NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development

1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE  19904

Phone: (302) 857-3580 • Fax: (302) 857-3640 • TDD: (302) 857-3585 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

Release No. 0344.09                             Contact:   Office of Communication (202) 720-4623

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $15.3 MILLION FOR

145 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN RURAL AREAS

Recovery Act Projects Funded Include Business Expansions, Education and Training, Community Development and Technical Assistance

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2009 – Agriculture  Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 145 recipients for more than $15.3 million in grants to start or expand businesses in rural communities. Through Recovery Act funding, businesses will be able to access to critical capital that will help with start-up and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation improvements, project planning and other business needs.

“These Recovery Act grants represent the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to ensure strategic investments and increase economic opportunities in rural America,” said Vilsack. “Small businesses play an important role in building strong communities while providing vital products and services to local residents. This funding will help spur important economic development and strengthen communities in dozens of states around the country.” 

            In addition to the $15.3 million that USDA Rural Development is providing for the 145 projects announced today, recipients have raised $16 million from other sources.

            For example, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe in rural northern Minnesota has been selected to receive an $83,149 grant to help the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe’s Business Development Center provide training for area businesses to expand, thereby creating new jobs and spurring economic growth in the region. The funding also is expected to help lower chronically high unemployment and poverty rates among Native Americans who live in the region. Since 1980, the Business Development Center has helped Native American-owned businesses grow, secure financing, write business plans and conduct market feasibility studies.  Four Native American-owned businesses already have been selected to use the Rural Development funding to expand their operations.  Businesses in the 12-county region that are not owned by Native Americans also expect to benefit from the jobs created by the tribe’s business development center.

            Loup City Public Schools in rural Nebraska has been selected to receive an $8,800 grant to install a 1.8 kilowatt wind turbine on the school site to educate students on the importance of wind as an alternative energy source.  Students will gain knowledge on wind energy as well as learn about career opportunities in the alternative energy field and wind energy’s role in the economic future of rural America.    Loup City Public Schools is one of the first six school jurisdictions in Nebraska to partner with the National Renewable Energy Lab’s Wind for Schools program.

“When people think about USDA they think about a Department that helps protect our food supply and farmers that grow it,” said Kathy Beisner, Acting USDA Rural Development State Director for Delaware and Maryland.  “What many do not know is that USDA is much more than that.  We are delighted that more than $219,000 in grant funds has been provided to one Delaware and three Maryland non-profit organizations to allow them to provide technical assistance, education, training and loan funds that that will result in the retention and expansion of many small businesses.”

Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc. (MCE) in Salisbury, Maryland was established for the express purpose of bringing microenterprise building and support services to minority and low to moderate income entrepreneurs on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  MCE is receiving $52,300 that will help increase economic development and job creation by assisting micro-entrepreneurs with technical assistance and maintaining an extensive network of partnerships supportive of micro-enterprise development and growth. 

YWCA Delaware, Inc. in Georgetown, Delaware focuses on bringing women and minority-owned businesses in rural areas to a level of success that helps support their families.  They are receiving $41,000 that will be used to support business assessment, business plan development, workshops, networking opportunities, business site visits, individual counseling services, and connection to financial resources.

The funding announced today is being is being provided through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business Enterprise Program (RBEG), which helps finance new and existing businesses as well as employment-related adult education programs. RBEG funds can be used for start-up and working capital loans, building and plant renovations, transportation improvements, project planning and other business needs. Additional information on the RBEG program may be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/rbeg.htm

            Grants announced today include:

Alaska:

Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AMEP), Inc.; $71,000

Alabama:

Auburn University; $100,000

Arkansas:

East Arkansas Enterprise Community; $96,400

Arizona:

City of Maricopa; $30,000

California:

Siskiyou Training & Employment Program Inc.; $80,000

Connecticut:

Community Involved in Sustain Agriculture (CISA); $60,620

Delaware:

YWCA Delaware, Inc.; $41,000

Georgia:

East Athens Development Corporation (EADC); $99,500

Okefenokee Technical College; $98,000

City of Fort Valley; $99,999

Early County Development Authority; $99,999

City of Shellman; $99,999

South Georgia Tech College (Commercial Driving Program); $99,999

South Georgia Tech College (Nursing Program); $99,999

South Georgia Tech College (Criminal Justice/Enforcement Academy); $75,000

Arlington Downtown Development Authority; $95,000

City of Oglethorpe; $99,999

Fort Valley Downtown Development Authority; $99,999

City of Dawson; $56,000

Fort Valley State University Foundation, Inc.; $99,352

Hogansville Downtown Development Authority; $50,000

Appalachian Community Enterprises, Inc.; $99,999

City of Tifton; $36,121

East Central Technical College; $99,999

East Central Technical College; $99,999

McDuffie Co. Dev. Authority; $54,755

Heart of Georgia Technical College; $98,525

North Georgia Technical College (NGTC); $98,764

Tifton Downtown Development Authority; $99,000

Iowa:                                                                                                                           

Maquoketa Industrial Development Assistance Service; $99,000

Iowa Falls Area Development Corporation; $99,999

Manson Economic Development Corporation; $50,000

Central City Main Street; $99,000

City of Tipton; $94,000

Idaho:

Ida-Ore Winery Incubator Equipment; $9,000

Illinois

Southern Illinois Stimulus Corporation; $79,650

Lena Economic Development Corporation; $99,000                                                                                                                                        

Kansas

City of Cherryvale; $95,000

Kentucky:

Bath County Agricultural Extension Foundation, Inc.; $400,000

Southeast KY Economic Development Corporation; $165,000

Community Ventures Corporation; $200,000

Louisiana:

Acadiana Regional Development District; $49,900

Avoyelles Parish Police Jury; $139,432

Massachusetts:

Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund; $75,000

Maryland:

Denton Development Corporation; $51,850

Maryland Hawk Corp. Inc.; $73,888

Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc.; $52,300

Maine:

Town of Madison; $50,000

Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Inc.; $75,000

Town of Greenville; $253,000

Michigan:

City of Fremont; $90,000

Minnesota:

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe; $83,149

Frazee; $90,000

Watonwan County; $99,999

Business Entrepreneur Center; $99,335

Lower Sioux Indian Community; $200,000

Renville County HRA/EDA; $99,999

City of Granite Falls; $99,900

City of Gibbon; $99,000

Missouri:

City of Doniphan; $99,500

City of Piedmont; $211,150

Missouri State University, Mountain Grove Campus; $20,700

Mississippi:

Southwest Mississippi RC&D, Inc.; $99,990

Montana:

Beartooth RC&D; $12,900

Ravalli County Economic Development Authority; $9,300

Eastern Plains Economic Development Corp.; $50,000

Ravalli County Economic Development Authority: $41,374

North Carolina:

City of Reidsville; $75,000

Henderson-Vance Downtown Improvement Project; $75,000

Scotland County; $75,000

North Dakota:

Impact Foundation; $181,000

Nebraska:

Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools; $7,000

Arnold Economic Development Corporation; $50,000

Village of Cody; $75,000

Bloomfield Community Schools; $7,000

Loup City Public Schools; $8,800

New Hampshire:

North Country Resource and Conservation District; $46,000

New Jersey:

South Jersey Economic Development District, Inc.; $99,000

New Mexico:

Pueblo of Acoma; $577,750

New Mexico's Own, Inc.; $400,000

Nevada:          

Walker River Paiute Tribe; $18,878

City of Wells: $90,000

New York:

Fort Edward Business Revitalization Program; $90,000

Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency; $94,000

Ohio:

Carroll County Chamber of Commerce; $99,000

Laus Deo Foundation; $499,000

Jackson Co. Economic Development Board; $99,999

Oklahoma:

Fort Towson Industrial Authority; $300,000

City of Antlers; $99,750

Johnston County Industrial Authority     ; $399,999

Minco Community Foundation, Inc.; $87,000

Oregon:

Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation; $99,000

Umpqua Community College; $98,936

Chemeketa Community College; $99,000

The Rogue Initiative for a Vital Economy dba THRIVE; $53,620

Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN); $173,246

Valley Development Initiatives, Inc.; $99,000

Pennsylvania:

CAN DO, Inc., of Greater Hazleton; $99,990

Sun Home Health Services, Inc.; $99,500

Puerto Rico:

Rural Business Strengthening/Universidad Sagrado Corazon; $50,000

South Carolina:

Have Faith Community Development Corporation; $99,900

Salkehatchie Arts; $75,000

Williamsburg County Business Development Center; $99,050

City of Manning; $250,000

Western Carolina Higher Education Commission; $199,991

Colleton Improvement Collaborative; $99,920

SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership; $99,500

The Mitney Project; $99,000

South Dakota:

National Enterprise Development Center; $91,660

Whetstone Valley Business Opportunities; $18,288

Clark Area Chamber of Commerce; $99,000

Gate City Development Association, Inc.; $99,900

Tulare Economic Development; $22,735

City of Arlington; $94,000

Tennessee:

Reelfoot Area Chamber of Commerce; $8,500

Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency; $30,000

State of Tennessee; $100,000

City of Bruceton; $30,000

Covington Economic Development Corporation; $25,000

Crockett County Chamber of Commerce; $15,000

Lauderdale County Board of Education; $50,000

City of Friendship; $20,000

Giles County; $40,000

Greene County Partnership; $10,000

Wayne County Government; $199,999

Clay County; $95,000

Texas:

Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation; 300,000

Hidalgo Economic Development Corporation; $300,000

The Development Corporation of Mercedes; $300,000

La Feria Industrial Development Corporation; $300,000

Utah:

Transitions; $99,900

Virginia:

Floyd County Economic Development Authority; $ 99,000

Bland County Farmer's Market; $40,000

City of Galax; $99,600

Industrial Development Authority of Danville; $99,000

Town of Pulaski; $99,000

Vermont:

Randolph Community Development; $65,000

Washington:

Squaxin Island Tribe; $88,873

Wisconsin:

City of Ladysmith; $98,800

Heart of Wisconsin Community Incubator, Inc.; 97,000

Village of Gays Mills; $99,999

Western Pacific:

University of Guam; $50,000

Pacific Islands Microcredit Institute; $65,000

West Virginia

The City of Buckhannon; $200,000

Wyoming:

Converse Area New Development Organization, Inc.; $60,000

Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the grant agreement. More information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is designed to jumpstart the nation’s economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act includes measures to modernize our nation’s infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.

More information about USDA’s Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery.  More information about the Federal government's efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.

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