG $1,200,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,200,000 3

VAPG $3,033,166 17 $1,206,171 10 $851,030 8 $5,090,367 35

SFH Direct $173,030,071 1,803 $23,352,155 246 $26,679,209 272 $223,061,435 2,321

SFH Guaranteed $3,450,512,394 34,065 $719,647,544 6,447 $753,773,740 6,693 $4,923,933,678 47,205

SFH Repairs $8,684,754 1,768 $1,541,477 314 $1,899,824 352 $12,126,055 2,434

SFH Self-Help Grants $812,100 5 $0 0 $239,200 1 $1,051,300 6

MFH Direct $19,742,555 45 $1,408,908 3 $0 0 $21,151,463 48

MFH Guaranteed $4,662,000 4 $650,000 1 $1,150,000 2 $6,462,000 7

Farm Labor Housing $2,441,714 10 $146,800 1 $0 0 $2,588,514 11

Rental Assistance $138,696,704 1,743 $33,455,352 391 $30,299,752 366 $202,451,808 2,500

CF Direct $144,339,140 123 $65,016,000 22 $66,311,000 26 $275,666,140 171

CF Guaranteed $26,597,000 6 $0 0 $5,226,969 4 $31,823,969 10

CF Grants $10,163,494 395 $1,257,006 53 $1,117,300 43 $12,537,800 491

WWD Direct $427,949,000 196 $49,466,000 34 $56,656,000 27 $534,071,000 257

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $145,968,813 130 $19,619,500 22 $15,822,000 13 $181,410,313 165

Telecom $126,201,929 21 $625,300 3 $976,587 3 $127,803,816 27

Electric $280,671,000 7 $7,000,000 1 $84,000,000 2 $371,671,000 10

All Other Programs $15,837,236 49 $292,733 6 $1,418,209 343 $17,548,178 398

MICHIGAN TOTAL $5,215,568,819 41,006 $947,070,997 7,627 $1,070,224,795 8,280 $7,232,864,612 56,913
36 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Broadband Increases Community Economic 

Development in Rural Minnesota

About 4 years ago, the first shovel broke ground on a highspeed, multi-use broadband network for rural northeastern 

Minnesota’s “Iron Range” region. USDA Rural Development 

provided $43.5 million through the Recovery Act to the 

Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC) for the system, which 

was completed in September 2015. 

While broadband access was the ultimate goal, increased 

opportunity for community economic development has 

been the outcome.

The Iron Range is a geographically and economically diverse, 

8-county territory with a population of more than 355,500 

covering almost 24,000 square miles. Even though building 

the network was challenging, strong partnerships helped 

it happen. National and local contractors installed the fiber 

optics, creating hundreds of seasonal construction jobs for 

local residents. Local utilities contracted with NESC to expand 

last-mile connectivity for their members, who were among 

the first to enjoy access to the high-speed network. 

Today, middle-mile connections are providing broadband 

access to about 320 critical service sites, including Minnesota 

Tribal Nations, colleges and universities, K-12 school systems, 

healthcare facilities, community libraries, and other public 

local, county, and State facilities.

USDA Rural Development and the Recovery Act financed 

NESC’s middle-mile network, which allows local providers 

to serve rural residents across the Iron Range with the same 

high-speed broadband service that is available in urban 

areas. School districts have 10 times faster broadband 

connectivity speeds, creating one-on-one learning 

opportunities for students using iPads. Libraries have 

increased capacity for computer users, and healthcare 

facilities are able to provide treatment through long-distance 

telemedicine systems. Counties can process and share 

electronic records and data quickly and securely.

MINNESOTA

Community and Utilities Programs

Minnesota Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $99,297,198 44 $25,614,000 10 $18,330,000 3 $143,241,198 57

IRP $2,944,563 6 $292,596 1 $0 0 $3,237,159 7

Renewable Energy $34,878,677 873 $1,549,672 45 $3,423,495 96 $39,851,844 1,014

Business Grants $5,200,145 57 $670,000 7 $732,340 7 $6,602,485 71

REDLG $15,818,588 28 $633,000 2 $1,600,000 3 $18,051,588 33

VAPG $3,896,735 17 $993,642 7 $1,054,749 9 $5,945,126 33

SFH Direct $126,263,499 1,052 $13,479,563 120 $19,066,679 148 $158,809,741 1,320

SFH Guaranteed $2,162,387,924 17,994 $502,958,121 3,893 $517,121,680 3,851 $3,182,467,725 25,738

SFH Repairs $5,405,580 961 $713,746 133 $731,514 134 $6,850,840 1,228

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $13,409,624 26 $0 0 $0 0 $13,409,624 26

MFH Guaranteed $2,326,174 2 $0 0 $0 0 $2,326,174 2

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $84,443,408 1,495 $19,543,008 350 $18,264,408 340 $122,250,824 2,185

CF Direct $238,328,200 128 $95,318,500 19 $20,672,000 13 $354,318,700 160

CF Guaranteed $50,150,000 13 $7,580,800 2 $9,832,500 1 $67,563,300 16

CF Grants $8,796,239 136 $891,448 20 $1,014,500 20 $10,702,187 176

WWD Direct $154,216,000 100 $28,384,000 19 $23,690,000 11 $206,290,000 130

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $86,396,866 122 $37,852,000 32 $12,535,000 19 $136,783,866 173

Telecom $317,030,881 55 $10,362,466 8 $30,896,000 4 $358,289,347 67

Electric $704,454,000 50 $62,998,000 5 $328,677,000 19 $1,096,129,000 74

All Other Programs $30,334,512 38 $802,114 5 $1,589,562 108 $32,726,188 151

MINNESOTA TOTAL $4,145,978,813 23,197 $810,636,676 4,678 $1,009,231,427 4,786 $5,965,846,916 32,661

Giant spools of fiber optic cables used for the USDA-financed Minnesota Iron Range 

high-speed broadband network.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 37 

USDA Helps Rural Mississippi Family 

Build a Home of Their Own

In June 2015, USDA Rural Development celebrated National 

Homeownership Month with events across the country to 

demonstrate USDA’s commitment to providing affordable 

housing for lower income rural families. In Mississippi, 

USDA celebrated with new homeowner Craig Nave.

Nave and his children had been living in a two-bedroom 

mobile home that was too small to meet the needs of his 

growing family. He applied at the USDA Rural Development 

local office in Philadelphia, Mississippi, for a low-interest 

single-family home loan, and qualified for the loan. With 

USDA’s help, he was able to afford to build a new brick 

home in Scooba, Mississippi, for him and his family.

USDA Rural Development single-family home loans help 

low- and very-low-income people obtain affordable, safe 

housing in rural areas. Payment assistance is also available 

to reduce monthly mortgage payments for a short time. 

The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted 

household family income.

“After my family grew, I realized that the mobile home 

we were living in wasn’t big enough,” Nave said. “Then I 

contacted Rural Development, and now we have a brandnew home.”

MISSISSIPPI

Housing Programs

Mississippi Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $124,146,474 28 $27,000,000 4 $20,017,000 4 $171,163,474 36

IRP $0 0 $0 0 $600,000 1 $600,000 1

Renewable Energy $5,510,596 170 $596,786 26 $1,910,913 33 $8,018,295 229

Business Grants $3,963,584 56 $564,000 5 $533,919 6 $5,061,503 67

REDLG $17,535,000 26 $4,000,000 2 $4,000,000 2 $25,535,000 30

VAPG $546,826 6 $0 0 $749,952 5 $1,296,778 11

SFH Direct $148,033,611 1,626 $25,142,373 244 $26,878,910 263 $200,054,894 2,133

SFH Guaranteed $1,725,567,030 14,177 $327,721,627 2,619 $321,838,099 2,562 $2,375,126,756 19,358

SFH Repairs $12,358,213 1,797 $2,886,080 406 $2,230,563 312 $17,474,856 2,515

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,709,956 8 $612,479 2 $68,053 2 $2,390,488 12

MFH Direct $4,531,483 13 $0 0 $0 0 $4,531,483 13

MFH Guaranteed $1,529,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $1,529,000 6

Farm Labor Housing $3,404,350 3 $2,694,917 2 $0 0 $6,099,267 5

Rental Assistance $183,397,596 1,472 $42,716,160 332 $43,992,216 342 $270,105,972 2,146

CF Direct $77,710,986 35 $3,942,400 3 $0 0 $81,653,386 38

CF Guaranteed $10,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $10,000,000 1

CF Grants $12,850,529 225 $1,562,800 45 $451,600 17 $14,864,929 287

WWD Direct $116,231,010 115 $10,224,159 14 $23,348,167 17 $149,803,336 146

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $327,500 1 $327,500 1

WWD Grants $70,199,071 84 $10,718,360 9 $11,655,960 14 $92,573,391 107

Telecom $47,073,741 18 $3,200,361 7 $1,670,836 3 $51,944,938 28

Electric $1,425,730,000 16 $54,269,000 1 $76,076,000 1 $1,556,075,000 18

All Other Programs $101,729,543 57 $3,901,045 9 $3,659,051 28 $109,289,639 94

MISSISSIPPI TOTAL $4,093,758,599 19,939 $521,752,547 3,730 $540,008,739 3,613 $5,155,519,885 27,282

New homeowner Craig Nave in the front yard with his kids. Through a USDA home loan, 

he was able to afford to build a brand-new home for his family.
38 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

MISSOURI

Utilities Programs

Rural Development Missouri State Director Janie Dunning (second row left) joins Great 

Northwest Wholesale Water Commission members to celebrate the USDA-financed 

water system upgrades.

A Water Lifeline for Rural Northwest Missouri

Over $22 million in USDA Rural Development funds are 

helping three rural towns in northwest Missouri solve 

serious problems with their drinking water supplies.

 The towns of Cameron, Maysville, and Stewartsville have 

struggled to provide their residents with water for the last 

10 years. Drought depleted Cameron’s water reserves, 

Stewartsville didn’t have a dependable water source, and 

Maysville’s aging water treatment plant was failing.

To find a mutual solution, community leaders formed a 

regional water board, the Great Northwest Wholesale Water 

Commission, which turned to Rural Development for help. 

USDA provided $22.4 million in FY 2015 for water system 

improvements. Funds will be used to construct a 36-mile 

water line, and related storage and pumping facilities, from 

St. Joseph, Missouri’s, water system to the three cities.

The system improvements will bring safe, clean, and abundant 

water to about 4,370 rural households and businesses.

Missouri Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $215,128,000 121 $28,657,000 27 $62,634,700 38 $306,419,700 186

IRP $3,425,000 6 $962,500 2 $1,649,293 3 $6,036,793 11

Renewable Energy $29,514,248 267 $15,224,709 34 $7,003,997 107 $51,742,954 408

Business Grants $4,757,779 114 $715,000 20 $674,519 18 $6,147,298 152

REDLG $12,226,000 22 $750,000 1 $3,000,000 4 $15,976,000 27

VAPG $2,515,343 25 $1,529,043 13 $1,461,499 11 $5,505,885 49

SFH Direct $200,709,220 2,210 $22,263,845 242 $20,283,701 210 $243,256,766 2,662

SFH Guaranteed $2,721,391,154 25,576 $576,834,148 5,268 $579,163,672 5,019 $3,877,388,974 35,863

SFH Repairs $8,340,995 1,829 $1,469,631 291 $1,187,768 233 $10,998,394 2,353

SFH Self-Help Grants $767,380 3 $0 0 $0 0 $767,380 3

MFH Direct $5,691,871 21 $1,499,561 3 $1,745,730 2 $8,937,162 26

MFH Guaranteed $3,129,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,129,000 1

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $86,729,832 1,828 $20,616,264 405 $18,574,704 428 $125,920,800 2,661

CF Direct $208,552,305 130 $7,618,800 22 $24,969,400 30 $241,140,505 182

CF Guaranteed $66,628,720 15 $120,000 1 $0 0 $66,748,720 16

CF Grants $14,192,126 393 $526,766 39 $587,700 36 $15,306,592 468

WWD Direct $214,613,005 181 $20,519,325 26 $46,142,060 28 $281,274,390 235

WWD Guaranteed $1,750,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,750,000 2

WWD Grants $100,051,644 168 $10,595,529 29 $14,260,210 23 $124,907,383 220

Telecom $204,586,683 50 $10,192,703 6 $674,723 3 $215,454,109 59

Electric $1,644,568,000 51 $37,209,000 5 $286,386,000 6 $1,968,163,000 62

All Other Programs $2,018,924 19 $826,629 7 $1,137,124 497 $3,982,678 523

MISSOURI TOTAL $5,751,287,229 33,032 $758,130,453 6,441 $1,071,536,800 6,696 $7,580,954,482 46,169
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 39 

MONTANA

Business Programs

Arts and Culture Center Gets 

Long-Term Support

A $651,000 Business and Industry loan guarantee from 

USDA Rural Development is helping a Bozeman, Montana, 

arts center keeps its doors open.

The Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture provides 

work and retail space for nearly 60 arts and culture-related 

businesses. The center and its businesses generate about 

$8.5 million annually for the Bozeman area economy. 

Emerson needed operating funds and financing to 

upgrade its facilities. The loan guarantee from USDA Rural 

Development helped the Emerson secure long-term, 

fixed-rate financing from First Security Bank in Bozeman. 

The loan refinances existing debt at better rates and terms, 

supports ongoing operations, and will allow the Emerson to 

modernize and expand the center’s fire suppression system.

The Emerson center was originally built in 1918 as a school 

but closed in 1991. The next year, in 1992, a coalition of 

community members — dedicated to historic preservation 

and celebration of the arts — purchased the building 

from the Bozeman School District. The Emerson has since 

become a storefront for painters, potters, photographers, 

and performers whose work is exhibited across the building 

and in its three galleries.

With the continued support from the First Security Bank 

and USDA, locals will have a place to enjoy culture and the 

arts for many more years.

Montana Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $72,634,398 22 $3,387,500 2 $16,639,850 10 $92,661,748 34

IRP $3,721,000 8 $2,250,000 3 $852,000 2 $6,823,000 13

Renewable Energy $1,502,165 49 $168,000 5 $747,609 34 $2,417,774 88

Business Grants $2,958,842 78 $757,106 12 $184,000 8 $3,899,948 98

REDLG $2,099,872 6 $300,000 1 $0 0 $2,399,872 7

VAPG $348,520 6 $25,750 2 $0 0 $374,270 8

SFH Direct $110,007,499 755 $5,577,013 41 $7,136,742 50 $122,721,254 846

SFH Guaranteed $935,319,873 6,085 $210,738,892 1,276 $196,910,955 1,144 $1,342,969,720 8,505

SFH Repairs $1,074,465 191 $67,148 14 $135,122 24 $1,276,735 229

SFH Self-Help Grants $4,096,406 11 $0 0 $531,900 1 $4,628,306 12

MFH Direct $4,690,799 11 $0 0 $0 0 $4,690,799 11

MFH Guaranteed $1,455,597 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,455,597 1

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $27,803,268 465 $5,768,280 94 $5,813,472 102 $39,385,020 661

CF Direct $38,816,550 30 $2,290,000 1 $9,950,000 1 $51,056,550 32

CF Guaranteed $39,450,000 7 $0 0 $1,150,000 1 $40,600,000 8

CF Grants $8,342,858 73 $1,224,829 10 $1,299,632 12 $10,867,319 95

WWD Direct $70,769,000 59 $11,964,000 12 $22,707,000 12 $105,440,000 83

WWD Guaranteed $423,200 2 $2,500,000 1 $0 0 $2,923,200 3

WWD Grants $59,669,236 74 $15,999,500 16 $8,201,325 13 $83,870,061 103

Telecom $359,466,735 24 $363,326 1 $30,311,931 3 $390,141,992 28

Electric $108,754,000 13 $24,856,000 3 $20,000,000 2 $153,610,000 18

All Other Programs $13,913,403 38 $2,816,030 6 $3,001,432 52 $19,730,865 96

MONTANA TOTAL $1,867,317,686 8,008 $291,053,374 1,500 $325,572,970 1,471 $2,483,944,030 10,979

The Emerson’s Executive Director Susan Denson-Guy and Michael Drewiske of First 

Security Bank in front of the Emerson art and culture center.
40 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

NEBRASKA

Housing Programs

USDA Provides a Solid Footing

for a Western Nebraska Family

Scottsbluff, Nebraska couple,Matt and Mary Hausman 

realized their dream of homeownership with the help of a 

USDA Rural Development home loan guarantee.

