USDA loans, grants available to build and equip community facilities

Whether it’s as small as kitchen equipment or as large as a school, USDA Rural Development Nevada can fund Community Facilities (CF) projects in rural Nevada.

Community Programs Director Cheryl Couch says the agency has about $330 million nationwide in direct and guaranteed loans and $184,000 in grants available at the state level for a broad variety of projects.

“We encourage city and county leaders to consider CF funding if the local government needs equipment or facility improvements.” Couch said. “Many fire departments, sheriff’s offices, patrol vehicles and garbage trucks in the state were funded by this program. We are here for rural Nevada.”

Eligible rural areas are cities, villages, districts and towns including Federally Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents according to the 2010 census data. Additional priority points apply for smaller and low-income communities.

In Fiscal Year 2019, Couch said the CF Program Provided a $30,0000 grant to assist the Olsen Senior Center in Caliente to replace a 20-year old convection oven and a steamer and purchase a new meat slicer. The county’s senior center serves 220 seniors each day with 60 onsite and 160 delivered meals.

The Learning Bridge Charter School in Ely is currently under construction, he said, thanks to a $2.5 million Direct Loan from USDA. The 19,000-square-foot school will include10 classrooms to serve 180 children in grades K-8.

Applications are accepted year-round but grant applications should be submitted by June 15, 2020 for priority consideration for Fiscal Year 2020 funding.

For more information about USDA’s funding visit the program website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program/nv or contact Cheryl Couch at 775- 443-4760 or by email at cheryl.couch@nv.usda.gov.