Rural Development in Illinois awarded $424,300 to expand access to rural housing and water infrastructure, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan recently announced. Three Illinois investments are among more than 263 projects announced nationwide.
The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees will use a $141,500 Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant to help operate the Illinois Cooperative Development Center. The money will provide technical assistance to rural cooperatives across Illinois, focusing on 10 rural communities to receive one-on-one attention with workshops, presentations, and grant writing.
The Crosswalk Community Action Agency in West Frankfort will use a Housing Preservation Grant for $142,900 to rehabilitate housing for about 12 very low and low-income homeowners.
The Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency will use a $140,000 Housing Preservation Grant with $650,000 in leveraged funding to repair homes for 25 very low-income homeowners.
“Equal access to all federal opportunities, especially for populations in the most remote areas of the state, regardless of background or financial status, is central to USDA’s priorities,” Dirksen Londrigan said in a statement. “Helping a family affordably repair their home, providing technical assistance to expand economic opportunities for underserved communities, and ensuring all individuals have access to modern community infrastructure are just some of the ways that USDA is working to provide this access.”
Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for Americans in rural areas. To learn more, visit www.rd.usda.gov/il.