The couple recently returned to the area to raise their two 

daughters and be close to family. They were looking for a 

home that would meet the needs of their growing family, 

but still be within their budget.

They applied to the Valley Bank in Scottsbluff for an 

affordable home loan through USDA Rural Development’s 

guaranteed single-family housing loan program and 

were approved. Additional assistance from the Nebraska 

Investment Finance Authority helped lower the interest rate. 

The home they chose — a 1950s-era 2-bedroom brick 

home — needed repairs, so their Valley Bank loan 

representative introduced them to Western Nebraska 

Housing Opportunities (WNHO). WNHO provided them with 

supplemental funds for repairs, including electrical upgrades 

and a new roof, in addition to downpayment assistance.

The Hausman family moved into their new home in 

March 2015, days before the birth of their son. “We are 

super satisfied with our new home,” Mrs. Hausman said. 

“We’re happy to have a house large enough for our family 

with affordable payments.”

Nebraska Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $122,906,709 70 $4,585,750 3 $8,957,125 5 $136,449,584 78

IRP $1,873,000 4 $175,558 1 $0 0 $2,048,558 5

Renewable Energy $26,864,405 688 $3,732,966 30 $2,497,499 78 $33,094,870 796

Business Grants $3,517,761 50 $429,185 5 $366,489 8 $4,313,435 63

REDLG $6,727,119 17 $283,500 1 $300,000 1 $7,310,619 19

VAPG $1,487,289 13 $176,018 1 $320,136 6 $1,983,443 20

SFH Direct $45,583,051 620 $2,546,675 30 $2,107,129 26 $50,236,855 676

SFH Guaranteed $529,843,123 5,691 $104,446,970 1,081 $103,082,934 1,030 $737,373,027 7,802

SFH Repairs $2,361,884 434 $136,486 21 $96,118 17 $2,594,488 472

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $3,379,066 19 $0 0 $485,925 2 $3,864,991 21

MFH Guaranteed $807,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $807,000 1

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $30,824,304 557 $6,847,296 119 $5,758,368 105 $43,429,968 781

CF Direct $147,508,200 48 $47,357,000 9 $8,807,900 3 $203,673,100 60

CF Guaranteed $52,895,000 9 $4,000,000 2 $6,100,000 1 $62,995,000 12

CF Grants $3,215,577 75 $438,243 9 $298,700 6 $3,952,520 90

WWD Direct $54,448,000 60 $4,314,500 8 $7,952,000 8 $66,714,500 76

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $29,229,200 62 $4,548,300 8 $2,990,600 16 $36,768,100 86

Telecom $151,087,248 26 $2,108,254 8 $4,219,000 2 $157,414,502 36

Electric $27,619,000 3 $0 0 $7,919,000 1 $35,538,000 4

All Other Programs $2,915,536 24 $1,487,500 7 $1,014,358 132 $5,417,394 163

NEBRASKA TOTAL $1,245,092,473 8,471 $187,614,201 1,343 $163,273,281 1,447 $1,595,979,955 11,261

The Hausman family enjoys quality time in their new home, financed through a 

partnership with USDA, Valley Bank and Nebraska housing providers.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 41 

NEVADA

Business Programs

Manufacturer Reduces Energy Costs 

and CO2 Emissions

A $373,000 Rural Energy for America Program grant 

from Rural Development helped a building materials 

manufacturer in Fernley, Nevada, get a handle on energy 

costs and respond to market demand.

Almost 1,800 solar panels on the roof of the Fortifiber 

factory plant are generating about 886,600 kilowatt hours 

of renewable energy per year, replacing nearly 

40 percent of the plant’s electricity needs and saving the 

company more than $86,000 each year. 

Chris Yount is the third-generation owner of this family 

business in Fernley. He takes pride in the company’s quality 

workmanship and commitment to its 64 employees. His 

plant produces Jumbo Tex®, an asphalt-saturated heavy 

paper product that keeps moisture out of buildings.

But Yount had a problem. Energy costs at Fortifiber were 

escalating year after year. His customers also wanted more 

environmentally friendly products. Yount turned to USDA's 

Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program 

for help stabilizing his energy costs and reducing carbon 

dioxide emissions.

With the help of USDA personnel, Yount decided that 

investing in solar power was the best option. The USDA 

Rural Development REAP grant helped him purchase a 

solar panel array. Fortifiber contributed about $1.1 million 

toward the system. Thanks to USDA Rural Development, the 

company’s energy future is secure.

Nevada Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $48,040,840 21 $11,856,000 4 $12,841,000 3 $72,737,840 28

IRP $1,700,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,700,000 2

Renewable Energy $1,049,496 46 $87,292 9 $761,439 15 $1,898,227 70

Business Grants $1,622,940 38 $336,747 7 $273,940 6 $2,233,627 51

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $23,655 1 $105,596 3 $0 0 $129,251 4

SFH Direct $47,000,517 344 $10,208,746 64 $7,920,619 47 $65,129,882 455

SFH Guaranteed $482,681,816 3,182 $125,027,888 703 $118,377,881 626 $726,087,585 4,511

SFH Repairs $1,136,836 212 $297,675 50 $158,063 32 $1,592,574 294

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,058,832 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,058,832 3

MFH Direct $577,613 4 $0 0 $0 0 $577,613 4

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $1,560,620 1 $1,560,620 1

Farm Labor Housing $31,171 1 $0 0 $0 0 $31,171 1

Rental Assistance $39,473,496 257 $8,995,164 56 $9,023,952 55 $57,492,612 368

CF Direct $21,714,765 16 $3,728,194 2 $802,000 1 $26,244,959 19

CF Guaranteed $2,448,922 1 $0 0 $0 0 $2,448,922 1

CF Grants $1,151,040 40 $151,500 9 $150,400 8 $1,452,940 57

WWD Direct $33,015,587 20 $0 0 $10,341,000 4 $43,356,587 24

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $18,318,134 26 $377,500 4 $17,276,225 7 $35,971,859 37

Telecom $20,069,420 9 $50,268 1 $377,772 1 $20,497,460 11

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $108,534,202 18 $550,000 2 $126,862 5 $109,211,064 25

NEVADA TOTAL $829,649,282 4,241 $161,772,570 914 $179,991,772 811 $1,171,413,624 5,966

Chae Herring, a machine operator at the Fortifiber plant in Fernley. The company used 

USDA grant financing for part of the cost of a solar panel array.
42 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Community Programs

Community College Gets New Lifeline

USDA Rural Development helped save an important 

educational establishment when it partnered with the 

Community College System of New Hampshire to help the 

River Valley Community College in Claremont purchase 

nearby Lebanon College through a Community Facilities loan. 

A week before the start of its fall 2014 semester, financial 

problems led Lebanon College to cancel classes and shut its 

doors. This left local students without access to affordable 

education and local businesses without customers. 

However, this bleak picture brightened considerably when 

a $1.6 million Rural Development loan allowed the River 

Valley Community College to expand operations into 

Lebanon. River Valley will begin offering some classes in 

January 2016 in Lebanon, and the campus will be fully 

operational by the fall, bringing back services to about 

500 local Upper Valley students.

Administrators at River Valley are working closely with 

area businesses to design educational opportunities that 

prepare students for employment and provide residents 

with continuing education to help them advance their 

careers. Lebanon city leaders are excited to engage with 

college administrators to plan for the future and ensure 

mutual support for the college in its new home town.

City Councilwoman Karen Loit Hill owns the Lebanon Diner 

across the street from the college. She eagerly awaits the 

return of students. “The students will reenergize this town,” 

she said. “The least I can do is make sure they have a cup 

of coffee.”

New Hampshire Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $24,797,420 11 $4,050,000 1 $2,000,000 3 $30,847,420 15

IRP $3,525,000 8 $1,000,000 1 $500,000 1 $5,025,000 10

Renewable Energy $2,935,224 71 $734,083 13 $1,332,526 42 $5,001,833 126

Business Grants $1,898,377 38 $175,000 7 $212,795 5 $2,286,172 50

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $620,649 6 $127,732 1 $95,740 3 $844,121 10

SFH Direct $84,716,046 591 $10,063,150 80 $9,038,645 72 $103,817,841 743

SFH Guaranteed $766,211,124 4,631 $148,411,775 862 $146,878,294 827 $1,061,501,193 6,320

SFH Repairs $3,121,364 478 $621,396 88 $774,514 114 $4,517,274 680

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $14,963,045 26 $637,000 2 $12,061,073 9 $27,661,118 37

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $48,593,104 348 $12,611,940 84 $12,370,200 74 $73,575,244 506

CF Direct $17,095,500 11 $0 0 $4,883,000 3 $21,978,500 14

CF Guaranteed $3,707,800 7 $1,500,000 1 $0 0 $5,207,800 8

CF Grants $2,133,705 84 $435,848 14 $423,200 13 $2,992,753 111

WWD Direct $64,883,000 27 $3,650,000 4 $7,707,000 4 $76,240,000 35

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $46,425,982 36 $4,350,475 11 $5,971,300 7 $56,747,757 54

Telecom $2,846,980 5 $1,115,157 3 $919,179 2 $4,881,316 10

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $450,000 9 $50,000 2 $109,100 15 $609,100 26

NEW HAMPSHIRE TOTAL $1,088,924,320 6,387 $189,533,556 1,174 $205,276,566 1,194 $1,483,734,442 8,755

USDA officials meet with project planners at River Valley Community College’s newly 

acquired college campus in Lebanon, NH.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 43 

Children at the Harvest Point apartment complex in Salem, NJ, enjoying summer meals.

NEW JERSEY

Housing Programs

Harvest Point Summer Food Program Works

Starting in 2013, USDA Rural Development and USDA’s 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) employees joined 

together to provide nutritious meals over the summer to 

eligible children living at Harvest Point apartments in rural 

Salem, New Jersey.

Harvest Point is a USDA Rural Development-financed affordable 

multi-family housing complex for seniors and families. FNS’s 

Summer Food Service Program provides healthy meals 

during the summer school break to those children at risk of 

going hungry when school meals aren’t available.

Nine children at Harvest Point currently participate in 

the program. Through a 2009 Distance Learning and 

Telemedicine grant from USDA Rural Development, the 

complex has a community learning center with computers, 

TVs, and other multimedia equipment. It’s a great 

environment for the children to learn, play, and take part in 

group activities as they enjoy their summer meals. 

The ongoing partnership between Rural Development 

and FNS is helping to bring Federal, State, and local 

services together for rural children in need. In 2015, Rural 

Development and FNS employees worked to bring summer 

meals to more kids at Harvest Point and begin summer 

meals programs at other Rural Development-financed 

apartments in the Garden State.

New Jersey Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $24,195,680 9 $0 0 $10,000,000 1 $34,195,680 10

IRP $948,000 2 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $1,948,000 3

Renewable Energy $6,404,184 68 $126,900 4 $990,556 10 $7,521,640 82

Business Grants $1,089,548 16 $143,000 3 $156,000 3 $1,388,548 22

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $576,682 9 $49,900 1 $550,000 5 $1,176,582 15

SFH Direct $61,301,811 355 $7,815,585 49 $10,315,309 66 $79,432,705 470

SFH Guaranteed $958,611,804 5,349 $224,098,203 1,270 $168,299,923 978 $1,351,009,930 7,597

SFH Repairs $681,622 111 $159,819 26 $94,460 14 $935,901 151

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $12,738,086 14 $5,941,399 2 $0 0 $18,679,485 16

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $4,999,999 1 $0 0 $4,999,999 1

Farm Labor Housing $325,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $325,000 1

Rental Assistance $40,633,472 231 $12,606,720 57 $8,956,512 50 $62,196,704 338

CF Direct $23,634,300 30 $2,965,700 2 $35,000 1 $26,635,000 33

CF Guaranteed $3,490,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $3,490,000 2

CF Grants $1,785,406 41 $194,800 6 $154,000 5 $2,134,206 52

WWD Direct $74,960,500 47 $8,550,000 5 $10,466,000 5 $93,976,500 57

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $31,910,897 40 $4,480,800 13 $2,900,000 6 $39,291,697 59

Telecom $318,464 2 $0 0 $0 0 $318,464 2

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $1,361,570 13 $591,897 3 $431,721 41 $2,385,187 57

NEW JERSEY TOTAL $1,244,967,026 6,340 $273,724,721 1,443 $213,349,481 1,185 $1,732,041,228 8,968
44 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

New Program Helps Native American 

Farmers and Schoolchildren

Small farmers in northwest New Mexico have always 

struggled economically, even in good years. But now a 

simple idea is helping these farmers enjoy greater prosperity.

Through the Navajo Farm to School Project, made possible 

by financial and technical support from USDA Rural 

Development, the farmers are selling produce to local 

schools, providing fresh, nutritious foods in schools that 

Navajo children attend, while also creating more financial 

stability for themselves and their families.

USDA Rural Development’s Stronger Economies Together 

(SET) initiative helps rural communities build capacity by 

working together on a regional basis to pursue economic 

development goals. USDA supports the “The Trail of 

the Ancients” SET project in northwest New Mexico, a 

collaborative effort that involves the Western Regional 

Rural Development Center at Utah State University, New 

Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, and USDA 

Rural Development.

Navajo members of the SET project came up with the idea 

for farm-to-school project, which is yielding important 

benefits. The project re-introduces traditional indigenous 

foods — like corn, squash, melons, greens, tomatoes, and 

other vegetables — into Navajo children’s diets to help 

combat the health problems many of them face due to 

fatty, high-carbohydrate foods. Additionally, by supplying 

goods to the schools, Navajo farmers and other growers 

in the area have the opportunity to increase sales and 

earnings by accessing new markets.

NEW MEXICO

Community Programs

Brenna Clani-Washinawatok and her children show a local extension agent the greens 

grown on their farm. The produce is marketed to northwest New Mexico local schools.

New Mexico Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $49,038,496 21 $14,950,325 4 $8,429,250 4 $72,418,071 29

IRP $567,000 2 $0 0 $250,000 1 $817,000 3

Renewable Energy $2,518,329 78 $89,664 4 $1,193,530 36 $3,801,523 118

Business Grants $3,024,226 36 $308,343 7 $574,146 9 $3,906,715 52

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $978,927 10 $50,000 1 $708,590 6 $1,737,517 17

SFH Direct $49,419,019 417 $16,180,794 123 $15,332,350 117 $80,932,163 657

SFH Guaranteed $252,030,350 1,801 $48,190,145 340 $50,478,708 361 $350,699,203 2,502

SFH Repairs $1,825,351 258 $672,174 95 $458,061 62 $2,955,586 415

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,739,085 5 $0 0 $1,421,677 4 $3,160,762 9

MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Guaranteed $1,949,000 5 $0 0 $1,791,000 1 $3,740,000 6

Farm Labor Housing $1,707,000 1 $4,052,848 2 $0 0 $5,759,848 3

Rental Assistance $62,184,836 408 $16,508,269 101 $15,977,240 91 $94,670,345 600

CF Direct $71,841,741 27 $1,102,700 3 $503,400 4 $73,447,841 34

CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Grants $2,669,266 40 $632,643 8 $347,200 5 $3,649,109 53

WWD Direct $58,917,042 45 $5,496,000 5 $7,249,000 3 $71,662,042 53

WWD Guaranteed $84,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $84,000 1

WWD Grants $93,526,683 146 $19,673,907 8 $17,086,672 9 $130,287,262 163

Telecom $190,467,647 30 $987,116 4 $5,835,715 2 $197,290,478 36

Electric $357,970,000 16 $14,117,000 1 $53,428,000 2 $425,515,000 19

All Other Programs $60,940,428 26 $1,432,850 4 $3,141,499 41 $65,514,777 71

NEW MEXICO TOTAL $1,263,398,426 3,373 $144,444,778 710 $184,206,038 758 $1,592,049,242 4,841
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 45 

NEW YORK

Housing Programs

Left: West Broadway Villas deteriorated over time.

Right: The complex and grounds were completely 

renovated, and reopened in September 2015.

USDA Celebrates Re-Opening 

of West Broadway Villas

In September 2015, USDA Rural Development employees 

joined residents to celebrate the reopening of the West 

Broadway Villas apartment complex in the Village of 

Monticello, New York, in Sullivan County — the heart of the 

Catskills.

USDA Rural Development partnered with the Pathstone 

Corporation, the New York State Office of Community 

Renewal, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, and 

M&T Bank to restore West Broadway Villas and improve 

living conditions for residents. USDA Rural Development 

provided Pathstone with almost $1.5 million in loan 

assistance to acquire the property and make renovations. 

Overall, USDA and the partners invested more than 

$5 million to refurbish the apartments and build a new 

community building for residents that includes a computer 

center and kitchen facilities.

The rebirth of West Broadway Villas represents more than 

the rehabilitation of a few dilapidated buildings. It is the 

re-creation of a neighborhood bringing families together 

in a safe community setting. Improvements at the complex 

include modernizing 40 apartment units, installing new 

walkways and security features, and adding lighting for 

better safety.

The renovations will help ensure that low-income families 

will have affordable housing and a safe place to raise their 

children for years to come.

New York Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $236,291,647 117 $24,851,000 9 $13,309,400 9 $274,452,047 135

IRP $5,722,000 11 $0 0 $0 0 $5,722,000 11

Renewable Energy $8,460,364 322 $376,635 33 $3,019,914 90 $11,856,913 445

Business Grants $6,433,464 74 $1,283,904 16 $1,075,768 14 $8,793,136 104

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $2,337,102 32 $611,439 6 $3,315,819 28 $6,264,360 66

SFH Direct $108,701,120 1,053 $12,761,014 114 $18,222,297 147 $139,684,431 1,314

SFH Guaranteed $1,047,340,640 9,207 $256,749,769 2,172 $232,789,089 1,958 $1,536,879,498 13,337

SFH Repairs $6,245,614 1,115 $1,034,433 190 $928,457 173 $8,208,504 1,478

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $14,916,352 27 $12,022,805 19 $10,541,325 13 $37,480,482 59

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $95,703,199 898 $23,083,200 207 $23,821,284 211 $142,607,683 1,316

CF Direct $74,223,470 86 $15,236,200 15 $6,601,000 16 $96,060,670 117

CF Guaranteed $21,068,400 6 $1,500,000 1 $0 0 $22,568,400 7

CF Grants $5,447,660 93 $888,284 18 $878,800 16 $7,214,744 127

WWD Direct $195,941,000 161 $46,855,000 31 $27,166,000 18 $269,962,000 210

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $122,666,911 167 $33,628,000 39 $11,817,000 29 $168,111,911 235

Telecom $60,666,232 30 $4,129,680 12 $482,183 2 $65,278,095 44

Electric $20,532,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $20,532,000 4

All Other Programs $6,113,567 41 $265,677 5 $968,888 122 $7,348,132 168

NEW YORK TOTAL $2,038,810,742 13,444 $435,277,040 2,887 $354,937,224 2,846 $2,829,025,006 19,177
46 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

USDA Supports Woman-Owned Business, 

Healthcare in North Carolina

A Business and Industry guaranteed loan has helped an 

immigrant from Nigeria achieve her dream of owning a 

business in Wilson, North Carolina.

It hasn’t been an easy ride for Ijeoma Uwakwe, who 

immigrated to the United States to join her husband and 

pursue her dream of becoming a pharmacist. She enrolled 

in Campbell University, about an hour away from home, 

balancing weekly commutes for school, classes, and a parttime job at a pharmacy, all while caring for her family of six. 

Uwakwe graduated at the top of her class with a Doctor of 

Pharmacy degree and a Masters in clinical research.

USDA Rural Development partnered with Southern Bank to 

provide her with a Business and Industry guaranteed loan 

to help purchase Wilson Value Drug Store, a drugstore and 

pharmacy. Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah 

and Rural Development North Carolina State Director 

Randall Gore joined her at the ribbon-cutting ceremony 

and grand opening to celebrate her achievements.

Uwakwe brings knowledge, dedication, and a love of her 

community to the people of Wilson. With support from 

USDA, she is contributing to her adopted home’s economic 

growth and helping to protect her neighbors' health and 

improve their quality of life.

USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity initiative 

coordinates and directs Federal support to persistentpoverty, high-need areas. Increasing access to quality, 

affordable healthcare — which many rural communities 

lack — is an important part of StrikeForce. Wilson, NC, is in a 

StrikeForce county receiving targeted assistance to increase 

investments and economic opportunities for residents.

NORTH CAROLINA

Business Programs

Under Secretary Mensah (left) congratulates Dr. Uwakwe on the opening of her new 

small business. Wilson residents now benefit from pharmacy services like health 

screenings and diabetes education.

North Carolina Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $270,759,606 133 $47,639,417 19 $55,408,600 23 $373,807,623 175

IRP $5,577,480 9 $0 0 $326,067 1 $5,903,547 10

Renewable Energy $41,632,320 461 $55,863,948 61 $153,066,364 128 $250,562,632 650

Business Grants $6,285,794 86 $986,000 13 $858,700 13 $8,130,494 112

REDLG $14,303,000 23 $17,447,500 22 $6,493,231 16 $38,243,731 61

VAPG $2,048,992 16 $770,000 7 $619,579 6 $3,438,571 29

SFH Direct $270,884,519 2,083 $39,166,695 292 $49,010,396 359 $359,061,610 2,734

SFH Guaranteed $4,931,697,152 35,898 $879,866,812 6,383 $941,430,795 6,666 $6,752,994,759 48,947

SFH Repairs $15,123,479 2,444 $2,712,141 415 $3,318,470 480 $21,154,090 3,339

SFH Self-Help Grants $3,720,884 14 $183,665 1 $1,085,727 4 $4,990,276 19

MFH Direct $73,598,565 58 $6,237,495 10 $10,965,363 11 $90,801,423 79

MFH Guaranteed $15,986,000 14 $5,996,267 5 $4,875,257 3 $26,857,524 22

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $269,456,306 1,992 $73,239,120 501 $69,932,737 473 $412,628,163 2,966

CF Direct $451,466,801 255 $33,956,800 23 $74,674,900 39 $560,098,501 317

CF Guaranteed $66,983,631 18 $16,830,000 4 $4,600,000 2 $88,413,631 24

CF Grants $16,946,062 220 $1,036,274 21 $1,037,066 25 $19,019,402 266

WWD Direct $283,185,192 122 $28,742,812 15 $24,584,000 15 $336,512,004 152

WWD Guaranteed $19,063,000 4 $1,760,000 2 $0 0 $20,823,000 6

WWD Grants $114,003,513 89 $21,327,319 19 $14,961,475 23 $150,292,307 131

Telecom $152,084,304 26 $1,471,078 4 $0 0 $153,555,382 30

Electric $962,134,000 34 $181,000,000 9 $141,860,000 10 $1,284,994,000 53

All Other Programs $109,245,027 57 $1,815,081 11 $761,179 71 $111,821,288 139

NORTH CAROLINA TOTAL $8,096,185,627 44,056 $1,418,048,424 7,837 $1,559,869,905 8,368 $11,074,103,957 60,261
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 47 

Veterinary Clinic Expanding To 

Meet Regions Needs

A $2 million USDA Rural Development loan to an electric 

cooperative is making a much-needed new veterinary clinic 

possible in southwestern North Dakota.

With more than 90 percent of its land dedicated to 

farming, agriculture is critical to North Dakota’s economy. 

Veterinarians there provide care to a broad range of 

animals, including cats, dogs, horses, cattle, and sheep.

The West River Veterinary Clinic, in southwestern North 

Dakota, needed a larger, more modern clinic to meet 

demand for its services, which has grown by 15 percent 

each year for the last 3 years. The clinic offers specialized 

medical treatment, herd consultation, surgery, 24-hour 

emergency services, and more.

USDA Rural Development provided a Rural Economic 

Development Loan to the Slope Electric Cooperative that is 

being used to help finance construction of the new, larger 

clinic. Under this program, USDA provides funds to local 

electric utilities which, in turn, create a revolving loan fund 

for use by local entities to save or create more jobs in rural 

areas. USDA Rural Development also awarded the clinic 

a $99,850 Rural Energy for America Program grant for a 

geothermal heating and cooling system at the new clinic.

Construction is underway at the new, 12,000-square-foot 

facility, expected to open in April 2016. It will include 

more exam rooms, a pharmacy, laboratory, padded 

surgery room, isolation areas and an outdoor treatment 

pen. Clinic administrators also expect to hire three new 

full-time veterinarians.

“The loan and grant are critical for us to achieve our project 

goals for the community,” West River veterinarian Ethan 

Andress said. “Rural residents deserve the same animal 

care and access as their counterparts in urban areas. USDA 

helped make this project economically viable.”

NORTH DAKOTA

Business Programs

Artist’s rendering of the new West River Veterinary Clinic that was funded through 

USDA programs. Image used with permission, courtesy of Nostdahl Liptack Architects.

North Dakota Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $105,283,544 52 $8,131,921 2 $11,852,841 4 $125,268,306 58

IRP $1,810,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,810,000 5

Renewable Energy $3,383,201 78 $147,000 7 $461,045 13 $3,991,246 98

Business Grants $3,111,838 44 $873,637 12 $1,612,074 14 $5,597,549 70

REDLG $11,819,168 22 $8,075,000 7 $0 0 $19,894,168 29

VAPG $148,500 3 $62,325 1 $124,182 3 $335,007 7

SFH Direct $33,617,920 289 $3,677,142 23 $3,892,074 27 $41,187,136 339

SFH Guaranteed $247,747,884 2,005 $57,079,879 414 $56,919,262 401 $361,747,025 2,820

SFH Repairs $1,907,266 306 $137,141 18 $131,040 19 $2,175,447 343

SFH Self-Help Grants $10,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $10,000 1

MFH Direct $4,963,854 20 $0 0 $0 0 $4,963,854 20

MFH Guaranteed $7,439,420 5 $19,338,519 3 $1,000,000 1 $27,777,939 9

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $20,140,932 340 $4,808,064 74 $4,020,192 77 $28,969,188 491

CF Direct $87,463,207 41 $44,787,450 9 $19,730,550 7 $151,981,207 57

CF Guaranteed $46,384,898 17 $150,000 1 $10,300,000 1 $56,834,898 19

CF Grants $4,672,618 52 $926,510 11 $940,900 10 $6,540,028 73

WWD Direct $70,534,549 55 $8,198,200 10 $9,747,369 11 $88,480,118 76

WWD Guaranteed $1,250,000 1 $500,000 1 $0 0 $1,750,000 2

WWD Grants $41,824,357 48 $8,251,350 9 $3,826,500 8 $53,902,207 65

Telecom $367,282,364 35 $9,370,704 4 $60,328,612 5 $436,981,680 44

Electric $2,331,926,000 39 $115,514,000 3 $116,147,000 4 $2,563,587,000 46

All Other Programs $4,192,289 22 $1,055,000 5 $623,720 60 $5,871,009 87

NORTH DAKOTA TOTAL $3,396,913,809 3,480 $291,083,842 614 $301,657,361 665 $3,989,655,012 4,759
48 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

OHIO

Utilities Programs

USDA and the Recovery Act helped four rural Appalachian Ohio communities get a safe, 

sanitary wastewater treatment system.

Ohio Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $235,771,307 86 $31,891,328 12 $34,957,000 7 $302,619,635 105

IRP $2,709,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $2,709,000 6

Renewable Energy $51,573,032 335 $1,113,880 36 $3,067,910 85 $55,754,822 456

Business Grants $5,960,202 53 $901,000 9 $729,000 8 $7,590,202 70

REDLG $300,000 1 $1,572,926 1 $0 0 $1,872,926 2

VAPG $954,288 10 $19,250 1 $199,227 5 $1,172,765 16

SFH Direct $189,214,526 1,740 $17,586,025 165 $20,367,532 197 $227,168,083 2,102

SFH Guaranteed $2,287,713,125 21,919 $481,549,028 4,503 $557,192,812 5,085 $3,326,454,965 31,507

SFH Repairs $7,266,854 1,501 $970,949 180 $1,236,530 216 $9,474,333 1,897

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,361,030 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,361,030 3

MFH Direct $29,103,632 51 $8,479,131 13 $1,294,655 8 $38,877,418 72

MFH Guaranteed $16,379,295 17 $4,577,000 5 $4,941,335 6 $25,897,630 28

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $105,509,916 1,330 $25,834,668 315 $24,861,817 310 $156,206,401 1,955

CF Direct $72,830,125 73 $10,699,000 9 $92,227,200 20 $175,756,325 102

CF Guaranteed $16,900,500 8 $0 0 $0 0 $16,900,500 8

CF Grants $3,751,445 80 $664,492 10 $540,000 11 $4,955,937 101

WWD Direct $141,328,000 65 $15,956,000 7 $27,900,000 11 $185,184,000 83

WWD Guaranteed $11,000,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $11,000,000 2

WWD Grants $97,347,246 66 $11,191,464 11 $12,133,300 15 $120,672,010 92

Telecom $45,394,228 31 $621,743 2 $248,649 1 $46,264,620 34

Electric $333,869,000 20 $27,096,000 4 $34,500,000 3 $395,465,000 27

All Other Programs $7,474,601 47 $659,450 6 $1,109,372 104 $9,243,424 157

OHIO TOTAL $3,663,711,352 27,444 $641,383,334 5,289 $817,506,339 6,092 $5,122,601,025 38,825

Rural Wastewater System Up and Running

A nearly $30 million financial package from USDA Rural 

Development helped four communities in a depressed part 

of rural Ohio build a new, modern sanitary sewer system, 

creating jobs and serving 1,300 households.

Residents of Minford, Ohio, and three other surrounding 

small communities needed a sanitary sewer system to 

protect people’s health and safety. It was a challenge, 

because the region — part of Appalachian Ohio in Scioto 

County — is economically depressed and developing 

wastewater systems is time consuming and costly.

Fortunately, USDA Rural Development was there to help. 

USDA provided $29.4 million through the Recovery Act for 

the sewer infrastructure. Next, the real work, build-out, 

began. The project incorporates about 40 miles of pipeline, 

800 manholes, and 5 regional pumping stations. USDA 

officials and local project leaders celebrated the grand 

opening in September 2015. The completion marks the 

successful close of all of Ohio’s Recovery Act-funded projects.

“I’ve come to know Minford, Muletown, Clarktown, and 

Rubyville like the back of my hand,” project manager/

engineer Andy Vorhis said at the ribbon cutting. “It took 

820 easements from 820 different landowners. Any time you 

dig a hole 40 miles long, you’ll have struggles ... but the 

cooperation and camaraderie of the whole team has made 

this a success.”

Locals expect property values and business opportunities 

to grow now that the sewage issues are resolved. During 

construction, roughly 100 regionally sourced jobs were 

added, infusing around $2 million into the local economy
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 49 

OKLAHOMA

Utilities Programs

Oklahoma Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $259,920,779 76 $36,733,435 9 $24,234,124 6 $320,888,338 91

IRP $2,338,000 5 $308,749 1 $0 0 $2,646,749 6

Renewable Energy $15,304,573 74 $840,033 8 $1,679,139 15 $17,823,745 97

Business Grants $5,920,430 50 $851,588 5 $1,088,068 10 $7,860,086 65

REDLG $2,141,370 7 $0 0 $0 0 $2,141,370 7

VAPG $774,055 5 $276,097 2 $322,211 3 $1,372,363 10

SFH Direct $108,164,876 1,133 $10,135,081 109 $16,036,867 148 $134,336,824 1,390

SFH Guaranteed $1,525,744,278 14,018 $281,797,799 2,483 $255,185,139 2,186 $2,062,727,216 18,687

SFH Repairs $3,794,117 619 $610,411 98 $758,899 119 $5,163,427 836

SFH Self-Help Grants $7,756,106 18 $1,243,610 1 $999,179 2 $9,998,895 21

MFH Direct $6,869,453 7 $0 0 $0 0 $6,869,453 7

MFH Guaranteed $5,124,020 6 $2,098,500 5 $725,000 1 $7,947,520 12

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $83,803,281 970 $19,297,824 219 $18,718,297 214 $121,819,402 1,403

CF Direct $21,147,779 12 $252,000 1 $89,000 1 $21,488,779 14

CF Guaranteed $10,544,290 8 $900,000 1 $30,000,000 1 $41,444,290 10

CF Grants $6,969,039 122 $1,159,294 24 $1,672,600 34 $9,800,933 180

WWD Direct $129,167,430 80 $14,923,000 9 $18,537,000 8 $162,627,430 97

WWD Guaranteed $391,000 1 $0 0 $1,026,000 2 $1,417,000 3

WWD Grants $110,208,008 69 $20,367,950 17 $16,859,378 15 $147,435,336 101

Telecom $299,110,888 63 $9,472,086 11 $22,960,051 4 $331,543,025 78

Electric $818,567,147 30 $101,781,000 5 $40,397,000 3 $960,745,147 38

All Other Programs $96,881,938 41 $19,152,991 3 $17,792,864 51 $133,827,793 95

OKLAHOMA TOTAL $3,520,642,857 17,414 $522,201,448 3,011 $469,080,816 2,823 $4,511,925,121 23,248

Modern Broadband, Water Systems Helping 

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Other Southeast 

Oklahoma Rural Residents

While southeast Oklahoma is rich in culture and natural 

beauty, it also has extremely high rates of poverty that 

hamper business and economic development. Another 

factor is the Quachita Mountains, which create challenging 

conditions when developing infrastructure. The mountain 

terrain drives up construction costs to a level that local 

communities often cannot afford. However, with USDA 

Rural Development’s help, two major infrastructure projects 

were completed in 2015 through a partnership between 

USDA, a local telephone company, and a local water district.

USDA Rural Development provided $56 million through the 

Recovery Act to Pine Telephone for a broadband network 

that today is delivering high-speed Internet service of up to 

1 Gbps (gigabits per second) to rural residents in the area 

and members of the Choctaw Nation. The new network has 

already inspired business development and expansion — 

several local business reported marked increases in sales 

due to e-commerce made possible by the new network.

USDA Rural Development also provided $25 million to the 

McCurtain County Rural Water District #6 to provide a large 

part of three counties with its first-ever public water system. 

Before, some people had to choose between washing 

the dishes or taking a shower. Today, tribal members 

and other rural residents in the service area have clean, 

abundant water. The new system even capitalizes on the 

new broadband network by using computer technology to 

connect and monitor the water towers and tanks.

USDA is targeting assistance to the Choctaw Nation of 

Oklahoma through its designation by President Obama as 

the first Native American Promise Zone. 

A worker fine-tunes the installation of broadband equipment to bring high-speed 

Internet service to members of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma.
50 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

OREGON

Community and Business Programs

Oregon Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $178,051,308 94 $44,344,724 17 $65,426,044 19 $287,822,076 130

IRP $2,127,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $2,127,000 6

Renewable Energy $21,829,863 273 $640,750 51 $1,473,906 89 $23,944,519 413

Business Grants $5,479,198 157 $465,384 16 $553,346 13 $6,497,928 186

REDLG $1,884,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,884,000 5

VAPG $3,600,683 38 $0 0 $2,047,294 17 $5,647,977 55

SFH Direct $106,413,533 700 $10,313,571 67 $12,027,291 72 $128,754,395 839

SFH Guaranteed $2,042,220,231 12,875 $419,175,027 2,473 $445,413,783 2,519 $2,906,809,041 17,867

SFH Repairs $2,151,423 362 $213,728 42 $116,860 26 $2,482,011 430

SFH Self-Help Grants $3,042,717 9 $0 0 $655,050 1 $3,697,767 10

MFH Direct $5,627,504 11 $892,690 1 $2,964,658 4 $9,484,852 16

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $7,850,000 3 $0 0 $7,850,000 3

Farm Labor Housing $15,627,438 14 $3,000,000 2 $0 0 $18,627,438 16

Rental Assistance $78,129,160 740 $19,393,344 166 $18,801,288 158 $116,323,792 1,064

CF Direct $26,781,453 10 $0 0 $20,961,000 3 $47,742,453 13

CF Guaranteed $12,389,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $12,389,000 2

CF Grants $884,390 21 $229,708 7 $222,237 5 $1,336,335 33

WWD Direct $77,812,267 26 $17,783,600 5 $29,962,515 8 $125,558,382 39

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $42,701,789 28 $9,287,696 10 $7,520,863 8 $59,510,348 46

Telecom $74,638,403 32 $630,559 2 $202,643 1 $75,471,605 35

Electric $54,734,000 5 $0 0 $47,076,000 2 $101,810,000 7

All Other Programs $233,875,337 20 $570,356 5 $1,975,234 27 $236,420,928 52

OREGON TOTAL $2,990,000,697 15,428 $534,791,137 2,867 $657,400,012 2,972 $4,182,191,846 21,267

Oregon’s Illinois Valley: 

A Community on the Rise

USDA Rural Development provided a $29,000 Rural Business 

Development Grant in 2015 for Oregon’s Illinois Valley that 

has attracted another $18,000 from other public and private 

funding partners. Local leaders will use the funds to enable 

the first community-led regional strategic planning process 

in the area for over 20 years.

In this remote, heavily forested region of southern 

Josephine County, there are roughly 15,000 residents 

representing diverse occupations and points of view. 

The median annual household income hovers just above 

$25,000 and the poverty rate exceeds 25 percent — 

geographic isolation has created barriers to social services, 

education, and employment opportunities in the area.

Over the years, USDA Rural Development has invested in 

infrastructure development, a business incubator, a small 

business revolving loan fund, healthcare, homeownership 

and affordable multi-family housing in the valley. 

The strategic planning made possible by the USDA 

grant will enable locals to strategize around regional 

opportunities in tourism, aviation, agriculture, broadband, 

and innovative manufacturing technologies to enhance 

the local economy and quality of life. Since 2012, more than 

75 local community volunteers have graduated from the 

Ford Institute Leadership Program and are eager to begin 

collaborating and advancing projects to make Illinois Valley 

communities more vibrant.

“We and our partners will seek ways to increase support for 

planning, technical assistance, and regional partnerships,” 

USDA Rural Development State Director Vicki Walker said. 

“Collaboration empowers local people to identify and 

capitalize on emerging economic opportunities, new 

technologies, and ideas that are right for them and will 

generate lasting prosperity.”

State Director Walker and the local community development steering committee 

celebrate the Rural Business Development Grant.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 51 

PENNSYLVANIA

Community Programs

Pennsylvania Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $216,288,844 59 $23,014,000 5 $25,760,000 7 $265,062,844 71

IRP $4,824,000 10 $1,500,000 2 $2,173,933 4 $8,497,933 16

Renewable Energy $38,598,161 180 $3,007,336 27 $3,135,243 72 $44,740,740 279

Business Grants $5,083,162 61 $781,000 13 $709,000 10 $6,573,162 84

REDLG $109,812 1 $0 0 $0 0 $109,812 1

VAPG $1,217,864 18 $164,090 4 $689,428 10 $2,071,382 32

SFH Direct $164,549,628 1,164 $17,232,421 122 $21,184,232 153 $202,966,281 1,439

SFH Guaranteed $2,833,990,955 21,514 $686,268,755 5,150 $641,994,935 4,880 $4,162,254,645 31,544

SFH Repairs $9,285,209 1,852 $1,019,889 173 $1,454,722 256 $11,759,820 2,281

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,822,570 5 $269,999 1 $150,000 2 $2,242,569 8

MFH Direct $12,744,159 22 $946,532 1 $8,235,775 12 $21,926,466 35

MFH Guaranteed $6,367,800 4 $0 0 $3,500,000 1 $9,867,800 5

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $110,743,932 942 $25,267,440 215 $26,530,944 223 $162,542,316 1,380

CF Direct $257,994,950 134 $47,246,300 16 $182,327,220 34 $487,568,470 184

CF Guaranteed $48,564,472 10 $56,020,000 2 $16,950,000 1 $121,534,472 13

CF Grants $5,623,480 122 $589,400 18 $683,800 23 $6,896,680 163

WWD Direct $327,618,650 95 $28,934,200 9 $57,262,000 14 $413,814,850 118

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $83,252,770 48 $22,711,100 9 $16,864,800 10 $122,828,670 67

Telecom $3,467,567 14 $914,971 4 $0 0 $4,382,538 18

Electric $152,142,000 9 $0 0 $0 0 $152,142,000 9

All Other Programs $9,156,119 60 $1,661,850 9 $707,067 16 $11,525,036 85

PENNSYLVANIA TOTAL $4,293,446,104 26,324 $917,549,283 5,780 $1,010,313,099 5,728 $6,221,308,487 37,832

A New Era of Prosperity Thanks to 

USDA Rural Development

The redevelopment of Pittston, Pennsylvania, is a 

golden model of what USDA Rural Development can do for 

rural communities.

For years, Pittston — a small northeastern city in 

Pennsylvania with just over 7,000 residents — experienced 

decline like many other communities in the region. Today, all 

that has changed thanks in part to USDA Rural Development 

funding. USDA has been an integral partner in the city’s 

revitalization efforts, helping to convert the once decaying 

area into a location that is attracting businesses. That growth, 

in turn, has boosted private property investments, created 

jobs, and brought in new residents.

New riverside condos and an emerging downtown scene 

are just a few examples of the revitalization effort that 

presently totals more than $35 million. None of it would 

have been possible without a $1.1 million loan from Rural 

Development to improve the streets downtown. The new 

roads and city banners let residents and visitors alike know 

that Pittston is thriving.

USDA Rural Development has also provided financing for a 

new police vehicle and expansion of the Pittston Memorial 

Library. Further, renovations to city hall are planned. All 

told, USDA has injected more than $4.7 million into the 

city, through the Community Facilities program, to improve 

essential community services and facilities in Pittston.

Today, locals are enthusiastic about Pittston’s future. 

Farmers market vendor Paul Plum offered insight on the 

changes: “When I first came here, I could hardly give away 

an apricot,” he said. “Now, I can’t keep them.”

City officials and USDA Rural Development staff in front of Pittston’s newly remodeled 

community library.
52 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

PUERTO RICO

Housing Programs

Puerto Rico Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $29,845,384 17 $12,313,000 3 $2,777,136 4 $44,935,520 24

IRP $1,067,000 3 $0 0 $486,861 1 $1,553,861 4

Renewable Energy $1,161,867 23 $163,000 5 $1,241,250 16 $2,566,117 44

Business Grants $2,344,327 19 $168,000 6 $246,000 6 $2,758,327 31

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $1,800,000 8 $256,390 2 $1,683,000 8 $3,739,390 18

SFH Direct $82,365,377 851 $11,480,500 117 $13,734,011 136 $107,579,888 1,104

SFH Guaranteed $1,649,896,103 14,102 $324,116,317 2,831 $245,216,423 2,169 $2,219,228,843 19,102

SFH Repairs $2,556,643 473 $439,132 75 $512,670 88 $3,508,445 636

SFH Self-Help Grants $315,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $315,000 1

MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $2,417,979 2 $0 0 $0 0 $2,417,979 2

Rental Assistance $86,118,528 303 $19,343,688 66 $17,572,893 61 $123,035,109 430

CF Direct $39,108,700 37 $15,405,750 17 $13,879,322 16 $68,393,772 70

CF Guaranteed $1,144,480 1 $2,000,000 1 $0 0 $3,144,480 2

CF Grants $2,738,270 47 $397,872 12 $198,400 9 $3,334,542 68

WWD Direct $71,979,325 26 $11,714,000 5 $11,714,000 7 $95,407,325 38

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $28,150,127 24 $5,478,471 13 $3,309,000 12 $36,937,598 49

Telecom $210,590 1 $1,486,106 3 $0 0 $1,696,696 4

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $2,448,597 36 $153,351 8 $125,237 11 $2,727,185 55

PUERTO RICO TOTAL $2,005,668,297 15,974 $404,915,577 3,164 $312,696,202 2,544 $2,723,280,077 21,682

USDA Partnership Helps Feed Hungry Kids

In 2015, employees of USDA Rural Development, USDA’s 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA’s Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS), and Puerto Rico Extensión 

Agrícola partnered to provide summer meals to lowincome children and start community gardens t apartment 

complexes financed by USDA Rural Development in rural 

Puerto Rico. 

USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity initiative 

targets USDA assistance to persistent-poverty, high-need 

areas. In Puerto Rico, USDA is leveraging the power of 

StrikeForce to provide better nutrition and more locally 

grown foods to rural families and children in need.

Espiritu Santo Apartments is a USDA-financed, 50-unit 

multi-family housing complex in Aguas Buenas for verylow-income families. Over the summer, 12 children there 

took part in the FNS Summer Food Service Program, which 

provides healthy meals during the summer school break 

to children at risk of going hungry. Additionally, about 25 

children helped plant a new community garden. Elsewhere, 

in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, 40 kids enjoyed summer meals and 

helped start a community garden at Maga Tree Village, a 

100-unit apartment complex funded through USDA Rural 

Development.

Community gardens are a major part of First Lady Michelle 

Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative to encourage exercise and 

fitness. They are a great way to make fresh, healthy foods 

available for local residents. To date, USDA has invested 

$16,000 for 21 community gardens in Puerto Rico.

Children plant seedlings in the Espiritu Santo Apartments community garden.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 53 

RHODE ISLAND

Business Programs

Rhode Island Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $1,766,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,766,000 1

IRP $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Renewable Energy $480,385 23 $388,050 7 $876,023 14 $1,744,458 44

Business Grants $406,010 7 $68,000 2 $83,000 3 $557,010 12

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $200,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $200,000 2

SFH Direct $20,343,831 98 $2,030,000 9 $2,729,865 11 $25,103,696 118

SFH Guaranteed $147,239,421 740 $31,724,404 153 $32,893,222 154 $211,857,047 1,047

SFH Repairs $527,286 90 $49,600 10 $88,921 15 $665,807 115

SFH Self-Help Grants $345,250 1 $0 0 $0 0 $345,250 1

MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Guaranteed $1,114,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,114,000 1

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $8,268,648 49 $2,537,472 14 $1,871,904 9 $12,678,024 72

CF Direct $16,494,090 10 $900,000 1 $6,253,823 2 $23,647,913 13

CF Guaranteed $384,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $384,000 1

CF Grants $334,678 16 $113,900 4 $113,900 3 $562,478 23

WWD Direct $7,000,000 17 $8,135,000 9 $4,760,000 2 $19,895,000 28

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $6,950,785 21 $6,584,165 10 $1,780,000 2 $15,314,950 33

Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $150,000 3 $0 0 $23,592 3 $173,592 6

RHODE ISLAND TOTAL $212,004,384 1,080 $52,530,591 219 $51,474,250 218 $316,009,225 1,517

Solar Energy Powers 

Year-Round Farm Operation

USDA Rural Development awarded the Baby Greens farm in 

Kingston, Rhode Island, a $12,600 Rural Energy for America 

Program grant to help fund installation of a 10-kilowatt 

solar photovoltaic system to power the farm’s storage 

cooler, greenhouse fans, and irrigation system. 

The new renewable energy system generates about 12,400 

kilowatt hours annually in energy and is saving almost 60 

percent of the farm’s energy costs.

The 51-acre Baby Greens farm, is a true farm-to-table 

operation. Using four greenhouses, owner Jeffrey Kamminga 

grows a variety of fresh salad greens year-round that 

Kamminga hand-delivers to local homes and businesses.

Baby Greens has 80 customers who receive fresh greens 

from the farm. The farm also produces cheese, eggs, and 

mushrooms to complement the salad mix.

Kamminga says he always wanted a solar panel array but 

couldn’t afford it without the help of the USDA grant. 

