SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Community
Facilities (CF) direct and guaranteed loans and grant programs target a portion of their
resources to rural communities across the
nation that are experiencing significant economic or social hardships. Under these special initiatives, funds for various
programs are made available at the national level and awarded to rural communities
eligible under each particular initiative. In addition to
financial assistance, Community Programs provides staff and expertise to help coordinate
and facilitate these initiatives at the local level.
Special
initiatives in the Community Facilities programs are:
Indian Tribal Initiative:
In fiscal
year 1999, Community Programs concentrated a portion of its resources toward development
of essential community facilities for Indian tribes and tribal colleges. Direct and guaranteed loans and grants of:
· $10.2 million helped fund 22 projects
supporting Native Americans.
Awards to federally recognized Indian tribes assisted in developing
essential community facilities such as medical clinics, transitional housing,
administrative office buildings, child care
centers, libraries, museums, food preparation centers, fire trucks, and other essential
community facilities. CF programs help to
strengthen the Native American economic competitiveness and enhance the quality of life.
Child Care Initiative:
In fiscal
year 1999, Community Programs played a significant role in USDA’s efforts to develop
and improve the quality of child care services in rural America. Direct and guaranteed loans and grants of:
· $13.5
million helped fund 69 child care centers benefiting 5,629 children. Rural Housing
Programs (HCFP) targets financial
and technical assistance for childcare facilities to the smallest and poorest rural
communities. Field personnel work with
community groups to develop facilities where they are needed to serve low-income families. The Agency continues to explore new
partnerships with State and local organizations that are interested in providing quality
and affordable child care in rural areas.
The Agency,
in collaboration with numerous public, private and nonprofit organizations at the State,
Federal, and local levels, has pooled resources to ensure the success of this important
initiative. USDA recognizes that access to
quality child care is a major component in helping the unemployed and underemployed make
the transition to employment. Community
Programs has experienced a recent surge in funding activity and opportunities as a result
of these efforts. These child care facilities
are, for the most part, successful as a result of the strong broad-based support from
their communities. The Agency requires that
beneficiaries of Community Programs funding have significant ties with the community. In some instances, the community may actually
operate the facility. Sound management and
community support are two key ingredients necessary for the success of child care
facilities in rural isolated areas.
Empowerment
Zones/Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC) Initiative:
This
initiative seeks to empower communities by supporting local plans that coordinate
economic, physical, environmental, community, and human development. Designations are
awarded to communities based on four main principles: economic opportunity, sustainable
community development, community-based partnerships, and vision for change. In fiscal year 1999, CF direct and guaranteed
loans and grants of:
· $2.25
million helped fund 23 projects benefiting EZ/EC areas.
CF program resources assisted communities with financial and technical
assistance for 36 new or improved health care facilities in medically under-served areas,
day care centers, police stations and cars, food banks, fire stations and trucks, family
resource centers, and other essential community facilities.
Pacific Northwest (PNW) Economic
Adjustment Initiative:
This
initiative was implemented in November 1993 to help mitigate the tremendous economic
impacts on local communities brought on by the decline in the timber industry in the
States of Oregon and Washington and northern California.
In fiscal year 1999, CF direct and guaranteed loans and grants of:
·
$14.8
million helped fund 20 community facilities in the PNW Initiative area. The PNW initiative is assisting those
communities with the resources needed to help develop communities and infrastructure in
impacted areas. In fiscal year 1999, HCFP approved 20 guaranteed and direct loans and
grants which helped these distressed communities with financial and technical assistance
for a child development and parent education center, childcare centers, emergency response
centers, fire trucks, home for at-risk youths, tribal headquarters facility, medical
office building, fire stations, and other essential community facilities. |
