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Mission: "To increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for all rural Americans." |
Rural Development is working to eliminate substandard housing from rural America by helping rural people buy, build or rent decent housing. We also create jobs by funding the growth and creation of rural businesses and cooperatives. In a typical year, Rural Development programs create or preserve more than 150,000 rural jobs, enable 40,000 to 50,000 rural Americans to buy homes and help 450,000 low-income rural people rent apartments or other housing.
Other Rural Development programs help rural communities build or improve community facilities, such as schools, health clinics and fire stations. We also have programs that help rural communities build or extend utilities, including water, electricity and telecommunications services.
Our assistance is provided in many ways, including direct or guaranteed loans, grants, technical assistance, research and educational materials. To accomplish our mission, USDA Rural Development often works in partnership with state, local and tribal governments, as well as rural businesses, cooperatives and nonprofit agencies.
Rural Development programs are delivered through our Utilities Programs, which address rural America's need for basic services such as clean running water, sewers and waste disposal, electricity, and telecommunications; our Housing Programs, which address rural America's need for single-family and multi-family housing as well as health facilities, fire and police stations, and other community facilities, and; our Business Programs, which provide help to rural areas that need to develop new job opportunities, allowing businesses and cooperatives to remain viable in a changing economy. We also have Community Development Programs that operate special initiatives to demonstrate effective community development techniques and address unique and pressing economic development issues.
In addition, Rural Development works in partnership with other entities -- such as state, local, and tribal governments, private and nonprofit organizations, and member-owned cooperatives -- to revitalize rural areas. Our programs are provided across the nation through 47 state offices and 800 area and local offices.
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