Baby Greens farm salad greens are thriving in the solar-powered greenhouses.
54 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

SOUTH CAROLINA

Business Programs

South Carolina Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $201,451,483 74 $34,292,000 8 $14,882,500 7 $250,625,983 89

IRP $6,513,782 12 $0 0 $400,000 1 $6,913,782 13

Renewable Energy $4,120,833 84 $130,297 9 $239,099 16 $4,490,229 109

Business Grants $5,564,308 72 $687,500 14 $620,000 11 $6,871,808 97

REDLG $12,865,560 19 $3,000,000 3 $2,000,000 2 $17,865,560 24

VAPG $1,323,512 9 $539,230 4 $1,130,254 5 $2,992,996 18

SFH Direct $164,809,915 1,342 $27,811,824 221 $27,181,873 211 $219,803,612 1,774

SFH Guaranteed $2,240,164,110 17,093 $542,556,682 4,022 $521,859,624 3,805 $3,304,580,416 24,920

SFH Repairs $7,148,497 1,022 $1,887,783 248 $1,258,778 177 $10,295,058 1,447

SFH Self-Help Grants $275,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $275,000 1

MFH Direct $22,532,343 26 $5,093,029 7 $11,025,993 12 $38,651,365 45

MFH Guaranteed $6,394,251 7 $12,240,000 15 $0 0 $18,634,251 22

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $2,376,800 2 $2,376,800 2

Rental Assistance $121,878,888 1,026 $29,322,216 228 $27,120,997 226 $178,322,101 1,480

CF Direct $211,961,510 70 $44,873,800 27 $64,238,062 24 $321,073,372 121

CF Guaranteed $13,086,300 8 $15,000,000 2 $15,000,000 2 $43,086,300 12

CF Grants $13,635,077 100 $2,099,400 48 $1,388,700 37 $17,123,177 185

WWD Direct $256,595,292 94 $55,498,000 16 $49,236,068 17 $361,329,360 127

WWD Guaranteed $1,323,600 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,323,600 1

WWD Grants $118,428,833 66 $32,155,117 12 $12,691,199 14 $163,275,149 92

Telecom $180,349,101 16 $25,080,873 5 $13,994,912 6 $219,424,886 27

Electric $729,619,000 17 $93,926,000 2 $115,704,000 4 $939,249,000 23

All Other Programs $4,960,496 48 $833,793 5 $1,757,743 202 $7,552,032 255

SOUTH CAROLINA TOTAL $4,325,001,691 21,207 $927,027,544 4,896 $884,106,602 4,781 $6,136,135,837 30,884

New Advanced Manufacturing Training Center 

for Students

A $1 million Rural Economic Development loan from USDA 

Rural Development made it possible for Aiken Technical 

College (ATC) in Graniteville, South Carolina, to build a new, 

modern facility providing high-quality training in the fields 

of nuclear and advanced manufacturing. 

The new 35,000-square-foot facility, called the Center for 

Energy and Advanced Manufacturing, or CEAM, will help 

ATC students graduate with degrees in these growing, 

technically advanced fields of study. CEAM will also help 

the local economy in Aiken County by attracting new 

businesses to the area through the availability of a highly 

skilled workforce.

A partnership between Rural Development and local and 

State entities made the project possible. 

The college’s existing facilities were outdated, making it 

difficult to provide students with the current-day, industryquality training they needed to succeed. USDA Rural 

Development provided the loan under the Rural Economic 

Development Loan program to help finance construction of 

the new facility. Under this program, USDA provides funds 

to local electric utilities which, in turn, create a revolving 

loan fund for use by local entities to save or create more 

jobs in rural areas. 

The college’s project was made possible by the Aiken 

Electric Cooperative, which has participated in the 

USDA revolving loan program for more than 15 years. 

Other partners such as the Economic Development 

Administration and the State also supported the total 

project cost of $8.5 million.

Aiken Technical College students receive hands-on training on radiation 

protection technology.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 55 

SOUTH DAKOTA

Housing and Utilities Programs

South Dakota Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $77,680,788 38 $3,335,484 6 $1,239,000 2 $82,255,272 46

IRP $9,414,000 15 $750,000 1 $3,553,141 5 $13,717,141 21

Renewable Energy $8,384,158 200 $172,239 13 $1,121,346 53 $9,677,743 266

Business Grants $4,747,433 56 $506,070 7 $255,995 4 $5,509,498 67

REDLG $7,841,000 19 $2,050,000 7 $2,335,000 7 $12,226,000 33

VAPG $774,453 5 $274,362 3 $303,907 2 $1,352,722 10

SFH Direct $62,023,829 588 $8,250,117 71 $11,132,596 90 $81,406,542 749

SFH Guaranteed $766,583,935 6,448 $188,302,524 1,465 $179,091,825 1,355 $1,133,978,284 9,268

SFH Repairs $1,715,677 340 $311,394 59 $263,137 57 $2,290,208 456

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,791,110 7 $0 0 $993,317 4 $2,784,427 11

MFH Direct $6,391,304 18 $0 0 $489,000 1 $6,880,304 19

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $1,225,900 1 $0 0 $1,225,900 1

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $66,593,812 776 $13,611,775 150 $11,236,284 180 $91,441,871 1,106

CF Direct $102,310,966 81 $6,036,500 7 $12,543,300 7 $120,890,766 95

CF Guaranteed $22,423,000 8 $0 0 $0 0 $22,423,000 8

CF Grants $6,715,832 88 $928,285 19 $987,400 16 $8,631,517 123

WWD Direct $98,912,000 101 $11,661,000 10 $13,238,000 8 $123,811,000 119

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $96,714,293 79 $5,446,277 10 $9,248,000 10 $111,408,570 99

Telecom $133,150,386 23 $379,262 2 $1,097,168 4 $134,626,816 29

Electric $495,696,000 38 $219,458,000 10 $7,741,000 2 $722,895,000 50

All Other Programs $5,731,720 35 $1,121,988 5 $1,130,901 185 $7,984,609 225

SOUTH DAKOTA TOTAL $1,975,595,696 8,963 $463,821,177 1,846 $258,000,317 1,992 $2,697,417,190 12,801

New Housing Development on 

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation 

(CDC) will soon have a new housing development, 

“Regenerative Community,” for the Oglala Lakota people on 

the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, thanks to $1.97 million 

from USDA Rural Development.

USDA is providing a site loan to develop the streets and utilities 

for 23 lots, a self-help grant to develop 12 new self-help homes, 

and water and waste disposal loan and grant funds for drinking 

water, sanitary sewer, and storm drainage systems.

In June 2015, USDA officials joined Tribal leaders at the 

groundbreaking for the first phase of construction that 

is enabling families on the reservation to buy affordable, 

eco-friendly homes of their own. The families are expected 

to move in by next year. Thunder Valley CDC plans to 

build housing, a small farm, an aquaponics greenhouse, a 

grocery store, powwow grounds, and a youth center onsite. 

When completed, the project will serve as a model for 

Native American and rural communities on the Pine Ridge 

reservation and across the country.

Other investment partners include the Sustainable Home 

Ownership Project, Enterprise Community Partners, and 

the Northwest Area and Bush Foundations. This project 

is an example of how targeted, place-based economic 

development through public-private partnerships can 

work to break the cycle of crumbling infrastructure often 

seen in many tribal communities. Rural Development is 

targeting assistance to the area through USDA’s Promise 

Zone and StrikeForce initiatives to combat persistent 

poverty in rural communities.

Groundbreaking at Thunder Valley CDC’s Regenerative Community north of Sharps 

Corner, SD.
56 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

TENNESSEE

Utilities Programs

USDA Helps Bring Water to 

Rural Tennesseans in Need

About 1,300 rural Tennessee families and businesses today 

have safe, dependable, and abundant drinking water thanks 

to $2.7 million in USDA Rural Development water loans and 

grants for a new public water system. 

For years, rural residents in eastern Henry Countylived with 

uncertainty and fear that their water was unsafe or would 

run out. In Springville there was no public water supply and 

residents’ private water wells were contaminated. At the 

same time, in nearby Sandy Beach, residents learned that 

they could no longer pump water from their source, leaving 

them without a viable water supply as well. This triggered 

health concerns and limited any hope for economic 

development or growth.

These very small rural towns didn’t have the economic 

resources to build an expensive water system. However, 

Springville and Sandy Beach community members banded 

together to find a solution. They worked with the State to 

form a utility district to oversee water service in Springville, 

and worked with USDA and many other partners to 

secure affordable financing. Their efforts paid off with the 

assistance from USDA Rural Development.The public water 

system began service in February 2015. 

The Delta Regional Authority, U. S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, and State of Tennessee also supported 

the project, which included installing a 150,000-gallon 

water tank and nearly 30 miles of water distribution lines.

Eastern Henry County, Tennessee’s new 150,000-gallon water tank is bringing safe, 

reliable water to Springville and Sandy Beach residents.

Tennessee Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $229,952,758 65 $14,947,000 4 $27,079,000 6 $271,978,758 75

IRP $1,150,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,150,000 2

Renewable Energy $8,407,466 196 $406,650 38 $3,191,668 75 $12,005,784 309

Business Grants $5,931,186 212 $904,440 35 $733,000 26 $7,568,626 273

REDLG $17,186,392 32 $10,610,360 8 $4,483,334 4 $32,280,086 44

VAPG $569,876 5 $496,987 4 $49,500 1 $1,116,363 10

SFH Direct $177,943,925 1,698 $19,502,569 173 $20,515,368 186 $217,961,862 2,057

SFH Guaranteed $2,926,450,593 24,925 $817,727,165 6,700 $931,690,869 7,256 $4,675,868,627 38,881

SFH Repairs $9,301,206 1,954 $1,730,137 342 $1,656,601 325 $12,687,944 2,621

SFH Self-Help Grants $1,006,400 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,006,400 2

MFH Direct $9,099,569 13 $1,246,284 1 $17,751,555 18 $28,097,408 32

MFH Guaranteed $20,388,802 14 $8,875,000 4 $20,351,345 21 $49,615,147 39

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $110,565,600 1,089 $25,828,500 232 $26,230,512 256 $162,624,612 1,577

CF Direct $215,912,658 130 $36,387,100 24 $88,235,400 21 $340,535,158 175

CF Guaranteed $1,450,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,450,000 2

CF Grants $8,105,618 230 $636,400 27 $654,700 23 $9,396,718 280

WWD Direct $184,284,400 151 $14,508,000 16 $22,413,500 18 $221,205,900 185

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $2,488,840 1 $0 0 $2,488,840 1

WWD Grants $71,493,766 151 $9,923,600 24 $12,315,500 21 $93,732,866 196

Telecom $203,715,345 32 $32,241,891 6 $627,523 2 $236,584,759 40

Electric $221,724,000 13 $10,000,000 1 $30,000,000 1 $261,724,000 15

All Other Programs $17,738,280 67 $1,686,540 7 $1,771,917 57 $21,196,737 131

TENNESSEE TOTAL $4,442,377,840 30,983 $1,010,147,463 7,647 $1,209,751,293 8,317 $6,662,276,595 46,947
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 57 

TEXAS

Community Programs

USDA Helps Texas NonProfit 

Promote Better Nutrition

USDA Rural Development awarded an El Paso County, Texas, 

community organization a $50,000 Community Facilities 

grant to help convert its cooking space into a commercial 

kitchen that will be used as a training center and to make 

meals for the local community.

Adults and Youth United Development Association, Inc. 

(AYUDA) is a nonprofit community organization working 

on behalf of low-income individuals and families in El 

Paso County, with a focus on the impoverished Colonias 

communities along the border between the United States 

and Mexico. A bilingual, grassroots provider, AYUDA is 

committed to delivering safe drinking water, affordable 

housing, education, a clean environment, and health and 

nutrition services to its clients.

AYUDA wanted to start a teaching program about healthy 

cooking and eating. Unfortunately, the organization’s 

existing kitchen was inadequate. It was too small and didn’t 

have appliances that could accommodate large-scale food 

preparation and cooking. Rural Development’s assistance 

has provided the resources to build and equip a commercial 

kitchen and carry out its plan.

“Learning about diet and healthy eating will empower 

our community to be healthier,” Olivia Figueroa, AYUDA 

Executive Director said. “Healthy eating is the base of a 

healthy community.”

A young boy draws a label for food he is helping to grow in AYUDA’s community garden.

Texas Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $314,209,078 76 $51,088,500 8 $35,000,000 2 $400,297,578 86

IRP $4,255,000 8 $400,000 1 $1,000,000 1 $5,655,000 10

Renewable Energy $32,184,515 238 $6,540,251 40 $2,764,521 56 $41,489,287 334

Business Grants $7,822,310 53 $911,000 7 $871,000 5 $9,604,310 65

REDLG $1,040,000 2 $0 0 $2,000,000 1 $3,040,000 3

VAPG $1,585,980 11 $361,143 3 $1,149,061 11 $3,096,184 25

SFH Direct $275,306,886 2,799 $44,246,857 409 $29,399,725 277 $348,953,468 3,485

SFH Guaranteed $4,558,277,222 35,225 $926,894,693 6,477 $764,207,813 5,153 $6,249,379,728 46,855

SFH Repairs $15,450,458 2,437 $2,503,988 398 $2,800,964 428 $20,755,410 3,263

SFH Self-Help Grants $2,094,890 8 $547,150 2 $60,795 2 $2,702,835 12

MFH Direct $1,973,573 7 $0 0 $3,012,774 2 $4,986,347 9

MFH Guaranteed $28,260,757 17 $17,663,555 7 $14,619,868 9 $60,544,180 33

Farm Labor Housing $19,911,905 11 $0 0 $0 0 $19,911,905 11

Rental Assistance $205,235,560 2,267 $47,648,780 533 $47,881,964 526 $300,766,304 3,326

CF Direct $148,094,478 104 $26,048,500 10 $45,055,500 13 $219,198,478 127

CF Guaranteed $35,183,426 8 $1,000,000 1 $3,000,000 1 $39,183,426 10

CF Grants $14,514,501 149 $396,100 13 $534,000 16 $15,444,601 178

WWD Direct $262,905,930 136 $7,788,000 7 $132,825,068 41 $403,518,998 184

WWD Guaranteed $2,910,784 3 $0 0 $0 0 $2,910,784 3

WWD Grants $143,383,758 174 $7,158,100 11 $29,637,040 67 $180,178,898 252

Telecom $288,476,164 54 $37,999,056 7 $13,450,000 1 $339,925,220 62

Electric $1,970,272,000 43 $63,159,000 4 $0 0 $2,033,431,000 47

All Other Programs $4,962,681 31 $635,450 5 $1,206,557 174 $6,804,688 210

TEXAS TOTAL $8,338,311,856 43,861 $1,242,990,123 7,943 $1,130,476,649 6,786 $10,711,778,628 58,590
58 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

UTAH

Business Programs

Energy Efficiency Improvements Give Small 

Business New Lease on Life

A $17,200 Renewable Energy for America Program grant 

for energy efficiency improvements will increase the 

productivity of an important small business in small, rural 

Roosevelt, Utah, and cut down on its energy costs. 

Chad Mortensen is the third-generation owner and 

operator of Marion’s Variety shop and restaurant in small, 

rural Roosevelt, Utah. His great aunt Marion started the 

business in 1933 after emigrating from Denmark.

He used USDA Rural Development funds to add insulation, 

upgrade kitchen equipment, and replace the front 

windows. However, he maintained the original look of the 

storefront, knowing his customers would prefer it: “I wanted 

to keep the front stationary,” he said. “Out here people 

have a hard time with change. If you change too much, too 

fast, they don’t come back.” The improvements will help 

Marion’s Variety last over time.

“It’s sound, it’s secure,” Mortensen said of the restaurant 

modernization. “It’s just going to be more efficient for me 

to work in and, energy-wise, it’s going to help out with 

future bills.” With USDA’s help, Marion’s Variety can continue 

providing Roosevelt patrons with the services they’ve come 

back for since 1933.

Chad Mortensen, owner of Marion’s Variety, used a USDA Renewable Energy for America 

Program grant for energy efficiency improvements to his business.

