HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-22-22 Correspondence - USDA - USDA Rural Development Montana's Rural Explorer - April 2022From:USDA Rural Development MontanaTo:AgendaSubject:USDA Rural Development Montana"s Rural Explorer - April 2022Date:Friday, April 22, 2022 10:01:09 AM
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USDA Rural Development - Together, America Prospers
The Montana Rural Explorer
Welcome to the Montana Rural Explorer, USDA Rural Development Montana's monthly
newsletter where you will find updates on funding opportunities and activities related to
our Business, Cooperative, Energy, Electric, Telecommunications, Water and
Environmental, Community Facilities, Multi-Family Housing, and Single Family
Housing programs.
In this Issue A Note from Kathleen
We're Hiring!
Community Facilities & WEP
Rural Business & Cooperative Programs
Single Family Housing
Montana Rep Wanted for USDA
Subcommittee on Rural Community
Economic Development
Loan and Grant Opportunities
Resource Guides
Upcoming Events
Websites You Can Use
Kathleen
A Note from Kathleen
On April 22, we join millions of people around
the globe as we celebrate Earth Day. But, here
at USDA Rural Development, this is not just an
annual event. In fact. every day is Earth Day.
With a focus on clean water, renewable energy,
and value-added agriculture, USDA Rural
Development Montana is doing our part to
invest in our state and protect our communities
and resources in the spirit of the first Earth Day,
which happened 52 years ago. These
investments in Montana's rural communities will
make an impact for generations to come.
Speaking of investments, we have several
funding opportunities open, with application
deadlines coming up quickly! Keep reading for
more details, or use the link below to watch my video update.
And, as always, I invite you to stay connected, through our Twitter feed, to ensure you have the
most up-to-date info about USDA RD Montana happenings.
Signature
CLICK HERE TO WATCH KATHLEEN'S APRIL UPDATE!
We're Hiring!
Hiring
Click on the image above to watch a video showcasing examples of Rural Business and Cooperative Service projects
Come join the USDA Rural Development team! We are hiring an on-site Business and
Cooperative Services Loan Specialist in the Kalispell area to serve the northwestern part of the
state.
The position is posted on USAJobs and is scheduled to close on Monday, April 25, 2022.
The Kalispell-based Loan Specialist will be working from the USDA Rural Development Kalispell
office and will be responsible for making and servicing loans and grants for rural facilities and
businesses.
For more information about this position, please contact Montana's Business and Cooperative
Programs Director, Lad Barney, at (406) 309-3350 or lad.barney@usda.gov.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Community Facilities & WEP
ERHC
USDA Supports Rural Health Care Providers and Invests Over $1.3
Million in Montana's Rural Communities
On April 13, 2022, U.S.
Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack
announced awards for
the Emergency Rural Health
Care Grant program.
Montana's awards included:
$116,300 to the Community
Hospital of Anaconda, which will
be used to purchase an IT
switch that will enhance their
telehealth services by allowing
better clarity for telemedicine
with fewer video and audio
interruptions during patient
conferencing. The switch will
also alleviate IT-related storage
issues.
$122,500 to Powder River County to purchase two ambulances and related
equipment. Powder River County recently took over the provision of emergency
ambulance services for the area's approximate 2,000 residents.
$506,741 to Prairie County Hospital District, in Terry, to increase the size and
improve the function of the hospital's emergency department. Funding will also be used
to expand the laboratory capabilities, improve patient services, and improve select
support spaces.
$596,812 to Big Horn Hospital Association, which operates an 18-bed critical access
hospital, a 36-bed nursing home and 10 assisted living apartments in Hardin. This
Rural Development funding will help Big Horn Hospital Association acquire a new
electronic health record (EHR) system and associated software to interface with
Billings Clinic facilities.
We still have $418,000 available in Emergency Rural Health Care grant funding and we
are continuing to accept Track One Emergency Rural Health Care program
applications until this funding is expended.
Darby
Facilities and projects supported through this grant must be located in Montana's rural areas
with populations of 20,000 or fewer. Applications must be submitted to our Montana State
Office in Bozeman and information, including eligibility requirements, may be found on page
44332 of the Aug. 12, 2021 Federal Register.
For additional questions, please contact Meggin Delaurier at (406) 585-2520
or meggin.delaurier@usda.gov.
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRESS RELEASE
Applications for Community
Facilities Technical Assistance
and Training Grants are due no
later than May 23rd.
This funding opportunity is a
great way for eligible public
bodies, as well as private and
nonprofit organizations, to
receive grant monies which can
be used to provide technical
assistance and training to help
identify and plan for community
facility needs.
Healthcare
Click on the picture above to see, firsthand, how Community Facility funding is making an impact to rural healthcare.
