USDA makes $1 billion in loan guarantees to help rural businesses

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced on May 21 that the department is making $1 billion available in loan guarantees to help rural businesses. Perdue stated the aim is to help such businesses meet their working capital needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ceniarth commits an initial $3 million in zero-interest loans to extend CDFIs’ lending power

Ceniarth LLC, a private foundation focused on funding market-based solutions benefiting underserved communities, has committed an initial $3 million in zero-interest loans to Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) to bolster its ability to continue to lend under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

62 percent of US counties did not have the required minimum download speed for broadband internet in March

Research by M-Lab, an open source project that monitors global internet performance, showed that in late March, most people in 62 percent of U.S. counties did not have the government’s minimum download speed for broadband internet, as usage soared amid various “shelter-in-place” advisories.

Rural America demographics at higher risk for COVID-19

A recent Vox report examined a community in rural Alaska preparing for the arrival of COVID-19. Fairbanks, Alaska is geographically isolated to a remote island. Its physical remoteness may be both a strength and a serious vulnerability.

Access to safe drinking water magnified in the lens of COVID-19

An estimated one million Californians lack access to clean drinking water, which requires them to purchase bottled water for everyday use. Now, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, these residents are finding bottled water in short supply.