FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES PROGRAMS |
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PURPOSE: |
Providing faith-based and
community groups with equal access to USDA Rural Development programs. |
One of President Bush’s first official acts as President was to create the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The Office was tasked at its inception with leading a “determined attack on need” by strengthening and expanding the role of faith-based and other community organizations in addressing the nation’s social problems. The guiding principle behind President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative is that all social service providers, including faith-based charities, should be able to compete on an equal footing for public dollars to provide public services.
The President’s Initiative calls on USDA to build upon and expand successful partnerships of the past. It demonstrates a renewed commitment to integrating faith-based and other community organizations in agency programs and to allowing faith-based organizations to participate in Federal programs without impairing their independence, autonomy, expression, or religious character. It also asks us to explore new, innovative approaches in providing services involving organizations that may have previously considered themselves ineligible or were simply unaware of USDA’s many programs. The President’s Initiative dovetails with Rural Development’s mission and has the same ultimate goal: to see more people served in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
USDA Rural Development is partnering with faith-based and community organizations to build strong communities. We are committed to helping faith and community organizations learn about and access programs that can enhance their capacity to serve their community.
USDA Rural Development has 14 programs that can help faith-based and community organizations:
- Community Facility Grants
- Community Facility Loans
- Community Facility Loan Guarantees
- Rural Community Development
Initiative (RCDI)
- Rural Rental Housing Loans
- Rural Rental Housing Guaranteed
Loans
- Farm Labor Housing
- Rental Assistance for use in existing and
newly constructed Rural Rental
Housing or Farm Labor Housing
financed complexes.
- Housing Preservation Grant
- Technical and Supervisory Assistance
Grants
- Self-Help Housing
- Distance Learning and Telemedicine
(DLT)
- Rural Business Enterprise Grant
The pages in this booklet contain information about the 14 programs as well as other programs offered by the Agency.
Please visit our Faith-Based and Community Initiatives toolkit web site at: www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/fbci/fbci_toolkit.html
The toolkit offers a one-stop shop for organizations interested in applying for Rural Development programs and includes supplemental resources, legal guidance for faith and community groups, and contact information.
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Revised on: April 9, 2008
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