1. USDA Rural Development
In the coaches guide we need to give the coaches permission to add or delete slides to make the presentation more comfortable and adaptive to their Region.
If they are in a Region with Tribal influence – will want to add lots of info on what RD can do with Tribes – if in area with no Tribes– probably don’t even have to bring that info up.
United States Department of Agriculture

2. Topics Rural Development Mission Rural Development Programs
Strategic Economic & Community Development (SECD)
Cooperative Development
Local Foods

3. Rural Development’s Mission
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America

4. Rural Development Agencies
The agencies and programs work together and complement each other to build a thriving rural community.
At this slide do the overarching description of each of the Service Areas and a broad discussion of each service area and some of the programs they have to offer and how they may be connected to Goals that were raised on White Board

5. Rural Utility Service (RUS)
Electric Programs
Telecommunications Programs
Water & Environmental Programs
Maybe rather than discuss each program and loans and grant available on each of these slides – discuss a story how grant and loan programs were applied in an a SET Region or a community –

6. Rural Housing Service (RHS)
Multi-Family Housing
Single-Family Housing
Community Facilities
Maybe rather than discuss each program and the list of grants and loans on each of these slides – discuss a story how grant and loan programs were applied in an a SET Region or a community

7. Rural Business & Cooperative Service
Business Programs
Energy Programs
Cooperative Programs
Maybe rather than discuss each program and the list of grants and loans on each of these slides – discuss a story how grant and loan programs were applied in an a SET Region or a community

8. Rural Development Type of Financial Assistance

9. Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD)
Section 6025 of 2014 Farm Bill
Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD)

10. What is the Section 6025 Strategic Economic & Community Development (SECD)?
New requirement under 2014 Farm Bill
Sets aside up to 10% of USDA program funds under:
Community Facilities
Water and Environmental Programs
Rural Business Development Grants
Business & Industry Guaranteed Loans
So a multi-jurisdictional plan has to be a plan that is for a region or area that includes more than one unit of government.
But please be mindful that most counties have several cities and towns within them. So county wide plan would meet definition of multi-jurisdictional.
for prioritizing projects that support the
implementation of a multi-jurisdictional plan.

11. Underlying Programs Community Facilities -
Water and Environmental Programs
Rural Business Development Grants
Business & Industry Loans - businesses
Don’t repeat the info on CF – WEP –RBDG and B&I – was just covered in over
Does not match slide in Guide Book -- Don’t have presenter restate Program info that was just covered at beginning of presentation – better to discuss how to get make application – discuss how the first step in process is to make sure project in plan is feasible and ready for project funding ….. Then add next slide….

12. How the Process Works
Work with appropriate RD Specialist to ensure all appropriate financial, environmental and back up data is submitted.
First: Prepare loan/grant application for underlying program
RD Form (the application for SECD consideration)
Applicant check list for SECD
Second: Submit for scoring under SECD*
(*Can be submitted concurrently with loan/grant application)

13. Why SECD?
Rural Development wants to excel at helping communities use USDA programs strategically by:
Encouraging regional planning and collaboration with partners within regions.
Using regional assets to promote the region.
Leveraging resources and financing creatively.
Recognizing that poverty reduction is a systemic problem that requires systemic solutions, the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) is an opportunity to prioritize projects that support the implementation of a regional economic development plan.
RD is moving away from transactional model of one-off project financing

14. The Regional Approach: A Proven Success
Rural Development rewards projects that:
Number of points
Are tied to a Multijurisdictional Plan & meet at least 2 objectives
Up to 10 points
Have a Regional Plan with clear objectives and the ability to establish measureable performance measures
Up to 2 points
Have a plan developed from a collaboration of multiple stakeholders from its service area

15. A Good Plan… Rural Development rewards projects that include:
Number of points
Resources – The Plan demonstrates an understanding of the applicable regional assets that could support the Plan
Up to 2 points
Other Federal Investments - The Plan includes practical Investments from Federal agencies other than the USDA
Philanthropic Investment – The Plan includes practical investments from Philanthropic organizations

16. Assistance to Regions
SECD embraces technical assistance and initiatives as a tool for Rural Communities:
Cooperative Development – a creative alternative for rural communities to provide services that meet its citizens needs.
Local & Regional Food Systems assistance –provides technical assistance to communities that want to use local food systems to promote Community and Economic Development with a region.

17. Cooperative Development
Co-ops are producer and user-owned businesses that are controlled by, and operate for the benefit of, their members.
Farmer Co-ops – market and process crops
Rural Utility Co-ops – electrical and telecommunication services
Financial Co-ops – credit and financial services
Other Co-ops – Food stores, daycare, health services
The co-op business model is highly flexible and can address a wide variety of a rural community needs. For example, Farmer-owned co-ops help producer-members market and process their crops and livestock, and secure needed production supplies and services. Consumer-owned rural utility co-ops provide electrical power and telecommunications services. Financial co-ops provide credit and financial services. Other co-ops operate food stores, hardware, and building supply businesses, and provide education, daycare and health services, among many other things

18. Cooperative Development
Rural Communities can consider Co-ops as a means to provide services to its citizen.
For technical assistance with Cooperative Development:
Margaret Bau
Cooperative Development Specialist
Direct Line

19. Local and Regional Food Systems
Helps communities scale up local and regional food systems and strengthen their economies.
Offers assistance in funding and technical assistance for developing regional food systems

20. Local and Regional Food Systems
For technical assistance please contact:
James Barham
Agricultural Economic

21. Final Thoughts
Rural Development has programs and committed staff that can address a variety of community and regional challenges
SECD promotes and rewards a regional approach when using RD programs.
RD Programs can be used to lift rural communities out of poverty when programs are used strategically.
Co-ops and Local Foods Systems can be used to promote community and economic efforts for rural communities.

22. Rural Development Offices
Discuss all the various contact levels to reach RD personnel
RD State Office
RD General Field Representative for Telecommunications
RBS Coordinators
Energy Coordinators
CED Coordinators

23. Regional Community Economic Development Coordinators
Midwest:
Christine Sorensen
Northeast:
Angela Callie
West:
Tim O’Connell
Regional Coordinators in RD support CED Leads in the states in assisting communities in building their capacity and providing targeted technical assistance. By doing so, it is expected that Rural Development will increase the communities’ readiness for sustainable economic development and build project pipelines to take advantage of other RD Programs down the road. Additionally, CED staff can also help ensure that partnerships are established and that other resources are leverages so unserved and underserved socially disadvantaged and minority groups can be effectively assisted.
RD CED Coordinators are responsible to Implement Stroger Economies Together(SET) and Farm Bill’s Section 6025 requirements (Strategic Economic & Community Development SECD – they work closely with CED staff in state offices and the field to support these initiatives and to provide direct technical expertise and support.
South:
Gregory Dale

24. QUESTIONS

25. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , Washington , D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
We need to add the USDA civil rights statement in all presentations

26. Who to Contact? http://srdc.msstate.edu/set/
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