FHFA: New Rule Proposed to Help Enterprises Better Serve Colonias
Amendments will remove barriers to Enterprise Duty to Serve activities in high-needs rural regions The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today proposed to amend the Agency’s Duty to Serve (DTS) Underserved Markets regulation to facilitate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s (the Enterprises) activities related to serving colonias. “FHFA is committed to promoting affordability, equity, and…
SBA: $7.2 Million in PRIME Grants Awarded to Help Emerging Micro-Entrepreneurs Gain Access to Capital
Grants Will Help 38 Small Business Support Organizations Provide Technical Assistance and Training Services to Economically Disadvantaged Businesses, Rural Small Businesses, and Foreign Language Entrepreneurs Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced a $7.2 million grant award to 38…
CFPB: New Report Details Family Finances and Debt in Rural Appalachia
Appalachians Face Higher Debt Burdens and Worse Credit Conditions than Most Other Parts of Rural America The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued the first in a series of reports focusing on the finances of consumers living in rural areas. Today’s report focuses on rural Appalachians, who tend to earn less than consumers in…
EDA: Over $56 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds Invested Last Week
Last week, the following grants were made under the American Rescue Plan Funds program: August 30, 2022 – U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $15.4 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Bolster Infrastructure for Business and Job Growth in West Virginia August 30, 2022 – U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $6 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds…
HUD: $10 Million Funding Opportunity Announced for Capacity Building in Rural America
Rural Capacity Building grants help non-profits build capacity to create affordable housing and stimulate community development in rural areas The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it will make available $10 million in Rural Capacity Building grants. The Rural Capacity Building (RCB) program enhances the capacity and ability of rural…
HUD: First-Ever Funding Opportunity for Coordinated Approaches to Address Unsheltered Homeless, Including Resources for Rural Communities, Announced
HUD Package Includes $322 Million, Including $54.5 Million Set-Aside for Rural Communities, For Permanent Housing, Supportive Services, And Other Costs Package Also Provides $43 Million To Fund Approximately 4,000 New Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers The Biden Administration through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released a first-of-its-kind package of resources to…
USDA and EDA Launch Resource Guide to Boost Economic Development in Rural Communities
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small and U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Assistant Secretary Alejandra Y. Castillo today released a joint resource guide to help community organizations access USDA and EDA resources to build strategies to boost economic development in rural America. “America’s rural communities are critical to the success of…
CFPB: New Report Released on Financial Challenges Facing Rural Communities
Many rural communities are “banking deserts” Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a report on the challenges faced by Americans in rural communities. The report highlights that many of these communities lack access to physical bank branches, are more likely to seek credit from nonbanks, and are heavily affected by medical bills. The…
HUD: $20 Million Awarded for Eviction Protection and Diversion
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday announced $20 million in inaugural grants from its Eviction Protection Grant Program, the first of its kind for the Department. These grants will be awarded to legal service providers to assist in providing legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of or subject to…
FDIC: Mission-Driven Bank Fund Launched
$120 million pledged to support Minority Depository Institutions and CDFIs The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the launch of a new Mission-Driven Bank Fund, a capital investment vehicle being developed by the FDIC to support insured Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). As anchor investors, Microsoft and Truist Financial Corporation…