USDA Rural Development staff help build rural communities from the ground up by investing technical and financial resources. Through our low-interest loan and grant programs we assist local government bodies, non-profit organizations, private companies and individuals with projects in business development and job creation, affordable housing and home repairs, and a wide range of essential community services from clean drinking water and emergency services to public facilities and nursing homes. In Tennessee last year, Rural Development staff assisted more than 678,000 Tennessee families and businesses with more than $435 million in financial resources through loan guarantees, direct loans and grants.

Applications from most programs start in the area offices.
For details on eligibility and contacts in Tennessee select from your area of interest on the menu to the right>> or contact our State Office in Nashville at:

Spotlight

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack visited a middle Tennessee hospital recently where he talked healthcare reform with a roundtable of local leaders and hospital patients. Front table left to right, are Tennessee Commissioner of Health Susan Cooper, Vilsack, Metro General Hospital CEO Reginal W. Coopwood and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Ken Givens also participated.

RD Area Director Bobby Goode and Reelfoot Lake Regional Utility and Planning District Chairman Tim Bunch today announced a total investment of $540,000 to construct a new headquarters building. The announcement took place at the construction site in Samburg. Pictured holding an architechure drawing of the new headquarters is Goode (light green shirt) and Bunch (white and orange shirt). Also present is (front row, far left, blue shirt) Bruce Spaulding the architect for the project. Read More

RD Area Director Jerry Amonett, Historic Rugby Inc. (HRI) Executive Director Cheryl Cribbet and HRI Development Director Barbara Stagg announced a federal investment of $9,400 to fund additions to the town's agri-tourism and conservation project based on the unusual history of the area's first European settlers. Pictured, left to right, are John Robbins, Amonett, Cribbet, Rick Murphy, Larry Mason and Charles Morris. Read More