Suzette's Letter, January 15, 2016

PUBLICATIONS

HUD Publishes New Resources for the AFFH Rule

HUD has published the following new resources related to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule:

Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) Assessment Tool

AFFH Rule Guidebook

AFFH Data and Mapping Tool

AFFH FAQs

The Fair Housing Planning Process Under the AFFH Rule

AFFH Data Tool User Manual

AFFH Data Documentation

AFFH Data for Map 5

AFFH Raw Data for the Data and Mapping Tool

View the full collection of AFFH Resources and Training Material

Educational attainment rates were lower for rural minorities in 2014

Higher educational attainment is closely tied to economic well-being—through higher earnings, lower unemployment, and lower poverty. While educational attainment in rural (non-metro) America has improved over time, rural areas still lag urban (metro) areas in educational attainment. Moreover, within rural areas, educational attainment varies across racial and ethnic categories. In general, minority populations within rural areas have lower average levels of educational attainment. About a quarter of adults age 25 and over in the rural Black and Native American/Alaskan Native populations, and 40 percent of rural Hispanics, had not completed high school or the equivalent in 2014. These shares are considerably higher than for rural Whites, with 13 percent lacking a high school diploma. Lower attainment levels for minorities may both reflect and contribute to high rates of poverty; poverty in child­hood is highly correlated with lower academic success and graduation rates, while lower educational attainment is strongly associated with lower earnings in adulthood. This chart is found in the ERS publication, Rural America At A Glance, 2015 Edition, November 2015.

HUD's SHOP Program Under New Management!

HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) is pleased to announce the transfer of the oversight and management of the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) from the Office of Affordable Housing Programs to the Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED), under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, effective December 16, 2015. View the full announcement.

New Hospitals and Health Care Providers Join Successful, Cutting-edge Federal Initiative That Cuts Costs and Puts Patients at the Center of Their Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces the participants in its new Medicare Accountable Care Organization initiatives to improve healthcare quality and lower costs. Includes participants in a rural specific ACO model that is part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the ACO Investment Model (AIM).

Wholesome Wave and Navajo Nation Partner to Overcome Food Insecurity in Navajo Nation
Features a partnership between Wholesome Wave and Navajo Nation to improve access to healthy and nutritious food in an effort to address health disparities in remote parts of the Navajo nation.

In Rural Wyoming, Cops Learn New Skills To Deal With Mental Health Crises
Describes the Crisis Intervention Training being used in Wyoming and how it is preparing law enforcement officials for mental health crises since they are often the first emergency personnel to a scene of such a crisis, especially in rural areas.

Foundation Funding To Improve Rural Health Care
Provides a sampling of foundation funding that is supporting innovation in healthcare delivery in rural settings.
Author(s): Grantwatch
Location: Health Affairs, 35(1)
Date: 01/2016

Rural Medicare Advantage Plan Payment in 2015
Examines the impact of Medicare Advantage (MA) payment policy formula changes through the Affordable Care Act on MA plans and beneficiaries in rural and urban locations during 2014 and 2015.
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Date: 12/2015

Thrive 2015: Office of Rural Health Annual Report
Provides an overview of the VA Office of Rural Health's programs and accomplishments in 2015 aimed to improve healthcare access for rural veterans. Includes statistics and data on rural veterans.
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health

The dollar gained considerable strength in 2015

The value of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies strengthened considerably in 2015, accelerating a trend that began in 2011. The agricultural trade-weighted exchange rate is a broad measure of the value of the dollar against 79 foreign currencies, weighted by their share of U.S. agricultural exports. The dollar exchange rate affects the price of U.S. commodities in foreign markets, with a stronger dollar making U.S. products more expensive in terms of the local currency of importing countries. On the other hand, a stronger dollar makes U.S. imports less expensive in dollar terms. Since the dollar exchange rate affects the relative price of U.S. and foreign commodities in global markets, it can have important implications for agricultural trade. With the strengthening of the dollar in 2015, agricultural exports are expected to fall below 2014 levels, while imports are forecast to increase. ERS exchange rate projections used for the USDA Agricultural Projections to 2025 report (the current Agricultural Baseline) suggest the dollar will continue to gain strength—but at a slower pace—in 2016 and 2017, before trending lower from 2018 through 2025. This chart is based on the International Macroeconomic Data Set.

EVENTS

CDFA Legislative Front: SSBCI Coalition Conference Call January 21 @ 1:00PM Eastern

Please join the Legislative Team for an important SSBCI Coalition conference call, on January 21, at 1:00PM, as they discuss the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) and advocacy planning for 2016. All public and private SSBCI participants are invited to join the call. Amongst other things, they will discuss the Small Business Access to Capital Act, introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Gary Peters (MI). Jeff Stout, SSBCI Director, U.S Treasury Department and Eric Silva, CDFA's Legislative Representative, will speak to the coalition.
What: State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Conference Call
When: Thursday, January 21, 2016
Time: 1:00PM ET
Dial-In: (614) 686-7333 (No passcode needed)

Suzette's Letter, January 8, 2016

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.

Suzette's Letter December 21, 2015

EVENTS

CDFI Fund Schedules Five Additional “Expanding CDFI Coverage in Underserved Areas” Webinars

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) released the schedule of the next set of free webinars through the Capacity Building Initiative’s “Expanding CDFI Coverage in Underserved Areas” series. The webinars, provided by Opportunity Finance Network and its partners, will be held between January 2016 and April 2016. The CDFI Fund launched the “Expanding CDFI Coverage in Underserved Areas” series to help fill the gaps in Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) service coverage in underserved communities in the United States and its territories. The free webinars are designed to maximize CDFI industry participation in this important training. The webinars will expand upon training topics developed for in-person training sessions held during the summer of 2015, as well as new topical content on expansion developed by CDFI experts.

The five webinars are:

• Partnerships for Financial Capability (Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 2 p.m. EST): Partnerships are often formed out of a common sense of purpose, but many fail to thrive. How can you build better partnerships? This webinar will describe five keys to success – convergent vision, complementary capacities, commitment, confidence, and coordination – and present a framework to help prospective partners to build more effective, dynamic, and durable relationships.
• Exploring New Models for CDFI Coverage through Formation of New or Affiliated CDFIs (Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 2 p.m. EST): This webinar presents options for structures CDFIs can consider when forming new or affiliated CDFIs. Not-for-profit and for-profit corporate structures are presented, as well as de novo, acquiring, and evolving formation strategies. The risk and return spectrum will help CDFIs understand the risk-return profile for different types of financing products offered by CDFIs from debt to equity.
• Capitalization Strategies: Raising Debt and Equity for CDFIs (Tuesday, February 23, 2016, 2 p.m. EST): Join us for a webinar on capitalization to explore various sources of capital available to CDFIs. In this webinar, you will learn to develop a plan to access the sources of capital appropriate for your CDFI.
• Customer Acquisition (Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 2 p.m. EDT): New market challenges, increased competition, demand for diversified products, and more selective customers all make it even more imperative to reach and retain the customers your organization needs to grow. Learn how to identify and reach your most important customers.
• Fundraising Strategies for your CDFI (Tuesday, April 5, 2016, 2 p.m. EDT): Join us for a webinar focusing on raising operating capital for your CDFI. We will provide several perspectives from the industry on fundraising during this session. Included in the discussion will be how to find funders, how to build relationships with your funders, and how to effectively tell your organization’s story.

Future webinar opportunities will be posted as they are confirmed to the “Expanding CDFI Coverage in Underserved Areas” webpage. Webinars will be recorded and made available on the CDFI Fund’s Resource Bank later in 2016.

LEARNING

Regional Engagement for Green Infrastructure Decision-Making and Implementationfrom nado-web.

On December 17, the NADO Research Foundation, in partnership with the University of Louisville Center for Environmental Policy & Management’s Environmental Finance Center, hosted a webinar titled Regional Engagement for Green Infrastructure Decision Making & Implementation.  In cities, towns, and regions throughout the country, green infrastructure has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing community livability, economic competitiveness, and resilience in the face of a changing climate.  At the regional level, green infrastructure is defined more broadly as an interconnected system of local interventions or a larger network of natural lands, working landscapes, and open spaces that provide a range of eco-system services.  Since these complex systems often span local jurisdictional boundaries, regional development organizations (RDOs) and other regional planning entities throughout the country are increasingly recognizing their growing role in the evolution of green infrastructure.

PUBLICATIONS

Western Govs Target Education in FY17 Spending Plans

A number of governors around the U.S. have already begun rolling out budget proposals for the next legislative session. This week, SSTI examines gubernatorial spending recommendations related to research, commercialization, STEM education and entrepreneurship in Alaska, South Dakota and Utah. See our previous article on proposals in Florida and Wyoming.

Prevalence of food insecurity varies across the country

USDA monitors the extent and severity of food insecurity in U.S. households at the national and State levels. Food-insecure households are defined as those that had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. Food insecurity rates differ across States due to characteristics of the population, State-level policies, and economic conditions. Estimated prevalence rates of food insecurity during 2012-14 ranged from 8.4 percent in North Dakota to 22.0 percent in Mississippi. Data for 2012-14 were combined to provide more reliable State statistics. The prevalence of food insecurity was higher than the national average of 14.0 percent in 14 States and lower than the national average in 20 States. In the remaining 16 States and the District of Columbia, differences from the national average were not statistically significant. This map appears in ERS’s Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials.

Obama Administration Announces Competition to Designate the Third and Final Round of Promise Zones

Today, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that communities may now apply to be designated a Promise Zone under the third and final round competition. Any community meeting the eligibility criteria can apply for a designation. HUD and USDA will designate seven Promise Zones across urban, rural and tribal communities for the final round. The deadline for submitting Promise Zone applications is Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 5:00 PM EST. Announcements will be made in the Spring of 2016. https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/12/18/2015-31884/promise-zones-initiative-third-round-selection-process" target="extWindow">Read the new notice seeking Promise Zone applications. To provide additional details and answer questions from communities interested in applying, HUD and USDA will host three separate webcasts for urban, rural, and tribal communities in January and February. The schedule for the webcasts is as follows:

Rural Webcast:

January 13, 2016, 1:30p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Tribal Webcast:

January 13, 2016, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Urban Webcasts:

January 13, 2016, 11:00a.m Eastern Standard Time

February 1, 2016, 2:30p.m. Eastern Standard Time

The third round application guides, updated frequently asked questions, upcoming informational webcasts and webinars has been posted on the http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/economicdevelopment/programs/pz" target="extWindow">Promise Zones website.

Quickbooks Class

New Year. New skills. 

Learn how to manage the finances of your small business with QuickBooks

With the start of a new year and tax season fast approaching, learn how to properly set up QuickBooks to fit your business needs. QuickBooks is the No. 1 rated accounting software used by small- to medium-sized businesses.Instructor Carol Whitson will provide step-by-step instruction on how to get started with QuickBooks and master the new features and functionality of QuickBooks 2013.Register now for Get Going with Intuit QuickBooks - Jan. 18

Register now for Keep Going with Intuit QuickBooks - Jan. 25Both sessions will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at The Center for Rural Development (located at 2292 South U.S. 27 Traffic Light 15 in Somerset.) Students must register at least five days before the start of class.For more information on Your Center of Learning training opportunities, call Robyn Phillips at 606-677-6000 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.