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Since future funding is uncertain, this plan is based upon current levels of program and administrative funding with adjustment for inflation. However, to become a comprehensive community development organization, Rural Development needs to streamline its operations so that staff is available to perform the new functions expected of them. The second critical piece of this transition is providing training to the staff so employees know what is expected of them and have the skill needed to meet those expectations. Severe reductions of resources, beyond what is currently anticipated, will adversely affect achievement of the plan.
The resource allocation priorities for the programs administered by the Rural Development Mission area are a function of the Congressional appropriations and authorizing committees. In fiscal year 1999,of a total program level of $9.896 Billion, 52 percent was appropriated to the Rural Housing Service, 34 percent to the Rural Utilities Service and 14 percent to the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. The Appropriations Committees have, at the Administration’s request, included certain reservations of funds for specific areas, including Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities, Colonias, and Native Alaskan villages. These funds are reserved generally until the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, and if not used for the specific purposes, become available for other applicants. Within those priorities a key mission area policy is increased emphasis on those rural counties with the greatest need, such as the 535 counties that have experienced persistent poverty for the past four decades. Another policy emphasis is the Water 2000 initiative which targets resources to rural Americans who have some of the Nation’s most serious drinking water availability, dependability and quality problems; including the approximately 1 million rural Americans without access to drinking water in their homes.
In particular, the Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities program assists communities with high levels of poverty by empowering them to implement sustainable, locally controlled strategic economic and community development activities. The program requires communities to build comprehensive, strategic, and citizen-controlled 10-year community development plans. Then, based on their 10-year plan, program funds produce increased jobs, improved job skills, and expanded and improved community services. Federal funds are leveraged with resources from businesses, government, and non-profit sources.
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