The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About04-10-23 Correspondence - USDA - Montana RD Rural Explorer Newsletter - April 2023From:USDA Rural Development Montana To:Agenda Subject:Montana RD Rural Explorer Newsletter - April 2023 Date:Monday, April 10, 2023 1:13:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Header MONTANA RURAL EXPLORER BRIDGER RANGE Welcome to the Montana Rural Explorer, USDA Rural Development in Montana's monthly newsletter with current information about our Business, Community and Facilities, Energy, Electric, Housing, Telecommunication, and Water and Environmental programs. Thanks for checking us out! Note from Director Williams Funding Opportunities RD 101: Workshops and Webinars Public Feedback Notice Welcome to the Montana RD Team Montana RD in the News In This Issue A Note from the State Director MT State Director It is a busy time here in Montana for our Rural Development team as they continue to help grow rural small businesses, strengthen communities, provide housing support, and build infrastructure across the state. We are so proud that we can work together with our neighbors here in Montana to help build a better future in our rural and Tribal communities. To date this year, USDA has invested more than $143 million in 128 projects statewide. This covers a broad spectrum of initiatives including business, community, housing, electric, telecommunication and water and environmental programs. We currently have funding available so rural small businesses and agricultural producers to grow their operations and make energy efficiency and sustainable energy improvements. We are offering a program so that rural communities can construct broadband networks and generate internet connectivity. And we have funds so socially disadvantaged groups can receive technical assistance. April also brings on the annual celebration of Earth Day. We offer a host of funding opportunities, including water and wastewater loans and grants, that help communities create a more sustainable environment for future generations. See below for some of our programs currently open for applications. I'm pleased to welcome four new staff members over the last six months - Ed, Heather, Mark and Tash. See below for their backgrounds and focus areas. Our team is here to engage with communities, businesses, and individuals – to listen to your needs – and then to work with you on creating solutions that will help rural Montana thrive. Together, America Prospers. OPEN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Socially Disadvantaged Group Grants This grant program provides technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups through cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. Click HERE for more information on how to apply. APPLICATIONS DUE: May 16, 2023 Montana RD contact lad.barney@usda.gov. Value Added Producer Grants This grant program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income. Click HERE for information on how to apply. ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS DUE: May 11, 2023 PAPER APPLICATIONS DUE: May 16, 2023 Montana RD contact: marlee.johnston@usda.gov. Community Connect Grants This grant program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically challenged communities where service does not exist. Click HERE for more information on how to apply. APPLICATIONS DUE: June 20, 2023 Montana and Idaho contact peter.hawkes@usda.gov. Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans and Grants The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Click HERE for more information on how to apply. APPLICATIONS DUE: June 30, 2023 - September 30, 2023 - December 31, 2023 - March 31, 2024 - June 30, 2024 - September 30, 2024. Montana RD contact kathy.aracher@usda.gov. Rural Disaster Home Repair Program USDA has made more than $1.5 million in grant funding available to low-income Montana homeowners in seven counties - Carbon, Flathead, Park, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Treasure and Yellowstone - to make repairs on their homes damaged by the 2022 flooding. Eligible applicants can receive up to $40,675 in grant funding to make repairs. Click HERE to learn more about this program. DEADLINE TO APPLY: Funds available until exhausted. Montana RD contact: katina.uecker@usda.gov. RD 101: WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS Value Added Producer Grant Virtual Workshop On January 25, 2023, the Montana RD team held an informational session on the Value Added Producer Grant program and how to navigate the process in applying for grant funds. View the webinar recording HERE. Montana RD contact: marlee.johnston@usda.gov. Community Connect Grants Webinar DATE: April 11, 2023, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE. The Community Connect program offers financial assistance to eligible applicants that will construct broadband networks which provide community-oriented connectivity in rural areas. Grant recipients must agree to provide high-speed internet service at community-serving institutions free of charge for up to two years. These institutions include schools, libraries, fire stations and other community sites. Montana and Idaho RD contact peter.hawkes@usda.gov. PUBLIC FEEDBACK NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE: POTENTIAL CHANGES TO ELIGIBLE AREA MAPS FOR USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT HOUSING PROGRAMS IN MONTANA USDA Rural Development in Montana is conducting a review of several geographical areas to identify whether those areas should continue to retain a “rural” designation for eligibility for certain USDA housing programs. Areas under review include parts of the Kalispell, Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula areas. The public will have the opportunity to submit comments and feedback regarding the potential changes in eligibility for Rural Development housing programs. FEEDBACK DUE BY JUNE 8, 2023. Submit comments and feedback to RDsubmission@usda.gov. For more information, contact the Montana RD Housing Program staff at (406) 371-2553. WELCOME TO THE MONTANA RD TEAM! Heather Sayeg-Dayley Business and Cooperative Services Program Specialist Heather recently started with USDA, RD in January 2023 from a banking, secondary market auditing, and mortgage underwriting background. This included Credit Unions, mortgage lender fraud analysis and a four-year FNMA contract working on closing out the legacy book of loans projects for the Centralized Repurchase Team. Originally from California, Heather works out of our Kalispell area office as part of our Business and Cooperative Programs team. Heather Tash Wisemiller State Community Development Specialist Tash is the new Montana RD statewide Community Development Specialist. He joined the team in February 2023 after over 10 years with the Montana Department of Commerce where he oversaw Community Development Block Grant Economic Development and Community Facility programs, and revitalization programs such as the Montana Main Street and the Montana Historic Preservation Program. Tash works out of our Helena area office, and he will be directing our community engagement efforts and exploring new ways to connect us with our neighbors and partners across Montana. Tash MONTANA RD IN THE NEWS Rural Montana Women Turn 'Side Project' intoProfitable Operation A women-owned beef production business in rural Hilger, Montana, received a $49,954 USDA Value Added Producer Grant to help grow their rural small business. They used their grant to fund processing, packaging and marketing expenses. To read more about their journey and success click HERE. Montana Ranchers Beef Co USDA USDA Invests More Than $19 Million Toward Construction ofModern Health Care Facility in Harlowton, Montana Bozeman, Mont., Feb. 28 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced today that USDA is investing more than $19 million to build a new health care facility in Harlowton, Montana. Read more HERE. USDA Invests More Than $38 Million Toward Construction of Modern Health Care Facility in White Sulphur Springs,Montana Bozeman, Mont., Mar. 10, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in Montana State Director Kathleen Williams announced today that USDA is investing more than $38 million to help build a new health care facility in White Sulphur Springs, Montana. Read more HERE. USDA USDA Awards More than $2.3 Million in 2022 Grants to Support Montana Agricultural Producers Bozeman, Mont., March 17, 2023 – In 2022 17 agricultural producers across Montana received more than $2.3 million in direct funds through USDA Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program which helps these businesses generate new products, create, and expand marketing opportunities, and increase overall producer income with the goal of growing local economies in rural areas. Read more HERE. Questions? Contact Us 2229 Boot Hill Court Bozeman, MT 59715 Phone: (406) 585-2580 STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences | Help USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately. This email was sent to agenda@bozeman.net by USDA Rural Development · 1400 Independence Ave SW · Washington DC 20250· 800-670-6553