Rural Business & Cooperative Programs
On Earth Day, USDA Invests in Critical Infrastructure to Advance
Renewable Energy Across Rural Montana
In honor of Earth Day 2022, Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing
nearly $800 million in climate-smart
infrastructure, which includes funding, through
the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP),
for Montana's rural small businesses to
purchase and install renewable energy systems
and make energy efficiency improvements.
Montana's awards include:
Solar Array
$6,346 to Yellowstone Vacation
Rentals, LLC, which will be used to
purchase and install a 8.28 two-kilowatt
(kW) solar array on the Fox Den Lodge
property in West Yellowstone. This project is expected to realize $1,228 per year in
savings and should generate 11,245 kW of energy per year, which is enough electricity to
power one home.
$9,360 to Consulting Design Solutions, Inc., which will be used to develop renewable
energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements to this Manhattan-based
company. Project funds will be used to purchase and install a 14.4 kilowatt (kW) solar
array. The project is expected to realize $1,545 per year in savings and should generate
17,206 kW of energy annually, which is enough electricity to power almost two homes.
$16,294 to Canebrake Vineyard, which owns the building in Helena where the Montana
Health Center in located. Project funds will be used to purchase and install a 23.7 kilowatt
(kW) roof-mounted solar array. This project is expected to realize $2,280 per year in
savings and should generate 32,567 kW of energy per year, which is enough electricity to
power three homes.
$19,500 to Nelson Real Estate Holdings, LLC, which will be used to install a 29.52
kilowatt-hour (kWh) solar array on its business, Nelson's Ace Hardware, in Whitefish. The
hardware store has been continuously owned and operated by the Nelson family for over
70 years and is a staple to the Whitefish community. This project is expected to provide
33,204 kWh, or 26 percent, of the annual electrical consumption needed for their new
location, which, in 2019, doubled in size.
$20,000 to Quaggfor, LLC (doing business as Thornton Group), which owns a building
in downtown Butte that houses numerous businesses. This award will be used to
purchase and install an uninterrupted power supply for the historic building. The project is
expected to realize $7,236 per year in savings and should save 93,005 kilowatts per year,
which is enough electricity to power almost nine homes.
REAP in Action:
Click here to see how Sun Mountain Lumber successfully integrated Rural Energy for America
funding to improve their operations.
Click here to read how Pink Bench Distilling used their 2021 Rural Energy for America award to
Meat Processing
fund energy efficiency improvements, which included insulation, double pane windows, exterior
doors and an air source heat pump for their new business in Troy.
The most recent REAP award cycle closed on March 31, 2022, and those applications are being
processed. Additionally, USDA Rural Development Montana is accepting applications for the
next competition, which closes on October 31, 2022. More information, including application
details, may be found here. And, don't forget to visit the Key Priorities website to see how to
make your application more competitive!
To learn more about REAP, and other business investment resources for Montana's rural
areas, contact Montana's Business and Cooperative Programs Director, Lad Barney, at (406)
309-3350 or lad.barney@usda.gov.
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRESS RELEASE
The application deadline for the Meat
and Poultry Processing Expansion
Program (MPPEP), which provides
funding to expand meat and poultry
processing capacity. has been extended
to May 11, 2022.
For additional information, applicants are
encouraged to visit the MPPEP website:
www.rd.usda.gov/mppep. Questions may
be submitted through the website or sent
to MPPEP@usda.gov.
All application materials can be found at
www.rd.usda.gov/mppep or at
www.Grants.gov. Applications must be
received by 9:59 Mountain Time // 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2022,
through www.Grants.gov.
REAP
Click on the photo above to read how Carol Lynn Lapotka, the owner of REcreate Designs, LLC, in Polson, retrofitted her
building with LED lighting, energy-efficient windows and insulated front doors. The project has saved nearly $3,400 and
reduced energy use by 50 percent.
Our Value-Added Producer
Grant cycle closes on April
25th for electronic applications,
and May 2nd for paper
applications.
Interested applicants, including
Montana’s agricultural
producers, are encouraged to
submit applications which
will generate new products,
create and expand marketing
opportunities and increase
producer income.
CLICK HERE for a complete
list of awardees from the last
funding cycle and feel free to
reach out to Marlee Sandry or
Heather Handeland for more
VAPG
information.
Single Family Housing
American Barn
USDA Seeks Applications for Funds to Construct Housing for
Farmworkers
This announcement was originally posted on
Feb 2, 2021. It was updated on April 21,
2022, to highlight that USDA is accepting a
third round of applications for the Farm Labor
Housing Program. The * denotes new or
updated information since the original
announcement.
On April 21, 2022, the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
announced that it is seeking applications for
funding to increase the supply of affordable
housing for farmworkers.
