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Providing access to capital, credit, and assistance programs for rural communities in Hawaii, Western Pacific, and American Samoa.
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COORDINATING U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES RURAL DEVELOPMENT Hawaii/Western Pacific/American Samoa March 7, 2014
REGION OF RESPONSIBILITY“Over 4.3 Million Square Miles” State of Hawaii Guam Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Republic of the Marshall Islands Republic of Palau
RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Over 40 Grant, Direct and Guaranteed Loan and Technical Assistance Programs Rural Housing Programs Community Programs Rural Utilities Programs Rural Business and Cooperative Programs Rural Energy Programs Providing Access to Capital and Credit for Rural Communities
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES The Republic of Palau Housing – Over $300,000 in loans and grants to assist 17 very low and low income families to renovate or remove safety and health hazards in their homes.
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES The Republic of Palau Community Facilities - $32,000 grant to Hatohobei State Government for the purchase of a security patrol boat.
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES The Republic of the Marshall Islands Housing – The Mutual Self Help Housing Program managed by the Marshall Islands Development Bank provided $720,000 in loans and grants to 12 newfamilies for technical assistance and home construction. Since the project’s inception in 2005, over $1.2 million in Technical Assistance grants and $4.0 million in construction loans assisted 82 very low income families.
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES The Republic of the Marshall Islands Community Facilities – A $171,700 grant was made to the College of the Marshall Islands for the purchase of library furnishings.
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES Federated States of Micronesia Housing - Over $300,000 in loans and grants to assist 43 very low and low income families to renovate or remove safety and health hazards in their homes.
FY 2013 SUCCESS STORIES Federated States of Micronesia Community Facilities – Economic Initiative Impact grants: $45,937 to purchase police vehicles and machinery. Community Facilities Grant - $41,250 for security fencing for the Lukop Elementary School.
FY 2014 PRIORITIES Community Economic Development Food Nutrition – Local and Regional Food Systems High Poverty Communities Bio-Based Economy/Alternative Energy
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY An approach of assessing the needs that are specific to each community – Community Economic Development (CED) Assessment Avoids a “one size fits all” approach and enables more strategic program delivery. Area Directors Joseph Diego and Gary Bloom playing key roles in making these assessments.
FOOD NUTRITION PRIORITY SEC Goal: “Creation of 100 new local/regional food market opportunities, annually.” Funding support for local and regional food systems infrastructure and technical support. All phases of food life cycle – production, processing, marketing, nutrition (cooking), and consumption. Value added activities, farmer’s markets, agriculture cooperatives, etc. Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (KYF2) website resource. Collaboration with other federal, state, and local agencies.
HIGH POVERTY COMMUNITIES TARGETING PRIORITY SEC Goal: “20% of all Rural Development funding invested in High Poverty communities by 2016.” Mapping of High Poverty communities – CED assessment. “High Poverty Tool Kit” – Inventory of RD programs. Impacts - Investments made in High Poverty communities, investments made benefitting High Poverty communities, and education on “moving out of poverty.”
BIO-BASEDECONOMY/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Products derived from bio-based materials/activities. Tie in with local and regional food systems goal. Alternative energy supporting a bio-based economy.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT’S MISSION “IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AN INCREASING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES”