PUBLICATIONS
Efficient Strategies for Rural Transport Infrastructure
This report by Ernst and Young explains how administrations can make rural projects effective and leverage what public funds they do have available for investment growth through financial innovation, competition, and appropriate private sector engagement.
Rural Financing Best Practices: Unlocking the Development Finance Toolbox in Rural America
The Rural Financing Best Practices by CDFA explores how rural communities can leverage a wide range of tools and approaches to build on their assets, protect their resources, and make strategic investments that offer long-term benefits for residents and local businesses.
HUD Publishes CDBG Broadband Infrastructure FAQs
HUD has published Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program and State CDBG Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding broadband infrastructure.
HUD continues its efforts to narrow the digital divide in low-income communities served by HUD by providing, where feasible and with HUD funding, broadband infrastructure to communities in need of such infrastructure. Broadband is the common term used to refer to a very fast connection to the Internet. Such connections are also referred to as high-speed. Although HUD plans to issue regulations that will formalize its steps for narrowing the digital divide, current CDBG funds can be used for broadband installation infrastructure and service delivery.
One in five rural counties had child poverty rates over 33 percent
Child poverty rates varied considerably across nonmetropolitan (rural) counties according to 2009-13 county averages (data on poverty for all U.S. counties are available from the American Community Survey only for 5-year averages). According to the official poverty measure, one in five rural counties had child poverty rates over 33 percent. Child poverty has increased since the 2000 Census (which measured poverty in 1999) and the number of rural counties with child poverty rates of over 33 percent has more than doubled. Improving young adult education levels tended to lower child poverty rates over the period, but increases in
single-parent households and economic recession were associated with rising child poverty. Metropolitan counties had average child poverty rates of 21 percent in 2009-13. This map appears in the July 2015 Amber Waves feature, Understanding the Geography of Growth in Rural Child Poverty.
Midsize and large-scale family farms dominate the production of dairy, cotton, and cash grains/soybeans
In 2014, 99 percent of U.S. farms were family farms, where the principal operator and his or her relatives owned the majority of the business. Most of U.S. farm production—68 percent—occurred on the 9 percent of farms classified as midsize or large-scale family farms having at least $350,000 in annual gross cash farm income (GCFI). Those farms together accounted for most production of dairy (87 percent of production), cotton (81 percent), and cash grains/soybeans (76 percent). Large-scale family farms alone (those with annual GCFI of $1 million or more) produced 73 percent of dairy output in 2014. Although small family farms (with less than $350,000 annual GCFI) accounted for 90 percent of U.S. farms, they contributed just 22 percent to U.S. farm production. Among some commodity specializations, though, small family farms account for a much higher share of production, accounting for over half of poultry output (mostly under production contracts) and hay. Non-family farms accounted for 10.4 percent of all production, but were most prominent in high-value crops and beef (through operating feedlots). This chart is found in America’s Diverse Family Farms: 2015 Edition, released in December 2015.
SSTI Examines Details of the FY16 Spending Omnibus and Tax Legislation
As recently reported in the SSTI Digest, Congressional leaders were able to reach an agreement on federal spending that averted a government shutdown. The FY16 omnibus appropriations legislation and an accompanying bill related to tax provisions were signed by President Obama on December 18. After several years of sequestration spending caps and mostly flat funding for TBED-related programs, the new agreement will bolster funding for many science and economic development initiatives, as well as extend a number of tax credits for small and high-tech businesses. In this article, SSTI takes a closer look at the changes for research and entrepreneurship funding delivered by the deal. Read more here.
HUD Publishes Notice CPD-15-11: Requirements for the Development and Implementation of HOME Underwriting and Subsidy Layering Guidelines
Notice CPD-15-11 provides guidance to HOME participating jurisdictions (PJs) in the development and implementation of written subsidy layering and underwriting guidelines in accordance with the HOME regulations at 24 CFR Part 92. A PJ is required to develop and use such guidelines to evaluate and ensure that the level of HOME investment does not exceed the amount that is necessary to provide quality affordable housing that is financially viable. View Notice CPD-15-11: Requirements for the Development and Implementation of HOME Underwriting and Subsidy Layering Guidelines.
EVENTS
NADO Webinar on USDA’s Strategic Economic Community Development Program and How Rural Communities Can Apply
On January 12 from 2 – 3 p.m. ET, the National Association of Development Organizations in partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) will host an informational webinar on USDA’s new Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) program. Established under the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79), the SECD program allows USDA-RD to reserve up to 10 percent of funding appropriated to specific programs until June 30 of each fiscal year to fund projects that support the implementation of strategic economic and community development plans across multi-jurisdictional areas. The four Rural Development programs included under the program are: Community Facilities, Water and Environmental Programs, Rural Business Development Grants, and Business and Industry Guaranteed Loans. The SECD program went into effect this past June and funds will be accessible during fiscal year (FY) 2016. This timely webinar will provide an overview of the SECD program, how to apply for funding, and will conclude with an in-depth question and answer session. This webinar is free of charge and a recording will be made available to registrants afterward. Click here to register. For additional questions, please contact Ted Stiger at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 202.624.8467.
Steps to Starting a Cooperative: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Are you interested in helping organize cooperatives? Not sure how to get started? Looking for a guide on what to do and in what order? Join Margaret Bau, Cooperative Development Specialist with the USDA Rural Development, to learn the steps to organizing a co-op. We will examine the steps from the perspective of a start-up co-op business initiated by a community group. Next we will discuss how the organizing process differs for a co-op incubated by a sponsoring organization. Finally we will outline the steps of converting an existing business to cooperative ownership. This free USDA webinar is presented in partnership with Cooperation Works, the national association of co-op development centers and professionals. The intended audience includes newly hired staff of co-op development centers and those engaged in community economic development.
Where: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=t4fs0gilj8tf
When: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Time:2:00pm – 3:30 pm EST
If using a phone: Dial: (303) 248-0285; conference ID: 20240324
If possible, please use your computer’s audio and “chat” feature instead of phone lines.
USDA Offers Workshops on How to Use Energy Grants
The USDA Rural Development scheduled various energy workshops to help farmers and rural small business owners learn about using the Rural Energy for America Program grant to reduce energy costs. There are four workshops scheduled in 2016, starting on January 19.
