Too often, our small towns are overlooked, or frankly, ignored. I’ve made it my mission in Congress to make sure Iowa’s rural communities are a national priority. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I’ve hosted Farm Bill Listening Tours throughout Iowa’s 3rd District to hear what people want to see in the next farm bill.
During those listening posts, I heard frequently about the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (RED L&G) program, which is used for rural development projects that benefit small, rural communities. These loans and grants can be used to empower small businesses, local governments, school districts, non-profits, healthcare facilities with the tools they need to add and retain jobs, expand their footprint, provide technical assistance, access medical technologies, and more.
To support this program and encourage more investment in rural communities, I introduced the Revitalizing Rural Communities Act, which will increase funding for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (RED L&G) from $50 million to $60 million over a five-year period.
Projects that have received this funding in recent years from the Iowa Third District include:
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The Lakeview Elementary School expansion, assisting with the consolidation of Centerville Community School District
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New construction of a 30,000 square foot building in Perry Industrial Park
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The Bricker-Price Block Building, a renovated community center, in Earlham
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Construction of the new Stanton Viking Center to be used as a preschool, wellness center, and library
Iowa is already the largest recipient of funding from this program, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure Iowa’s rural communities have the support needed to thrive!
Read the bill text here:
FORM: https://nunn.house.gov/SL/Revitalizing-Rural-Communities-Act