In Eastern Kentucky, USDA Launches Relending Program to Reduce Rural Poverty Nationwide

27 Oct 2016


Community Development

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled an innovative partnership with community development organizations from across the country, providing $401 million ofCommunity Facilities program funds to recipients with a track record of successful programs to help reduce poverty in some of the nation's poorest and most isolated rural communities. Twenty-sixcommunity development organizations have been approved to draw upon the funding to provide long-term, low-interest financing to be "re-lent" to local entities to build, acquire, maintain or renovate essential community facilities. The funds also can be used for capacity building and to finance essential community services, such as education, health care and infrastructure.

Many of the projects will be in some of the nation's poorest rural areas, such as communities in Appalachia, the colonias along the U.S./Mexico border, and in the Mississippi Delta region. Long-term poverty disproportionately affects rural areas. Nearly nine out of 10 counties where 20 percent or more of the population has lived in poverty for 30 years or more are rural.

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