Utah Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $64,982,881 33 $17,670,000 11 $22,638,930 7 $105,291,811 51

IRP $356,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $356,000 2

Renewable Energy $2,788,464 42 $177,624 8 $921,021 10 $3,887,109 60

Business Grants $1,879,052 33 $374,675 6 $134,000 4 $2,387,727 43

REDLG $3,942,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $3,942,000 5

VAPG $1,680,799 10 $75,000 1 $250,000 1 $2,005,799 12

SFH Direct $237,034,277 1,475 $37,758,907 213 $25,560,807 148 $300,353,991 1,836

SFH Guaranteed $1,807,704,439 10,923 $398,450,399 2,214 $422,648,031 2,240 $2,628,802,869 15,377

SFH Repairs $1,632,968 282 $203,103 34 $159,919 28 $1,995,990 344

SFH Self-Help Grants $13,352,149 22 $1,657,260 2 $3,465,890 8 $18,475,299 32

MFH Direct $2,665,446 7 $0 0 $0 0 $2,665,446 7

MFH Guaranteed $750,000 1 $0 0 $940,000 1 $1,690,000 2

Farm Labor Housing $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,000,000 1

Rental Assistance $34,478,880 270 $7,923,600 65 $8,127,360 59 $50,529,840 394

CF Direct $82,580,500 27 $70,000 1 $7,242,100 3 $89,892,600 31

CF Guaranteed $71,929,202 15 $2,000,000 1 $0 0 $73,929,202 16

CF Grants $2,374,971 38 $184,900 4 $83,900 2 $2,643,771 44

WWD Direct $30,291,800 22 $6,258,000 5 $4,672,000 1 $41,221,800 28

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $25,698,678 27 $8,819,475 4 $4,663,000 6 $39,181,153 37

Telecom $14,009,615 13 $8,164,300 2 $339,480 2 $22,513,395 17

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $300,000 6 $50,000 1 $55,016 3 $405,016 10

UTAH TOTAL $2,401,432,121 13,254 $489,837,243 2,572 $501,901,454 2,523 $3,393,170,818 18,349
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 59 

VERMONT

Community and Business Programs

The Show Must Go On

Investments of more than $113,000 by USDA Rural 

Development have enabled a historic theater in Rutland, 

Vermont, continue as a valued cultural institution.

The Paramount Theatre has been the cultural epicenter of 

this rural community for more than 100 years, offering a 

broad range of performers, entertainers, and events for area 

residents. However, in recent years, high energy bills and 

aging technology have jeopardized the theater’s ability 

to continue.

USDA Rural Development provided the theater with more 

than $60,000 in Community Facilities loan and grant 

assistance to install a modern heating system and a solar 

panel array to reduce its energy costs. The agency also 

provided the Paramount with a $12,500 Rural Business 

Development Grant to buy an online ticketing system and 

make other much-needed equipment upgrades. Over the 

last 5 years, Rural Development has invested $113,500 for 

improvements at the Paramount Theater.

The improvements are helping the theater connect with 

more patrons and are drawing more people downtown. 

Thousands of community members — many without 

television at home — have gathered there to watch 

sporting events for free. Others have visited the theater for 

live performances and social events. The energy generated 

by the theater's renaissance is even boosting activity at 

other nearby businesses in downtown Rutland.

Solar panels on the roof of the Paramount Theater. The improvements have 

energized downtown Rutland, bringing more patrons to the Paramount and 

neighborhood small businesses.

Vermont Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $32,121,880 12 $1,435,000 1 $0 0 $33,556,880 13

IRP $5,368,000 9 $3,000,000 3 $2,000,000 2 $10,368,000 14

Renewable Energy $10,308,457 220 $132,981 33 $1,558,924 46 $12,000,362 299

Business Grants $6,971,555 94 $1,426,532 16 $1,392,717 19 $9,790,804 129

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $1,213,299 14 $244,913 1 $969,909 9 $2,428,121 24

SFH Direct $59,373,034 423 $7,378,370 50 $9,685,263 64 $76,436,667 537

SFH Guaranteed $408,899,756 2,527 $88,884,298 546 $80,614,463 510 $578,398,517 3,583

SFH Repairs $2,186,950 424 $382,804 63 $300,429 48 $2,870,183 535

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $13,961,537 18 $3,074,744 5 $2,786,707 3 $19,822,988 26

MFH Guaranteed $300,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $300,000 1

Farm Labor Housing $464,035 5 $0 0 $0 0 $464,035 5

Rental Assistance $34,883,707 262 $9,408,240 68 $7,338,552 55 $51,630,499 385

CF Direct $17,573,450 41 $772,900 4 $3,897,700 12 $22,244,050 57

CF Guaranteed $8,340,700 7 $162,126 1 $65,000 1 $8,567,826 9

CF Grants $2,880,719 104 $266,900 13 $501,400 23 $3,649,019 140

WWD Direct $42,707,200 35 $3,951,000 4 $9,309,000 8 $55,967,200 47

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $42,148,329 42 $5,594,300 11 $6,443,830 17 $54,186,459 70

Telecom $124,296,006 12 $498,856 1 $0 0 $124,794,862 13

Electric $15,300,000 2 $0 0 $53,141,000 2 $68,441,000 4

All Other Programs $2,411,146 22 $250,000 4 $400,000 5 $3,061,146 31

VERMONT TOTAL $831,709,760 4,274 $126,863,964 824 $180,404,894 824 $1,138,978,618 5,922
60 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

VIRGINIA

Utilities Programs

Broadband in the Mountains

A Community Connect Grant of $2.1 million from USDA 

Rural Development is making modern, high-speed telecom 

service possible in a mountainous Virginia area where costs 

were too high for private-sector investors.

In today’s digital age, broadband Internet access seems 

like it’s just about everywhere on everybody’s personal 

electronics and smart phones. However, in rural Edwards 

Ridge and Dickenson County, Virginia, the Appalachian 

Mountains are a physical barrier that has prevented the 

delivery of broadband service to the area. Installation costs 

are so expensive per square-mile that large broadband 

suppliers wouldn’t invest, and Scott County Telephone 

Cooperative, the local communications utility, didn’t have 

the resources to build a broadband network on its own. 

Some residents around Edwards Ridge commute to 

Clintwood, Coeburn, or Wise, Virginia, where they have 

broadband access at work, but they are eager to have it in 

their own homes and local hangouts.

USDA Rural Development’s grant is enabling the creation 

of a broadband IP Ethernet network that will serve about 

580 homes and businesses in Edwards Ridge and the 

surrounding region.

The Scott County Telephone Cooperative broadband 

project is expected to boost local economic development. 

It will allow workers to telecommute and also encourage 

businesses and healthcare providers to consider relocating 

to Edwards Ridge, creating more employment opportunities 

for people in a rural area where unemployment is high. 

Additionally, broadband will increase education options for 

Dickenson County school students.

USDA is helping a local telephone cooperative utility company bring high-speed 

broadband service to rural Appalachian Virginia.

Virginia Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $116,391,869 46 $29,376,620 10 $16,801,707 7 $162,570,196 63

IRP $1,207,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,207,000 3

Renewable Energy $4,932,669 144 $2,043,797 31 $2,212,222 40 $9,188,688 215

Business Grants $4,029,354 51 $639,813 7 $607,000 10 $5,276,167 68

REDLG $905,000 3 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $1,905,000 4

VAPG $4,444,374 29 $1,625,000 9 $3,969,140 30 $10,038,514 68

SFH Direct $128,177,444 929 $9,474,700 65 $13,792,327 109 $151,444,471 1,103

SFH Guaranteed $2,487,143,295 16,472 $619,749,642 3,863 $626,215,261 3,858 $3,733,108,198 24,193

SFH Repairs $6,364,858 1,061 $525,800 75 $1,115,908 169 $8,006,566 1,305

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $9,407,289 16 $846,007 1 $941,238 1 $11,194,534 18

MFH Guaranteed $2,526,300 1 $2,222,564 1 $0 0 $4,748,864 2

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $2,000,000 2 $4,250,000 3 $6,250,000 5

Rental Assistance $110,216,880 928 $27,845,640 217 $29,084,460 211 $167,146,980 1,356

CF Direct $205,078,277 134 $8,233,957 21 $10,560,900 16 $223,873,134 171

CF Guaranteed $326,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $326,000 1

CF Grants $13,241,338 363 $1,675,443 51 $774,500 21 $15,691,281 435

WWD Direct $258,247,280 103 $7,858,000 5 $24,034,000 12 $290,139,280 120

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $93,884,288 78 $6,213,250 21 $11,482,700 20 $111,580,238 119

Telecom $100,099,620 25 $3,753,330 3 $3,373,158 2 $107,226,108 30

Electric $2,836,861,000 24 $404,315,000 4 $254,238,000 2 $3,495,414,000 30

All Other Programs $7,155,794 33 $482,859 4 $603,850 23 $8,242,503 60

VIRGINIA TOTAL $6,390,639,929 20,444 $1,129,881,422 4,391 $1,004,056,372 4,534 $8,524,577,722 29,369
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 61 

WASHINGTON

Utilities Programs

Broadband Workshop Benefits Northwest 

Washington Tribes

Today, access to broadband is no longer a luxury, but an 

essential part of life. It stimulates economic growth, spurs 

job creation, and provides access to education, social 

opportunities, and healthcare, including emergency care 

by first responders. Unfortunately, broadband access in 

rural areas lags far behind that of urban areas. According 

to data from the National Broadband Map, only 55 percent 

of rural communities — and 32 percent of tribal lands — 

have broadband access at 25 Mbps (megabits per second), 

compared to 94 percent in urban places.

In Washington State, the Olympic Peninsula is low in 

population, topographically challenging, and geographically 

remote, which is why Native American tribes in the northwest 

corner have some of the worst broadband service in the State. 

USDA Rural Development staff wanted to help tribes and 

rural residents in Jefferson and Clallam counties change this 

status quo of poor or even non-existent broadband.

In January 2015, USDA Rural Development hosted a 2-day 

workshop for tribal and rural community leaders. Experts 

from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Telecommunications 

Programs at USDA headquarters attended to offer 

guidance. The major focus was training participants how to 

apply for USDA assistance, with a concentration on better 

broadband access, community economic development, 

and successful broadband deployment, especially for tribal 

lands in northwest Washington. USDA officials also visited 

with tribal leaders and toured tribal lands of the Quinault 

Indian Nation, Quileute Nation, Makah Tribe, and Lower 

Elwha Klallam Tribe.

“This workshop and the discussion about tribes forming a 

combined broadband operation planted some seeds about 

what can be done out here,” Kenneth Kuchno, Director of 

RUS Broadband Programs, said. “Their best bet at success 

will be to do it together.”

A beaten copper face at a Makah 

Tribe beach shelter created by a 

local artist. USDA is reaching out 

to the Makah Tribe and others to 

help bring broadband service to 

northwest Washington State.

Washington Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $129,667,321 51 $16,242,150 7 $20,534,550 6 $166,444,021 64

IRP $3,744,000 7 $1,750,000 2 $0 0 $5,494,000 9

Renewable Energy $13,702,863 192 $656,485 56 $1,664,984 97 $16,024,332 345

Business Grants $3,945,582 61 $478,673 6 $431,853 8 $4,856,108 75

REDLG $280,000 2 $1,050,000 2 $0 0 $1,330,000 4

VAPG $3,391,268 22 $1,128,600 8 $1,460,240 17 $5,980,108 47

SFH Direct $259,335,062 1,454 $20,979,854 135 $27,854,196 164 $308,169,112 1,753

SFH Guaranteed $2,928,471,772 15,539 $581,833,322 3,040 $537,446,456 2,729 $4,047,751,550 21,308

SFH Repairs $3,223,966 461 $270,192 41 $302,317 45 $3,796,475 547

SFH Self-Help Grants $15,982,826 19 $3,864,026 3 $2,583,426 8 $22,430,278 30

MFH Direct $7,991,435 14 $0 0 $2,513,070 3 $10,504,505 17

MFH Guaranteed $12,361,428 8 $0 0 $7,557,939 7 $19,919,367 15

Farm Labor Housing $19,010,310 15 $5,000,000 4 $322,750 1 $24,333,060 20

Rental Assistance $112,986,545 1,016 $26,769,156 203 $28,216,318 253 $167,972,019 1,472

CF Direct $104,817,400 57 $5,366,800 8 $3,795,100 10 $113,979,300 75

CF Guaranteed $25,535,100 9 $0 0 $0 0 $25,535,100 9

CF Grants $4,160,211 88 $353,102 12 $446,500 10 $4,959,813 110

WWD Direct $195,711,664 77 $15,589,900 13 $16,174,000 15 $227,475,564 105

WWD Guaranteed $19,400,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $19,400,000 6

WWD Grants $44,042,085 40 $4,547,000 5 $5,773,700 8 $54,362,785 53

Telecom $122,527,367 24 $26,857,841 8 $377,258 1 $149,762,466 33

Electric $203,660,000 9 $0 0 $23,616,000 2 $227,276,000 11

All Other Programs $6,725,289 31 $644,494 5 $1,612,516 196 $8,982,299 232

WASHINGTON TOTAL $4,240,673,494 19,202 $713,381,595 3,558 $682,683,173 3,580 $5,636,738,262 26,340
62 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

WEST VIRGINIA

Business Programs

USDA Lends a Helping Hand 

to the Heart and Hand House

Through the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity 

initiative, Rural Development is working with USDA and 

local partners to ensure that coordinated Federal support 

is directed to persistent-poverty, high-need areas. In West 

Virginia, USDA’s Rural Development, Farm Service Agency, 

and Natural Resources Conservation Service agencies are 

working together through StrikeForce to strengthen local 

and regional food systems.

The Heart and Hand House in Philippi, West Virginia, is a 

nonprofit, faith-based organization that serves low-income 

clients in Barbour County through a food pantry, a community 

garden, and a market place where local producers can sell 

their produce, meat, eggs, and baked goods.

USDA Rural Development provided the Heart and Hand 

House with a $50,000 business grant in FY 2015 to upgrade 

the market’s heating and cooling system, make building 

improvements, and buy equipment. The agency awarded 

Heart and Hand House with a $23,700 Community Facilities 

grant in 2014 to start equipment improvements, replace the 

floor, and buy a new sign.

“While the garden market is fairly new, we already have about 

160 local producers selling through it,” said garden market 

Executive Director Brenda Hunt. “In 2014, gross sales exceeded 

$67,000 and nearly $54,000 was returned to local growers.”

The Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm 

Service Agency are providing financial, technical, and 

business management assistance to about 20 of the 

producers that sell goods at the Heart and Hand House 

market to help support and improve their farm operations.

West Virginia Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $114,469,850 39 $14,065,165 2 $12,051,000 2 $140,586,015 43

IRP $2,031,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $2,031,000 4

Renewable Energy $2,204,050 50 $221,586 10 $854,476 24 $3,280,112 84

Business Grants $3,111,630 32 $384,000 8 $356,000 9 $3,851,630 49

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $94,000 2 $0 0 $49,993 1 $143,993 3

SFH Direct $85,092,943 839 $5,455,282 57 $7,274,953 69 $97,823,178 965

SFH Guaranteed $1,051,310,473 8,395 $242,954,210 1,838 $231,305,343 1,734 $1,525,570,026 11,967

SFH Repairs $5,583,190 1,138 $622,400 134 $549,967 107 $6,755,557 1,379

SFH Self-Help Grants $107,568 1 $0 0 $300,000 1 $407,568 2

MFH Direct $7,865,958 1 $0 0 $0 0 $7,865,958 1

MFH Guaranteed $6,278,500 7 $2,115,000 2 $1,610,000 2 $10,003,500 11

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $54,528,660 758 $13,122,000 170 $16,103,880 183 $83,754,540 1,111

CF Direct $157,233,720 68 $17,650,980 8 $11,507,570 11 $186,392,270 87

CF Guaranteed $14,175,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $14,175,000 4

CF Grants $4,004,701 125 $303,400 21 $484,262 18 $4,792,363 164

WWD Direct $186,218,600 95 $23,366,000 10 $48,470,000 16 $258,054,600 121

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $102,176,126 104 $11,608,740 16 $11,435,600 15 $125,220,466 135

Telecom $45,031,524 11 $3,270,323 8 $0 0 $48,301,847 19

Electric $3,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,000,000 1

All Other Programs $11,650,482 28 $665,338 3 $3,037,806 38 $15,353,625 69

WEST VIRGINIA TOTAL $1,856,167,975 11,702 $335,804,424 2,287 $345,390,850 2,230 $2,537,363,248 16,219

Fresh local produce for sale at the Heart and Hand House market in Philippi, WV. USDA 

is supporting the market and producers that supply goods there through USDA’s 

StrikeForce initiative.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 63 

WISCONSIN

Utilities Programs

Safe, Clean Drinking Water for 

Wisconsin’s Bad River Tribe

Nearly $2.5 million in water loan and grant assistance from 

USDA Rural Development is bringing clean, safe drinking 

water to a Native American group in eastern Wisconsin.

