Rural Development provides loans, grants and loan guarantees to support essential services such as housing, economic development and infrastructure in rural areas. Their programs help finance affordable housing and utilities for rural communities. They work with local governments and non-profits to fund projects like libraries, hospitals, schools and broadband infrastructure that improve quality of life. Rural Development seeks to increase economic opportunity and prosperity in rural America through their business, housing and community assistance programs.

1. Rural Development
• Our Mission:
“Increase economic opportunity and
improve the quality of life in rural
America.”
• Our Motto:
“We can build a community from the ground
up.”

2. Rural Development
• Rural Business
Programs
• Rural Housing
Programs
(Multifamily and
Single Family)
• Community Programs
(Rural Utilities and
Community Facilities)

3. Single Family Housing
• Purpose
– to provide home-ownership
opportunities to rural families
with very low and low
incomes
– loans may be used to buy,
build, improve, or repair rural
homes
– Refinancing-very limited only
extreme circumstances.
– Buyers do not have to be first
time homeowners.

4. Section 504 Rural Housing Repair
and Rehabilitation Loans and Grants
Purpose:
• The Very Low-Income Housing Repair
program provides loans and grants to very
low-income homeowners to repair,
improve, or modernize their dwellings or to
remove health and safety hazards.

5. Rural Housing ProgramsRural Housing Programs
Multi-Family HousingMulti-Family Housing
5
Rural Development has financed over
10,000 apartment units across Virginia
Rural Development staff work closely with
local management companies to provide
clean safe housing choices

6. Community Programs
Rural Utilities
• Provides guaranteed loans,
loans, partial grant, or
loan/grant combination for
water and waste water
services for a community.
• Small grants up to $30,000
for preliminary planning as
PER and ER.
Community Facilities
• Provides guaranteed
loans, direct loans,
small grant, or
loan/grant combination
for any essential need of
the community
• Grants are limited to
$50,000 and equipment
only.

7. Community Programs
• The Applicant
–Public Entities as towns, IDAs,
EDAs, PDC, Community Service
Boards, Counties
–Non-profit Organizations
–Faith Based Organizations

8. Community Programs
• Rural Service Areas
– Community Facilities - Rural areas with a
population no greater than 20,000
– Water and Environmental - Rural areas with
a population no greater than 10,000
– Based on 2010 census data
– http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/we
lcomeAction.do

9. What is an essential Community
Facility?
• One that is needed for the orderly
development of the community.
• Serves the local community and is a
function that is typically provided by some
branch of government.
• This cannot include any private or
commercial undertakings.

10. SIGNIFICANTSIGNIFICANT
COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY
SUPPORTSUPPORT

11. Significant Community Support is
Evidenced By:
• A legitimate branch of the local government OR:A legitimate branch of the local government OR:
• A a nonprofit with significant ties to the loc al communityA a nonprofit with significant ties to the loc al community
which could be evidenced by:which could be evidenced by:
– A broadly based board representing the communityA broadly based board representing the community
served; orserved; or
– Public funding through taxes, fundraising; orPublic funding through taxes, fundraising; or
– Supported by local public bodySupported by local public body

12. What are some the Requirements?
• Feasibility Study for any complex or
ongoing facility.
• Existing Organization
• Five Year Financial History
• Financial Projections

13. What are some the Requirements?
• All Building Plans and
Specifications and all
equipment purchase must
be pre-approved by Rural
Development.
• All Bids must be
competitive and all
construction must have an
environmental report.

14. What kind of projects can be
financed? PUBLIC BUILDINGS
• Adult/Child Day Care
• Community Centers
• Food Distribution
• Jails and Youth Detention Centers
• City Hall
• Courthouse/ City Hall

15. What kind of projects can be
financed? CULTURAL CENTERS
• Libraries
• Museums
• Vocational and
Adult Educations
Centers
• Schools and
Colleges

16. What kind of projects can be
financed? TRANSPORTATION
• Airports
• Sidewalks
• Bridges
• School Bus

17. What kind of projects can be
financed? HEALTH CARE
• Community Medical or Dental Clinic
• Assisted Living Centers
• Outpatient Clinics
• Rehabilitation Centers

18. Community Facilities
• There is a poverty rate, intermediate rate
and a market rate.
• Currently the interest rate for all of CF is
4.0%
• Term is up to 40 years and “matches” the
security
• Grants limited to $50,000 & equipment
• No 100% grants!

19. Community Facilities
• Grant Assistance
• Eligibility based on population and a comparison of applicant’s
median household income (MHI), to the state-wide non- metropolitan
median household income (SNMHI), which is $53,493
• 75% of project costs when rural community has a population
of 5,000 or less and MHI is below 60% of the SNMHI
• 55% of project costs when rural community has a population
of 12,000 or less and MHI is below 70% of the SNMHI
• 35% of project costs when rural community has a population
of 20,000 or less and MHI is below 80% of the SNMHI
• 15% of project costs when rural community has a population
of 20,000 or less and MHI is below 90% of the SNMHI

20. Community Facility Funding History
Loan Grants Projects
• FY 2010 $81,312,420 $5,511,210 131
• FY 2011 $12, 134,860 $ 745,680 32
• FY 2012 $44,633,600 $ 979,250 67
• FY 2013 $47,476,745 $1,156,640 58
• FY 2014 $ 8,233,957 $1,625,443 63
• Note: FY 2010 had ARRA funding

21. Biomass Boiler at Blackstone
Conference & Retreat Center

22. Tangier Island digital X ray

23. City of Norton

24. Highlands Community Services
Building

25. Hiltons Volunteer Fire
Department

26. Dickenson County High School

27. Bluefield College Dormitory

28. Amherst SPCA

29. Halifax County Service
Authority Maple Avenue WWTP

30. Rural Development Offices
Wytheville: 100 USDA Drive, Wytheville, VA 24382;
276-228-3513; ext. 116
Serving the Counties of, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Galax, Giles,
Grayson, Henry ,Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Radford, and Wythe and
the Cities of Radford, Roanoke, and Salem
Lebanon: 140 Highland Drive, Suite 5, Lebanon, VA 24266;
276-889-4650; ext. 118
Serving the Counties of Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott,
Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise and the Cities of Bristol and
Norton

31. Rural Development Offices
Lynchburg: 20311-A Timberlake Road, P.O. Box 4337,
Lynchburg, VA 24502; 434-239-3473; ext. 101
Serving the Counties of Amherst, Alleghany, Appomattox, Bedford,
Botetourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Cumberland, Franklin, Halifax,
Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nelson, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward, and
Rockbridge and the Cities of Buena Vista, Covington, Danville, Lexington,
and Martinsville

32. Rural Development Offices
Harrisonburg: 1934 Deyerle Avenue, Suite D,
Harrisonburg, VA 22801; 540-433-9126; ext. 138
Serving the Counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Bath ,Clarke, Culpeper,
Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Greene, Highland, Loudoun, Madison,
Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Rockingham,
Shenandoah, and Warren and the Cities of Arlington, Falls Church,
Harrisonburg, Manassas, Staunton, Waynesboro, and
Winchester

33. Rural Development Offices
Courtland: 22329 Main Street, Southampton Office
Building 2, Courtland, VA 23837; 757-653-2532; ext. 130
Serving the Counties of Accomack, Amelia, Brunswick, Dinwiddie,
Greensville, Isle of Wight, Northampton, Nottoway, Prince George,
Southampton, Surry, and Sussex and the Cities of Emporia, Franklin,
Richmond: 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238,
Henrico, VA 23229; 804-287-1611
Serving the Counties of Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Essex,
Fluvanna, Fredericksburg, Gloucester, Goochland, Hanover,
Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William,
Lancaster, Louisa, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland,
Powhatan, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland,
and York

34. Rural Development State Office
• Janice Stroud-Bickes, Program Director
• Darlene Hughes, Community Programs Specialist
(Specializes in Rural Utilities)
• Barbara Hodges, Community Programs Specialist
(Specializes in Community Facilities)
• Eddie Smith, State Engineer
• Patsy Moran, Community Programs Technician

35. Rural Development Contact
• Contact the State Office at: (804)-287-1565
• TDD (804)-287-1753
• http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/VAHome.html
• USDA is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.