USDA Rural Assistance Grants

Taken from www.rurdev.usda.gov/


Much information in this single post. Very long - but very worth it. Please spread the word...

Deb Van Dokken helped folks with this in Tioga County NY - and let me know of its existance. Thank you Deb!

Home Repair Loan and Grant Program (Section 504)

For very low income families who own homes in need of repair, the Home Repair Loan and Grant Program offers loans and grants for renovation. The Home Repair Program also provides funds to make a home accessible to someone with disabilities.

Money may be provided, for example, to repair a leaking roof; to replace a wood stove with central heating; to construct a front-door ramp for someone using a wheelchair; or to replace an outhouse and pump with running water, a bathroom, and a waste disposal system.

Homeowners 62 years and older are eligible for home improvement grants. Other low income families and individuals receive loans at a 1% interest rate directly from HCFP
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/sfh/brief_repairloan.htm

Community Facilities Programs
Who may apply

Community Programs provides grants to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural areas and towns of up to 20,000 in population. Grants are authorized on a graduated scale. Applicants located in small communities with low populations and low incomes will receive a higher percentage of grants.

Grants are available to public entities such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose districts, as well as non-profit corporations and tribal governments.

In addition, applicants must have the legal authority necessary for construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed facility and also be unable to obtain needed funds from commercial sources at reasonable rates and terms.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/cf/brief_cp_grant.htm

I know there's been a lot of financial heartache trying to get wells up and running - this one is of real value

Household Water Well System Program
Application Deadline: May 31, 2006

The Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program provides grants to qualified private non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for household water wells. Homeowners or eligible individuals may borrow money from an approved organization to construct or upgrade their private well systems.
For Private, Non-Profit Organizations

The USDA Rural Development will award grant funds to qualified private, non-profit organizations only. The approved organizations must set up a revolving loan program and provide low-interest loans to eligible individuals who own or will own a private well system. The loans may be used to construct, refurbish, and service an individual’s well system.

The non-profit organizations applying for the grant funds must contribute at least 10 percent of the HWWS grant to capitalize the revolving loan fund. The cost-sharing funds may be contributed from the applicants’ own resources or sources other than the proceeds of the HWWS grants. In-kind contributions will not be considered.

Available funds: $990,000

Individuals cannot receive grants. They must apply for loans through an approved non-profit organization. The loan limit is $8,000 at 1 percent for 20 years. Application forms will be provided by the organization

Completed Application

Non-profit organizations must submit the following items to make a complete application.
Standard application forms
A proposal
A work plan
A budget and budget justification
Evidence of legal existence and legal authority
A list of directors and officers
Other specified information
Required Forms
The following forms must be included in the application:
· Standard Form 424, “Application for Federal Assistance”
· Standard Form 424A, “Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs”
· Standard Form 424B, “Assurances—Non-Construction Programs”
· Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activity”
· Form RD 400-1, “Equal Opportunity Agreement”
· Form RD 400-4, “Assurance Agreement (Under Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964)
Forms may be downloaded at www.usda.gov/rus/water/wwforms.htm#SF if you are not using http://www.grants.gov/ to apply for the program.
Notice of Funding Availability
A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Fiscal Year 2006 HWWS Grant Program was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on March 15, 2006 (volume 71, number 50, pages 13343-13348).
Federal Regulation
The federal regulation, 7 CFR Part 1776, for the HWWS Program was published as a Final rule in the FEDERAL REGISTER on May 19, 2005 (volume 70, number 96, pages 28786-28791).
http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/well.htm
http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/docs/hwws%20fy2006%20guide.pdf

The following is just an excerpt - but good for most communities in Hancock County

Assistance for Rural Electricity Utilities

Hardship Loans are used to finance electric distribution and sub-transmission facilities at the 5 percent hardship rate to qualified borrowers. These direct loans are made to applicants that meet ratedisparity thresholds and whose consumers fall below average per-capita and household income thresholds. In addition, Hardship loans can be made to qualified applicants if the Administrator determines that the borrower has suffered a severe unavoidable hardship, such as a natural disaster
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/pubs/pa1789.htm
http://www.usda.gov/rus/electric/index.htm


Farm Assistance Money

Contact:Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623Stevin Westcott (202) 720-4178

JOHANNS ANNOUNCES SIGN-UP BEGINS MAY 17 FOR 2005 HURRICANE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2006 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that sign-up begins May 17, 2006, for four crop and livestock assistance programs providing aid to producers affected by the destructive 2005 hurricanes. These programs are funded by $250 million in Section 32 funds authorized immediately following these destructive storms.
"We will do everything we can at USDA to continue to help people who have suffered through hurricanes and lost their crops, or who need help with cleanup or rebuilding their communities," said Johanns. "I strongly support targeted assistance to help people who are in need. USDA has been very aggressive in finding the resources to provide nearly five billion dollars in Hurricane assistance."

The four programs - Livestock Indemnity Program, Feed Indemnity Program, Hurricane Indemnity Program and Tree Indemnity Program - are funded through Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935. Johanns authorized the use of $250 million from Section 32 funds in October 2005 for crop disaster, livestock, tree and aquaculture assistance.

To be eligible for this assistance, a producer's loss must have occurred in one of 261 counties that received a primary presidential or secretarial disaster designation due to 2005 Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Ophelia, Rita or Wilma. Assistance is unavailable with respect to losses in contiguous counties.

A list of the eligible counties in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas is available at: http://www.usda.gov/HurricaneInfo.xml.