The health and safety of tribal members in two communities 

on the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior 

Ojibwa Indians were at risk because of hazardous conditions 

with the public water systems. In Diaperville, Wisconsin, 

radium was detected in the water supply. That, and other 

infrastructure weaknesses in the system, forced Diaperville 

locals to resort to bottled water for all their water needs. 

Nearby, in New Odanah, the aging water system could not 

produce enough water to meet demand, posing a potential 

fire hazard and creating other urgent issues.

Rural Development’s assistance is enabling the tribe to 

improve and expand its drinking water treatment facilities. 

The tribe committed more than $220,000 for the project.

Wisconsin USDA Rural Development officials joined tribal 

leaders to announce the award in April 2015 as part of 

USDA’s celebration of Earth Day. 

The tribe will use the USDA Rural Development funds to 

make water distribution system upgrades that will allow the 

one system to supply clean, safe, and abundant water in 

Diaperville, New Odanah, and other tribal communities. The 

Bad River Tribe will have a modern, efficient, and affordable 

water utility system, free of health or safety hazards, to provide 

water for families and children living on the reservation.

Wisconsin Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $379,529,372 99 $33,702,500 6 $34,533,500 8 $447,765,372 113

IRP $842,296 3 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $1,842,296 4

Renewable Energy $11,453,131 514 $426,117 110 $2,045,829 134 $13,925,077 758

Business Grants $5,849,508 69 $900,992 9 $575,000 10 $7,325,500 88

REDLG $4,728,000 10 $992,000 3 $300,000 1 $6,020,000 14

VAPG $10,128,783 45 $342,562 4 $3,548,913 23 $14,020,258 72

SFH Direct $109,929,732 977 $16,100,374 139 $13,617,245 128 $139,647,351 1,244

SFH Guaranteed $2,104,490,762 17,267 $414,611,488 3,290 $372,483,079 2,906 $2,891,585,329 23,463

SFH Repairs $5,831,617 1,102 $947,587 167 $928,486 157 $7,707,690 1,426

SFH Self-Help Grants $920,551 3 $0 0 $608,449 2 $1,529,000 5

MFH Direct $15,021,390 30 $1,165,492 4 $446,631 6 $16,633,513 40

MFH Guaranteed $832,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $832,000 1

Farm Labor Housing $1,135,820 6 $0 0 $0 0 $1,135,820 6

Rental Assistance $75,313,424 1,430 $16,873,432 272 $18,584,566 303 $110,771,422 2,005

CF Direct $115,065,175 48 $41,600,000 5 $42,631,900 7 $199,297,075 60

CF Guaranteed $20,330,900 9 $2,215,000 1 $2,600,000 1 $25,145,900 11

CF Grants $6,902,364 112 $795,095 15 $734,700 13 $8,432,159 140

WWD Direct $145,431,850 81 $22,915,630 10 $25,435,000 18 $193,782,480 109

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $65,207,668 94 $9,504,130 18 $15,672,500 27 $90,384,298 139

Telecom $336,116,904 69 $805,778 3 $9,332,686 7 $346,255,368 79

Electric $485,212,000 15 $4,800,000 1 $31,500,000 3 $521,512,000 19

All Other Programs $8,999,807 45 $1,058,342 6 $1,883,400 355 $11,941,549 406

WISCONSIN TOTAL $3,909,273,054 22,029 $570,756,519 4,064 $577,461,882 4,109 $5,057,491,455 30,202

USDA Rural Development officials joined Bad River tribal leaders on Earth Day 2015 to 

celebrate improved water service on the reservation.
64 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

WYOMING

Community Programs

Artist’s rendering of the planned emergency responder training facility funded through 

a USDA Community Facilities loan. Image used with permission, courtesy of Hangar 41, 

LLC, Denver, CO.

Collaboration Results in New Fire Hall 

and Training Facility

A USDA Rural Development loan will help Sweetwater 

County, Wyoming, modernize and expand its firefighting 

facilities to keep up with a growing population and better 

protect the safety of local families and businesses.

A $5.2 million Community Facilities loan will help 

Sweetwater County Fire District #1 construct a fire hall. 

Funds will also be used to build a training facility for use by 

the local community college, emergency responders, and 

firefighters from other surrounding fire departments.

A partnership between USDA specialists and local and 

other Federal agency leaders helped this project become a 

reality. Members of two separate fire districts collaborated 

and formed a board to help raise local financing for the 

total cost of construction. Additionally, the Bureau of Land 

Management provided 10 acres of land for the project.

Construction of the new, improved fire hall and training 

facility is expected to be complete in 2016. Together, the two 

new facilities will help improve fire protection services for 

residents of Sweetwater County as the area continues to grow.

Wyoming Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $30,319,969 24 $25,256,900 6 $5,745,500 3 $61,322,369 33

IRP $177,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $177,000 1

Renewable Energy $382,565 17 $66,791 3 $239,183 6 $688,539 26

Business Grants $748,869 19 $114,000 3 $119,000 4 $981,869 26

REDLG $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,000,000 1

VAPG $52,492 2 $0 0 $30,000 1 $82,492 3

SFH Direct $35,074,882 256 $3,437,642 23 $7,098,913 43 $45,611,437 322

SFH Guaranteed $1,161,817,629 6,561 $245,181,671 1,355 $235,186,639 1,258 $1,642,185,939 9,174

SFH Repairs $515,476 90 $25,103 7 $44,400 6 $584,979 103

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $7,630,070 17 $553,188 1 $0 0 $8,183,257 18

MFH Guaranteed $1,011,017 1 $2,034,580 1 $637,419 1 $3,683,016 3

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $21,276,428 194 $4,879,368 38 $4,099,320 37 $30,255,116 269

CF Direct $15,711,400 8 $1,000,000 1 $5,200,000 1 $21,911,400 10

CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Grants $607,906 15 $75,600 3 $74,700 3 $758,206 21

WWD Direct $3,378,500 8 $1,295,000 2 $93,000 1 $4,766,500 11

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $4,378,958 11 $5,612,000 3 $819,000 6 $10,809,958 20

Telecom $54,066,957 10 $0 0 $0 0 $54,066,957 10

Electric $249,540,000 12 $4,110,000 1 $0 0 $253,650,000 13

All Other Programs $835,328 10 $50,000 1 $130,388 14 $1,015,716 25

WYOMING TOTAL $1,588,525,446 7,257 $293,691,843 1,448 $259,517,462 1,384 $2,141,734,750 10,089
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 65 

Virgin Islands Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $34,950,000 7 $0 0 $1,300,000 1 $36,250,000 8

IRP $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Renewable Energy $307,310 14 $125,000 3 $55,102 3 $487,412 20

Business Grants $0 0 $50,000 1 $0 0 $50,000 1

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

SFH Direct $8,093,138 65 $2,193,737 20 $2,444,860 20 $12,731,735 105

SFH Guaranteed $4,128,655 32 $488,673 4 $1,585,602 9 $6,202,930 45

SFH Repairs $282,227 41 $22,141 4 $63,485 10 $367,853 55

SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $24,486,444 82 $5,582,832 17 $4,480,560 15 $34,549,836 114

CF Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $272,100 2 $0 0 $251,000 2 $523,100 4

Telecom $0 0 $750,000 1 $0 0 $750,000 1

Electric $13,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $13,000,000 1

All Other Programs $0 0 $0 0 $128,796 6 $128,796 6

VIRGIN ISLANDS TOTAL $85,519,874 244 $9,212,383 50 $10,309,405 66 $105,041,662 360

Western Pacific Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2015 Yearly Totals

2009 - 2013 2014 2015 Total 

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $27,372,500 8 $500,000 1 $2,700,000 1 $30,572,500 10

IRP $1,150,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,150,000 3

Renewable Energy $674,024 9 $88,320 3 $338,317 4 $1,100,661 16

Business Grants $685,272 14 $100,000 2 $64,000 1 $849,272 17

REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

VAPG $300,000 1 $9,340 1 $3,200 1 $312,540 3

SFH Direct $28,151,782 193 $9,091,050 51 $8,746,290 48 $45,989,122 292

SFH Guaranteed $44,325,238 247 $8,569,149 51 $7,895,974 41 $60,790,361 339

SFH Repairs $2,893,290 348 $837,429 105 $878,346 118 $4,609,065 571

SFH Self-Help Grants $781,870 5 $0 0 $846,473 3 $1,628,343 8

MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

Rental Assistance $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

CF Direct $31,230,000 7 $26,700,000 4 $0 0 $57,930,000 11

CF Guaranteed $37,900,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $37,900,000 3

CF Grants $1,463,151 26 $100,000 3 $93,900 5 $1,657,051 34

WWD Direct $88,536,000 12 $0 0 $0 0 $88,536,000 12

WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

WWD Grants $15,019,300 2 $0 0 $25,000 1 $15,044,300 3

Telecom $122,832,667 7 $0 0 $493,240 1 $123,325,907 8

Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0

All Other Programs $8,598,699 6 $0 0 $1,189,200 2 $9,787,899 8

WESTERN PACIFIC TOTAL $411,913,793 891 $45,995,288 221 $23,273,939 226 $481,183,020 1,338
66 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Objective Applicant Uses Population Loan/Grant Terms/Conditions

Single-Family 

Housing Direct 

Loans (including 

Self-Help Loans)

Safe, well-built, 

affordable homes 

for very-low- and 

low-income rural 

Americans.

Families and 

individuals. 

Buy, build, improve, repair, 

or rehabilitate a rural home 

as the applicant’s permanent 

residence.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Direct loan. Up to 100% of market value or 

cost. Loan term of 33/38 years. 

Applicant may be eligible for 

payment assistance (subsidy) 

on the loan.

Single-Family 

Housing Loan 

Guarantees

To assist low- to 

moderate income 

applicants/household 

in buying their homes 

by guaranteeing loans 

made by private lenders.

Families and 

individuals.

Purchase new or existing 

homes and refinance existing 

Rural Development guaranteed 

or direct loans.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Loan guarantee. 30-year, fixed. The interest 

rate is negotiated between 

lender and borrower. Loans up 

to 100% of market value plus 

the amount of the up-front 

guarantee fee being financed.

Single-Family 

Repair Loans and 

Grants

To help very lowincome applicants 

remove health and 

safety hazards or 

repair their homes.

Families and individuals 

who currently own their 

home.

Repair/replace roof, 

winterizing, purchase or repair 

heating system, structural 

repair, water/sewage connect 

fees, etc.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Direct loan and 

grant.

Loans up to $20,000 up to 20 

years at 1%. Grants available 

to very low-income applicants 

62 years or older unable to pay 

1% loan.

Self-Help 

Technical 

Assistance 

Housing Grants

Assist lower income 

families in building 

their own homes.

Nonprofits and public 

bodies.

Technical assistance to help 

small groups of families to 

build each other’s homes.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Grant. Grant agreement.

Rural Rental 

Housing Direct 

Loans 

Safe, well-built, 

affordable rental 

housing for very-lowincome individuals 

and families.

Individuals, trusts, 

associations, limited 

partnerships, for-profit 

and nonprofit entities, 

tribes, public bodies.

New construction or 

substantial rehabilitation of 

rental housing.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Direct loan. Up to 100% of total development 

cost (nonprofits); 97% (forprofits); 95% (for-profits with 

Low-Income Housing Tax 

Credits). 30-year term with up 

to 50-year amortization. 

Rural Rental 

Housing Loan 

Guarantees

Provides loan 

guarantees on loans 

to build or preserve 

affordable housing 

for very-low- to 

moderate-income 

tenants.

For profit and nonprofit 

lenders.

Build or rehabilitate affordable 

rental housing.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Loan guarantee. At least 25-year term with fixed 

interest rate. Loan guarantees 

up to 90% of the principal.

Housing 

Preservation 

Grants

Repair and rehabilitate 

housing owned or 

occupied by very lowand low-income rural 

families.

Public bodies and 

nonprofit organizations.

Operation of a program 

which finances repair and 

rehabilitation activities for 

single-family and small rental 

properties.

Rural areas with 

populations of up to 

35,000.

Grant. Grant agreement.

Farm Labor 

Housing Loans 

and Grants

Safe, well-built 

affordable rental 

housing for 

farmworkers.

Individuals, public 

and private nonprofit 

organizations.

New construction or 

substantial rehabilitation of 

rental housing.

Not applicable. Direct loan and 

grant.

Up to 102% of total 

development cost. Up to 33 

years to repay at 1% interest.

Community 

Facilities Loans 

and Grants

Improve, develop, 

or finance essential 

community facilities 

for rural communities.

Public bodies, 

nonprofits, and 

federally recognized 

tribes.

Construct, enlarge or 

otherwise improve essential 

community facilities, such as 

public safety, fire and rescue, 

telecommunications, schools, 

libraries, hospitals, other 

healthcare facilities, etc. This 

may include furnishings, fixtures 

and other required equipment.

City, town, or 

unincorporated area of 

not more than 20,000 

in population. Facilities 

must primarily serve 

rural residents.

Direct loan, loan 

guarantee, or 

grant.

Up to 100% of market value. 

Term is for useful life of the 

facility or equipment, the State 

statute, or 40 years. Maximum 

grant 75% of project cost. Grant 

eligibility based on income, 

population, and need.

Rural 

Community 

Development 

Initiative

To facilitate housing, 

community facility, 

and community 

and economic 

development projects.

Private nonprofit or 

public organizations, 

philanthropic 

foundations, lowincome communities.

Technical assistance grants 

of $50,000 to $300,000 to 

develop the capacity and 

ability of the awardees to carry 

out needed projects.

City, town, or 

unincorporated area of 

not more than 50,000 in 

population.

Grant. Matching funds required for 

grant.

For Direct Loans and Grants, apply to Rural Development. For Loan Guarantees, apply to participating intermediaries such as approved banks, mortgage companies, etc.

Summary of USDA Rural Development Major Programs

Rural Housing Service
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 67 

Objective Applicant Uses Population Loan/Grant Terms/Conditions

Business and 

Industry Loan 

Guarantees

Create jobs/stimulate 

rural economies by 

providing financial 

backing for rural 

businesses.

Lenders/Businesses. Real estate, buildings, 

equipment, supplies, 

working capital, and some 

debt refinancing.

All areas except cities 

over 50,000 and their 

contiguous urbanized 

areas.

Loan guarantee. Lender and borrower 

negotiate terms. Up to 30 

years for real estate, 15 

years for machinery and 

equipment, and 7 years for 

working capital.

Rural Business 

Development 

Grants

Assist the startup or 

expansion of small 

and emerging private 

businesses in rural 

communities. Note: 

This program combines 

the former Rural 

Business Enterprise 

Grant and Rural 

Business Opportunity 

Grant programs and 

was created through 

the 2014 Farm Bill.

Public bodies, government 

entities, nonprofit entities, 

and federally recognized 

tribes.

Acquire or develop land, 

buildings, plants and 

equipment; build or 

improve access roads, 

parking areas, utility 

extensions, and water 

and waste disposal 

facilities; provide technical 

assistance; establish 

revolving loan funds; and 

to support rural distance 

learning programs that 

provide educational or job 

training.

All areas except cities 

over 50,000 and their 

contiguous urbanized 

areas.

Grant. Grants are awarded on a 

competitive basis.

Intermediary 

Relending 

Program Loans

Establish revolving 

funds for business 

facilities and 

community 

development projects.

Public bodies, nonprofit 

corporations, Native 

American tribes, and 

cooperatives.

Community development 

projects, establishment or 

expansion of businesses, 

creation or saving of rural 

jobs.

Rural areas and 

incorporated places 

with populations of 

less than 50,000.

Direct loan. The intermediary makes 

loans to businesses from its 

revolving loan fund on terms 

consistent with security 

offered. Intermediary pays 

1% for 30 years.

Rural 

Microentrepreneur 

Assistance 

Program

Establish revolving 

funds to target 

assistance to small rural 

enterprises.

Microenterprise 

Development 

Organizations (MDOs).

Loans, technical, and 

capacity-building 

assistance to businesses 

with 10 or fewer 

employees and sole 

proprietorships.

All areas except cities 

over 50,000 and their 

contiguous urbanized 

areas.

Loans, grants. Rural microenterprises apply 

directly to the intermediary.

Rural Economic 

Development 

Loans and Grants

Finance economic 

development and job 

creation in rural areas.

Rural Utilities Servicefinanced electric and 

telephone utilities. 

Business startups or 

expansion projects that 

create rural jobs.

Rural areas with 

priority to places 

with populations of 

2,500 or less.

Direct loan or 

grant to establish 

revolving loan fund.

Intermediary makes loans 

to for-profit or nonprofit 

businesses and public bodies. 

Loans are 0% for 10 years.

Rural Cooperative 

Development 

Grants

Establish/operate 

centers for cooperative 

development.

Nonprofits and 

institutions of higher 

education. 

Establish centers to provide 

technical assistance, 

training, applied research, 

and collection and 

interpretation of data, for 

the purpose of cooperative 

development.

All areas except cities 

over 50,000 and their 

contiguous urbanized 

areas. 

Grant. Minimum 25% fund 

match (5% for 1994 

Institutions). Grants awarded 

competitively.

Socially 

Disadvantaged 

Groups Grants 

(formerly the 

Small, Socially 

Disadvantaged 

Producer Grant 

Program)

Provides funds to 

eligible cooperatives, 

co-op associations, or 

co-op development 

centers to provide 

technical assistance 

to small, socially 

disadvantaged groups 

in rural areas.

Cooperatives and co-op 

development centers that 

serve socially disadvantaged 

groups where a majority 

of the board of directors 

or governing board is 

comprised of individuals 

who are members of socially 

disadvantaged groups.

Technical assistance. All areas, except cities 

over 50,000 and their 

contiguous urbanized 

areas.

Grant. Grants are awarded on a 

competitive basis. There is no 

matching requirement.

Value-Added 

Producer Grants

Help independent 

agricultural producers 

enter into activities 

that add value to their 

crops.

Independent producers, 

farmer and rancher 

cooperatives, producer 

groups, and majoritycontrolled producer-based 

business ventures.

Feasibility studies, business 

plans, working capital.

All areas. Grant. Grants are awarded on a 

competitive basis. Funds 

cannot be used to build 

facilities or purchase 

equipment. Funds must be 

matched on a dollar-fordollar basis.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service
68 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Objective Applicant Uses Population Loan/Grant Terms/Conditions

Rural Energy for 

America Program 

(REAP) Loan 

Guarantees and 

Grants

Provide assistance 

for energy efficiency 

improvements 

or purchase of a 

renewable energy 

system for operations.

Rural small businesses and 

agricultural producers.

Energy efficiency 

improvements, renewable 

energy systems, land 

acquisition, and working 

capital.

Cities, towns, 

unincorporated areas 

with population 

less than 50,000. 

(Population limits 

do not apply 

to agricultural 

producers)

Loan guarantee 

and/or grant.

Grants up to 25% of project 

costs not to exceed $250,000 

for energy efficiency projects 

and $500,000 for renewable 

energy. Loan guarantees up 

to 75% of project cost not to 

exceed $25 million.

REAP Audit/

Development 

Grants

Provide grant to entity 

to pass through to 

a small business or 

agricultural producer 

for 75% of the 

cost of an energy 

audit or renewable 

energy development 

assistance.

State, tribal, or local 

government institutions 

of higher education; rural 

electric cooperatives; or 

public power entities.

$100,000 grant to entities, 

smaller ones to small 

business and agricultural 

producers for 75% of 

energy audit or renewable 

energy development 

assistance.

Cities, towns, 

unincorporated areas 

with population less 

than 50,000.

Grant. $100,000 to entities and up 

to 75% of the cost of energy 

audit for renewable energy 

development assistance.

Biorefinery, 

Renewable 

Chemical, and 

Biobased Product 

Manufacturing 

Assistance 

Program Loan 

Guarantees 

(formerly the 

Biorefinery 

Assistance 

Program)

Provide loan 

guarantees for the 

development and 

construction of 

commercial-scale 

biorefineries or to 

retrofit facilities using 

eligible technology for 

the development of 

advanced biofuels.

Individuals, Indian 

tribes, State or 

local governments, 

corporations, farm 

cooperatives, associations 

of agricultural producers, 

national laboratories, 

higher learning 

institutions, rural electric 

co-ops, public power 

entities, consortiums of 

any of the entities.

Loan guarantees to develop 

and construct commercialscale biorefineries or 

retrofit facilities to use 

eligible technology for the 

development of advanced 

biofuels.

No restrictions. Loan. 90% (maximum) guarantee 

on loans up to $125 million; 

80% (maximum) guarantee 

on loans less than $150 

million; 70% (maximum) 

guarantee on loans of $150 

million but less than $200 

million; 60% (maximum) 

guarantee on loans of $200 

million up to $250 million.

Repowering 

Assistance 

Program

Provide payments 

to biorefineries to 

replace fossil fuels with 

biomass.

Biorefineries. Grant to biorefineries, 

including ethanol and 

biodiesel plants that use 

electricity generated 

from natural gas and coal 

and require this for the 

fermentation process.

No restrictions. Grant. As funds are available. 

Complete applications 

submitted to National Office 

for review.

Advanced Biofuel 

Payment Program

Provide payments to 

producers of advanced 

biofuels.

Eligible producers of 

advanced biofuels.

Grant to producers of 

advanced biofuels (noncornmercial-based).

No restrictions. Grant. As funds are available. 

Complete applications 

submitted to National Office 

for review. Grant awards 

determined by National 

Office.

For Direct Loans and Grants, apply to Rural Development. For Loan Guarantees, apply to participating intermediaries such as eligible banks etc. For Revolving 

Funds (RMAP, IRP, and REDLG), intermediaries apply to Rural Development, others to the intermediaries.
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 69 

Objective Applicant Uses Population Loan/Grant Terms/Conditions

Water and Waste 

Disposal Loans and 

Grants

Provide infrastructure for 

rural areas.

Public entities, Indian tribes, 

and nonprofit corporations.

Build, repair and improve 

public water systems and 

waste collection and treatment 

systems.

Rural areas and towns 

with up to 10,000 

population.

Direct loan 

and grant.

Repayment period is a 

maximum of 40 years. 

Grant funds may be 

available.

Water and Waste 

Disposal Loan 

Guarantees

Provide infrastructure for 

rural areas.

Public entities, Indian tribes, 

and nonprofit corporations.

Construct, repair, and improve 

water supply and distribution 

systems and waste collection and 

treatment systems. 

Rural areas and towns 

with up to 10,000 

population.

Loan 

guarantee.

Eligible lenders 

obtain up to a 90% 

guarantee on loans 

they make and 

service.

Solid Waste 

Management Grants

Provide technical 

assistance and/or training 

to those who operate and 

maintain active landfills.

Public bodies, private nonprofit 

organizations, Indian tribes, 

and academic institutions.

Technical assistance and training 

to improve landfill conditions and 

protect against threats to nearby 

water resources.

Rural areas and towns 

with up to 10,000 

population.

Grant. Applications 

accepted year-round. 

Complete applications 

submitted to National 

Office for review.

Technical Assistance/ 

Training/Circuit Rider

Provide technical 

assistance and training.

Public, private, and nonprofit 

organizations.

Provide technical assistance 

and training to assist with 

management of water and waste 

projects.

Rural areas and towns 

with up to 10,000 

population.

Grant. As funds are available. 

Complete applications 

submitted to National 

Office for review.

Rural Broadband 

Direct Loans and 

Loan Guarantee

Deployment of broadband 

service to eligible rural 

communities. Note: The 

2014 Farm Bill revises 

program provisions. 

An interim rule was 

published in FY 2015.

Entities seeking to provide 

broadband services in rural 

areas.

Finance the construction, 

improvement, and acquisition of 

facilities and equipment to provide 

broadband service in eligible rural 

communities.

Refer to the new rule for 

population limits.

Refer to the 

new rule for 

loan details.

Refer to the new 

rules, when available, 

for loan terms and 

conditions.

Electric and 

Telecommunications

Loans

Assist rural communities 

in obtaining affordable, 

high-quality electric and 

telecommunications 

services.

Nonprofit and cooperative 

associations, public bodies, and 

other utilities. 

Generation, transmission facilities 

and distribution of electric power, 

including alternative, renewable, 

conservation and energy efficiency 

programs. Enhance 911 emergency 

service, digital switching 

equipment, and fiber optic cable, 

along with traditional main system 

telecommunications service.

Electric: areas served by 

an existing rural electric 

borrower, or rural areas 

other than a city or town 

of more than 20,000. 

Telecommunications: 

areas or cities with 

population under 5,000.

Direct loan 

or loan 

guarantee.

Interest rates are 

established in 

accordance with 7CFR 

1714. Contact RUS at 

www.rd.usda.gov

or 1 (800) 670-6553.

Distance Learning 

and Telemedicine

Development and 

deployment of advanced 

telecommunication 

services throughout 

rural America to improve 

education and healthcare.

Incorporated entities, including 

municipalities, for-profit, and 

nonprofit corporations that 

operate rural schools, libraries, 

healthcare clinics, and other 

educational or healthcare facilities.

To provide end-user equipment 

and programming that 

delivers distance learning and 

telemedicine services into eligible 

areas.

Rural areas outside 

incorporated or 

unincorporated cities 

with populations up to 

20,000.

Grant. Awards range from 

$50,000 to $500,000. 

A minimum of 15% 

in matching funds is 

required.

Community Connect 

Grants

Provide public access to 

broadband in otherwise 

unserved communities.

Public bodies, tribes, 

cooperatives, nonprofits, limited 

dividend or mutual associations; 

corporations, and other legally 

organized entities.

To build broadband infrastructure 

and establish a community center 

that offers free public access to 

broadband for 2 years.

A single community 

outside incorporated or 

unincorporated cities 

with population over 

20,000 which does not 

have broadband.

Grant. Minimum: $50,000; 

Maximum: $1 

million. Amounts are 

published in Notices 

of Funding Availability 

and may vary.

Electric and Telecom Programs: Contact the Rural Utilities Service Administrator; Water Programs: Contact the Rural Development State Office. CFR refers to Code of 

Federal Regulations.

Rural Utilities Service
70 | USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report

Land & Bldgs. Mach. & Equip. Working Capital Infrastructure Tech. Asst./Train.

Rural Housing and Community Facilities Programs

Single Family Housing Direct Loans (including Self-Help Loans) ♦

Single Family Housing Loan Guarantees ♦

Single Family Housing Repair Loans/Grants ♦

Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants ♦

Rural Rental Housing Direct Loans ♦ ♦

Rural Rental Housing Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦

Housing Preservation Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Farm Labor Housing Loans/Grants ♦ ♦

Community Facilities Direct Loans, Loan Guarantees, Grants* ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Community Development Initiative ♦

Rural Business and Cooperative Programs

Business and Industry Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Business Development Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Intermediary Relending Program Loans ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Cooperative Development Grants ♦ ♦

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants ♦

Value-Added Producer Grant ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Energy for America Program Loan Guarantees/Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product 

Manufacturing Assistance Program Loan Guarantees

Repowering Assistance Program

Advanced Biofuel Payment Program

Rural Utilities Programs

Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loans, Loan Guarantees and Grants ♦ ♦ ♦

Solid Waste Management Grants ♦

Technical Asst./Training/Circuit Rider ♦

Rural Broadband Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦

Electric and Telecommunications Direct Loans/Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦ ♦

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loans/Grants ♦ ♦

Community Connect Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

* Initial operating expenses are eligible in conjunction with the financing of an eligible community facility project. However, grant funds may not be used to 

fund initial operating expenses.

Summary of Funding Purposes
USDA Rural Development 2015 Progress Report | 71 

Alabama

Montgomery, AL

(334) 279-3400

Idaho

Boise, ID

(208) 378-5623

Minnesota

St. Paul, MN

(651) 602-7800

North Dakota

Bismarck, ND

(701) 530-2037

Utah

Salt Lake City, UT

(801) 524-4320

Alaska

Palmer, AK

(907) 761-7705

Illinois

Champaign, IL

(217) 403-6200

Mississippi

Jackson, MS

(601) 965-4316

Ohio

Columbus, OH

(614) 255-2500

Vermont-New 

Hampshire

Montpelier, VT

(802) 828-6000

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

(602) 280-8717

Indiana

Indianapolis, IN

(317) 290-3100

Missouri

Columbia, MO

(573) 876-0976

Oklahoma

Stillwater, OK

(405) 742-1000

Virginia

Richmond, VA

(804) 287-1552

Arkansas

Little Rock, AR

(501) 301-3200

Iowa

Des Moines, IA

(515) 284-4663

Montana

Bozeman, MT

(406) 585-2580

Oregon

Portland, OR

(503) 414-3300

Washington

Olympia, WA

(360) 704-7740

California

Davis, CA

(530) 792-5800

Kansas

Topeka, KS

(785) 271-2700

Nebraska

Lincoln, NE

(402) 437-5551

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA

(717) 237-2299

West Virginia

Morgantown, WV

(304) 284-4860

Colorado

Lakewood, CO

(720) 544-2915

Kentucky

Lexington, KY

(859) 224-7300

Nevada

Carson City, NV

(775) 887-1222

Puerto Rico

San Juan, PR

(787) 766-5095

Wisconsin

Stevens Point, WI

(715) 345-7600

Delaware-Maryland

Dover, DE

(302) 857-3580

Louisiana

Alexandria, LA

(318) 473-7921

New Jersey

Mt. Laurel, NJ

(856) 787-7700

South Carolina

Columbia, SC

(803) 765-5163

Wyoming

Casper, WY

(307) 233-6700

Florida-Virgin Islands

Gainesville, FL

(352) 338-3402

Maine

Bangor, ME

(207) 990-9160

New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM

(505) 761-4950

South Dakota

Huron, SD

(605) 352-1100

Georgia

Athens, GA

(706) 546-2162

Mass.-Rhode IslandConnecticut

Amherst, MA

(413) 253-4300

New York

Syracuse, NY

(315) 477-6400

Tennessee

Nashville, TN

(615) 783-1300

Hawaii-Western 

Pacific

Hilo, HI

(808) 933-8380

Michigan

East Lansing, MI

(517) 324-5190

North Carolina

Raleigh, NC

(919) 873-2000

Texas

Temple, TX

(254) 742-1084

USDA Rural Development State Offices

Official, system-of-record funding data for this report was provided by the 

USDA Rural Development National Financial and Accounting Operations Center, 

St. Louis, Missouri. Phone: (314) 457-4152.

Non-Discrimination Policy

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and 

employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, 

marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 

program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in 

any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all 

programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication 

for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center 

at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made 

available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.

usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter 

addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in 

the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit 

your completed form or letter to USDA by: 

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 

 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or 

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov (link sends e-mail).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Non-Endorsement Disclaimer

Mention of a trade name or brand name does not constitute endorsement or 

recommendation by USDA over similar products not named.

Contact us to learn more at:

USDA Rural Development

National Office

Mail Stop 0107

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20250-0107

1 (800) 670-6553 (toll free)

www.rd.usda.gov
USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities.

January 2016