In Bristol Bay, Northline Seafoods challenges old paradigms

In Bristol Bay, Alaska, local fishermen battle uncertainty even in the best of times. The Bristol Bay community is considered a watershed: a region that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, rivers and eventually to outflow points such as Bristol Bay itself. Read more

Vickie Oldman is RCAC’s board president

West Sacramento, Calif. — Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s Board of Directors elected Vickie Oldman, of New Mexico, as Board President at its November meeting. Ms. Oldman joined the RCAC board in May 2010. The board also elected the following new board officers: Frank Bravo of California is vice-president; Marty Miller of Washington is secretary; and Claudia O’Grady of Utah is treasurer. Read more

Looking for a new and exciting career path?

Join our passionate team and make a difference in rural communities throughout the West! We work in diverse and low-income communities to increase access to affordable housing and safe drinking water, promote economic opportunity and job creation, and provide financing for community and economic development projects. Apply here!

Paycheck Protection Program

The second round of the Paycheck Protection Program is now open. RCAC is accepting and processing loan applications to provide financing for small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. RCAC’s lending is limited to small businesses in a rural area or community of 50,000 or less population or businesses that serve rural populations. The application period is open Jan. 11, 2021 to March 31, 2021. More details are available here

Training Highlights

Using MHI data for water system management

February 9 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Pacific Time), Online

Funding agencies use the community’s median household income (MHI) to determine the grant amount and/or loan funds they can provide the system, and what is an affordable service rate. This course will help you to determine if your system needs an income survey conducted, and how it can be a tremendous benefit to your community.

Register HERE

Capacity building through partnerships

February 9 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Pacific Time), Online

From casual information sharing or operational support, to formal consolidation or joint powers agreements, we will review the challenges and benefits of partnering up. By creating partnerships and opportunities for working together we can solve some of our small system challenges.

Register HERE


Network News, published monthly, is a compilation of timely news, announcements and accomplishments produced for the rural development world at no cost to subscribers. We encourage correspondence and welcome contributions. Subscribe here

Chief Executive Officer: Suzanne Anarde
Executive Editor: Dawn Van Dyke
Managing Editor: Sharon Wills

Network News is funded by: RCAC’s Loan Fund and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

RCAC is the western RCAP partner.