Subject to the availability of funds, the loans
and grants will be provided through USDA’s
Farm Labor Housing Program. Applications
Pam Weber
must be submitted electronically to USDA’s Rural Housing Service before the deadline for each
round of funding.
*Pre-applications for the third round of funding will open on May 16, 2022. The deadline to
submit pre-applications is July 15, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Final applications
must be submitted by Nov. 1, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. local time.
*USDA will host a workshop on May 11, 2022, to discuss the application process and the
borrower’s responsibilities under the program, among other topics.
Interested parties may email Off-FLHapplication@usda.gov to request information on how to
attend. Using ‘‘Off-FLH Workshop’’ as the subject line, the email must contain:
the borrower’s name,
the project’s name,
the borrower’s contact information; and
the state where the project will be located.
*For additional information, see page 23792 of the April 21, 2022, Federal Register.
CLICK HERE FOR THE STAKEHOLDER ANNOUNCEMENT
Single Family Housing Team Expanding
We are excited to welcome Pam Weber to our Single
Family Housing team! As a Realty Loan Specialist,
Pam will join the team on Monday, April 25, 2022 and
will be located in USDA Rural Development's Missoula
office.
Pam has worked in the real estate arena for 11 years
and in the financial industry for the last 17 years. As a
USDA Rural Development Realty Loan Specialist, Pam
will help facilitate fair and affordable housing
opportunities for rural communities throughout
Montana.
She was born and raised in Missoula, and, with her husband, enjoys spending time with her
three grown children and four grandchildren at their sporting events. Pam also like to spend time
playing with her Labradoodle, Winston.
Montana Rep Wanted for USDA Subcommittee on Rural
Community Economic Development
USDA has established an Equity Commission and is seeking subcommittee members to
participate on the Rural Community Economic Development (RCED) Subcommittee.
In this role, participants will be asked to provide recommendations on issues and concerns
related to rural development, persistent poverty, and underserved communities, including:
Local and regional food
Workforce development
Small businesses
Cooperative development
Capacity building
Community planning
Technical assistance
Data management
Housing
Community facilities
Telecommunication and broadband
Electric and clean energy
Recreational economy
Water, wastewater, and solid waste
Lending and lender relationships
Tribal
Healthcare
If you are interested in becoming a subcommittee member, nominations are due on May 6th.
Nomination process: Please submit nominations to Cecilia Hernandez, Designated Federal
Officer (DFO), Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Room 6006-S, Washington, D.C. 20250; or send by e-mail to:
equitycommission@usda.gov.
CLICK HERE FOR RURAL EQUITY SUBCOMMITTEE INFO
USDA
Loan and Grant Opportunities
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program which provides loans
and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations to
help microenterprises startup/grow through a Rural
Microloan Revolving Fund and provide training and
technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro
entrepreneurs. Application Deadline: Third Quarter,
March 31, 2022; and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2022.
Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits &
Renewable Energy Development Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to assist rural small businesses and agricultural
producers by conducting and promoting energy audits and providing renewable energy
development assistance. Application Deadline: 1/31/2023
Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program that provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water
systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal and storm water drainage to
households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Application Deadline: Open
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Rural Playbook
U.S. Department of Agriculture
This document, in conjunction with the Rural Infrastructure Tour, is meant to help state, local,
Tribal and territorial governments in rural areas understand the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
and provides rural communities with information on the “what, when, where, and how to
apply” for funding under the law. Application Deadline: Open
MORE FUNDING OPPORTUNTIES, INCLUDING THOSE FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES,
CAN BE FOUND IN THE USDA RD "INNOVATION MATTERS" NEWSLETTER.
Resource Guides
Resource GuideWe have several Resource Guides available which outline
USDA RD programs that can help Montana's rural
residents, businesses and communities!
Broadband Resources for Rural America: PDF
COVID19 Federal Rural Resource Guide: PDF
Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Guide:PDF
Guía de recursos conjuntos: PDF
Joint Childcare Resource Guide: PDF
Recreational Economy: PDF
Recursos de resistencia y recuperación en caso de desastres: PDF
Resources for Rural Entrepreneurs: PDF
Rural Workforce Guide: PDF
Tribal Report - 2019: PDF
April 28: How to Apply for and
Manage Federal Grants (CLICK TO
REGISTER)
May 23-24: National VirtualPlacemaking Conference (CLICK TOREGISTER)
April / May: Rural Infrastructure
Tour (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A PDF
COPY OF THE BIL RURAL
PLAYBOOK)
Upcoming Events Websites You Can Use
globe Atlas of Rural and
Small-Town
America
Priority Priority Points
(includes info on
scoring criterion)
Tribal 1 Tribal Treaties
Database
VA Twitter Account
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Rural Development -Montana (@RD_Montana) / Twitter
Questions?
Contact Us
2229 Boot Hill Court
Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: (406) 585-2580
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