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From the desk of Colleen Landkamer
January 30, 2023
Minnesota Rural Development shows that public service is at the heart of everything we do. It takes a dedicated team to make a difference. Still, it also takes resources and continued support from all our great partners, stakeholders, and our Congressional delegation. Thanks to the partnerships we have built, we are ready to face whatever the new year may bring and reflect on all we have achieved. Our collective work has played a pivotal role in the lives of Minnesota residents, communities, and counties. We could list pages of the staggering aid delivered to rural Minnesota, but we know you have many other partnerships and reflections to make this season as well. So here are just a few examples of the dedication USDA brought to the rural areas of our state.
- Single-Family Housing allocated $468 million in direct and guaranteed loans and grants through Single-Family Housing. These investments assisted 2,625 low- and moderate-income families to buy, repair, or rehabilitate a home. A single mother was unable to achieve financing through a traditional lender. She was thrilled to find help through her local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Rural Development, and the rural city that she lived and worked in to build an affordable home for her and her son. Rural Development, Habitat for Humanity, and the rural city that she lived and worked in to purchase a newly built home for her and her son.
- Rural high-speed internet infrastructure in 2022 included $373,545 to provide distance learning and telemedicine opportunities to more than 31,300 rural residents in Minnesota. Financing was provided through one of several USDA programs dedicated to building and improving access to high-speed internet in rural areas
- More than 78 rural cities, townships and communities can build or improve infrastructure, or purchase essential equipment through nearly $24 million in total investments through Rural Developments Community Facilities program.
- Nearly $7 million in investments were made to help build or improve essential rural water, wastewater, and/or sewer infrastructure. For example, the city of Edgerton is now able to update infrastructure originally constructed in the 1950
- USDA's Business and Cooperative Programs contributed $90 million in funds to help more than 200 rural businesses build back better and stronger following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Happy Holidays
Colleen Landkamer
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Recognizing our partners with Little Lakers Childcare Center and First Children's Finance
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In the News
USDA Seeks Applications to Rural Business Development Grant Program for Entrepreneurs to Create Jobs for Rural Minnesota
Minnesota Rural Development is making this funding available under the Rural Business Development Grant program to support business opportunities or business enterprise projects in rural communities. Eligible entities are rural towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized tribes, public institutions of higher education, and non-profit cooperatives. These projects must be consistent with local and area-wide community. and economic development strategic plans plus projects support other economic development activities in the area. They may include establishing business support centers, financing job training and development. Deadline application date is Feb. 28, 2023. For additional information go to: Grants.gov or go to: www.rd.usda.gov/mn
USDA Seeks Grant Applicants in Rural and Tribal Minnesota Communities to Access Remote Education and Health Care Resources
USDA Rural Development is accepting grant applications for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program to help people in rural and tribal communities access remote education and health care resources. This program helps fund real-time, interactive distance learning, and telemedicine services in rural areas that are otherwise limited or unavailable. For instance, this program gives students the opportunity to participate in classes online and connect rural people virtually to medical professionals without leaving their home. Eligible applicants include state and local governmental entities, federally recognized tribes, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses. Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov no later than January 30, 2023. For additional information, please visit the Distance Learning and Telemedicine webpage.
To view more Minnesota Rural Development News, go to: www.rd.usda.gov/mn
Enjoying a light moment during the construction tour of the Tri-County health care facility in Wadena. This project was aided by Minnesota Rural Development Community Facilities Program. L to R: US Senator Tina Smith, USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, Minnesota Rural Development State Director, Colleen Landkamer, and Tri-County Health Care President & CEO Joel Beiswenger.
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