USDA seeks applications to strengthen community and economic development in WV

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development West Virginia State Director Ryan Thorn announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants that will improve housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural West Virginia.
USDA is making the grants available under the Rural Community Development Initiative program. The program provides grants to organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance for housing, community facilities, or community and economic development projects.
“Ensuring that our rural West Virginia communities have the opportunity to succeed is at the heart of what we do,” said Thorn. “Our Rural Community Development Initiative can help provide the resources and technical capacity communities need to improve the quality of life for West Virginians.”
Grants may be used to train sub-grantees to conduct educational training on homeownership or minority-owned business entrepreneurship. They also may be used to provide technical assistance to sub-grantees on:
• Strategic plan development.
• Accessing alternative funding sources.
• Training and resources for board operations, management, financial systems and information technology.
• Eligible applicants include public and Tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations and qualified private (for profit) organizations.
USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance Biden Administration priorities to:
• Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects.
• Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
• Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
Additional information on these key priorities is available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. Awardees must contribute matching funds equal to the amount of the grant.
Electronic applications will be accepted via Grants.gov. Electronic applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on June 28, 2023. The deadline for paper applications is 4 p.m. local time, July 3, 2023.
Additional information is available on page 28459 of the May 4 Federal Register or by contacting your local USDA Rural Development office.